Welcome an adopted child’s birth family into holiday festivities

The holidays are time when families come together. If your family includes an adopted child who was adopted through an open adoption, your holiday festivities might include your child’s birth family. While that can make for an awkward time for some families, giving your family time to prepare can help to reduce the awkwardness of the situation.

Before the event occurs, speak to your family members and the birth family. Find out if anyone has any questions that you can answer ahead of time. Find out if there are topics that make someone uncomfortable. Share information that is gathered with the appropriate parties to help everyone properly prepare for the gathering.

It is important for everyone in your family who will attend the gathering to know that you welcome the adopted child’s birth parents with open arms. You want them to know that you are excited that you get to share such a unique experience with your child and his or her birth parents.

When everyone starts to arrive, make sure that you take the time to introduce everyone. A good introduction can help everyone to feel more comfortable. It is also a good chance to remind all parties of names they might have forgotten.

An inclusive holiday party can provide your adopted child with wonderful memories if everything goes smoothly at the party. If your child is old enough to understand what is going on, preparing him or her for the event is a good idea. Of course, this is only possible if you opted for an open adoption when you adopted your child.

Source:

 Adoption.com, “5 Ways to Prepare for Spending Holidays with Your Child’s Birth Family,” Sarah M. Baker, accessed Dec. 16, 2015

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