Women Deserve Better

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Adoption

Common Adoption Myths Debunked

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When it comes to adoption, there are several myths that the average person might mistakenly believe. Although this list is not exhaustive, here are some myths surrounding adoption and the truth to clarify them all: 1. Adoption takes years and years to complete. While there are several factors that play into the timeline of each adoption process, the truth is, 70% of U.S. … [Read more...] about Common Adoption Myths Debunked

How to Lovingly Discipline Your Foster Child

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Many, if not most, foster care systems forbid foster parents from using any kind of corporal punishment or any other kind of punishment (such as yelling) that is aimed at demeaning a child. Your foster child may have emotional or physical scars from punishments that she had received at her last home. This can make discipline issues hard to navigate for some parents. What can … [Read more...] about How to Lovingly Discipline Your Foster Child

Your Guide to Guardianship and Kinship Care

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What’s the difference between guardianship and kinship care? Guardianship is a legal process that allows a designated person to have responsibility for a child and the authority to make decisions on her or his behalf. Kinship is when the guardian is a relative or, in some cases, a close family friend. The guardian in both of these options is responsible for the well-being … [Read more...] about Your Guide to Guardianship and Kinship Care

Should YOU Become a Foster Parent?

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There are over 428,000 children, on any given day, in the foster care system here in America. There is also an increasing disparity between the number of children needing foster care and the number of foster parents who are able to care for them. Fostering a child can be one of the most rewarding and beautiful decisions a person or couple will make, but it can also be one of … [Read more...] about Should YOU Become a Foster Parent?

4 Considerations for Prospective Foster Parents

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Bringing a new child into your home, perhaps from less than ideal circumstances, is a serious decision. The rewards of becoming a foster parent are great: You are given the chance to unconditionally love a child who needs your care; you witness the power of love and how being in a healthy and stable family environment can change a child’s life forever. If you are considering … [Read more...] about 4 Considerations for Prospective Foster Parents

8 Tips When Choosing International Adoption

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While there are many options in adoption—domestic, newborn, foster care, relative, etc.—perhaps the scariest can be bringing a new child into your home from a foreign country. The costs, the language barrier, the paperwork, the cultural differences, oh my! Despite the unique obstacles, people are still drawn to international adoption. Many Americans and Canadians trace … [Read more...] about 8 Tips When Choosing International Adoption

An Adoption Journey of Openness and Authenticity

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Beginnings: Cobbling the Path The spring of 2012 marked the beginning of a journey down a new and uncharted path to become a mom. The path to motherhood already proving to be much more difficult than originally anticipated, I apprehensively asked a colleague who recently adopted her daughter about her experience. Looking back, that conversation now represents the first stone … [Read more...] about An Adoption Journey of Openness and Authenticity

What is Semi-Open Adoption?

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There are several good options when it comes to adoption. If you are not comfortable with either a closed or an open adoption, you may consider choosing a semi-open adoption. Semi-open adoptions allow birthparents to maintain contact with their child through a mediator, thus maintaining the privacy of both the birthparents and the adoptive family. This relationship allows for … [Read more...] about What is Semi-Open Adoption?

Pros and Cons of Open Adoption

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When it comes to adoption, you have options. While in the past, closed adoptions were a popular method, today, open and semi-open adoptions are more and more common. For birthmothers or birthfathers who do not want the complete separation a closed adoption would bring, open adoption might be the best path. Open adoptions allow birthparents to maintain contact with their child’s … [Read more...] about Pros and Cons of Open Adoption

What You Need to Know About Closed Adoption

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Adoption is a choice often offered if a mother cannot care for her baby in the way she desires to. Many adoptions are open or semi-open and those are good and legitimate choices. But if a mother decides that the best thing for her child would be complete separation, closed adoption might be the best option. This is a difficult decision, with many facets, and there can be no … [Read more...] about What You Need to Know About Closed Adoption

What Is Domestic Adoption?

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Domestic adoption rates have increased over the last few decades. According to the National Council for Adoption, there are now over 20,000 domestic adoptions per year. While the annual number of domestic adoptions has been increasing, the annual number of international adoptions has been decreasing. Adoption is a journey for all involved in the process with the hope of the … [Read more...] about What Is Domestic Adoption?

How to Adopt Internationally

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The decision to bring a child into your home through adoption is an admirable one, but unfortunately, the adoption process can be long and confusing. This is especially true when it comes to adopting from abroad. Before you jump headfirst into the international adoption/intercountry adoption process, it is useful to keep the following things in mind. Knowing the … [Read more...] about How to Adopt Internationally

How Can Tax Benefits Help When Adopting

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Adoption can be an expensive option outside of the foster care system. For individuals or families who choose private adoption of a child—domestically or internationally—there are some tax benefits that can help offset expenses. The two most useful benefits are the Adoption Tax Credit and the Adoption Tax Exclusion. Tax Deductions Under the Federal Adoption Tax Credit, … [Read more...] about How Can Tax Benefits Help When Adopting

Your Rights As a Birthmother in the Workplace

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Being a birthmother can be difficult, and one part of that difficulty can be navigating the minefield at work. How to discuss it with your co-workers? How to discuss it with your boss? Are you entitled to the same benefits as your co-workers who do not place their child for adoption? A mother who places her child for adoption is still entitled to the same benefits at work as … [Read more...] about Your Rights As a Birthmother in the Workplace