How to Talk with Young Kids about Adoption - Weekend Wisdom
Creating a Family: Talk about Adoption, Foster & Kinship Care
06/07/25
•10m
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Question: My wife and I adopted a newborn baby almost 3 years ago and we could not be happier. Now that he is getting a little older, he is talking and starting to understand things. My question is how can we best normalize his adoption with him? I know it is better for kids to grow up with everyone being open with him and his adoption so it feels like now is a good time to start. But I am not sure how to that with an almost 3-year-old. For context, we do not have any contact with the birth family. We send updates and pictures to the agency, but they have not expressed interest in having contact with us. This always seemed like an avenue to start that conversation (you have a birth family and an adoptive family). Without that, I’m not sure how to start talking to him about adoption. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Resources:
- Talking about Adoption, Part 1: Talking with 0-5 Year Olds (Article)
- Talking with Kids about Adoption (Resource page)
- Talking with Kids about Birth Parents (Suggested Books for Young Kids)
Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.
Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:
- Weekly podcasts
- Weekly articles/blog posts
- Resource pages on all aspects of family building
Previous Episode
The Adoption Home Study: Should You Be Nervous?
June 4, 2025
•54m
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Many prospective adoptive families feel anxious about the home study. Our guest, Sheila Kowit, is an adoption social worker with Adoptions From the Heart. She prepares home studies for both domestic infant and international adoptions. She explains what the process is like, what you can expect, and what you will learn in the home study process.
In this episode, we discuss:
- What is an adoption home study?
- Is it possible to get one home study that can be used with all types of adoptions: domestic infant, foster care, and international adoption?
- What is the purpose of the adoption home study?
- At what point in the adoption process is the home study usually done in domestic infant adoption?
- In international adoption?
- How long does it take to complete an adoption home study in domestic infant adoption?
- In international adoption
- How much does an adoption home study cost for domestic infant adoption?
- For international adoption
- What information can the prospective adoptive parents expect to compile for a domestic infant adoption home study? How does this differ for international adoption?
- Medical history
- Statements of income and assets
- Autobiographical statements
- References
- What, if any, are the physical health concerns:
- For international adoption, consult our Adoption Comparison Charts
- Do you have to have a current physical?
- What to do about getting a medical physical if you don’t have a regular primary doctor. Can you go to Urgent Care clinics or Minute Clinics for an adoption physical?
- Can you do domestic infant adoption if you or your partner/spouse has a mental health diagnosis? What about international adoption?
- For international adoption, consult our Adoption Comparison Charts
- Criminal background concerns for domestic infant adoption? For international adoption?
- DUIs, misdemeanors, expunged records?
- It is important to be honest and share it all with your social worker.
- What gets included in the financial portion of the home study for domestic infant adoption? For international adoption?
- Income, liabilities, and assets assessment
- Documentation necessary
- Check country listings at our Adoption Comparison Charts or USCIS Intercountry Adoption Information
- Writing your personal history for a domestic infant? And for international?
See more on CreatingaFamily.org.
Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.
Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:
- Weekly podcasts
- Weekly articles/blog posts
- Resource pages on all aspects of family building
Next Episode
Understanding Adoption: Voices From All Sides
June 11, 2025
•47m
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Join us to discuss how adoption looks and feels from all sides of the adoption triad. Our guests will be the authors Sara Easterly, Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard, and Lori Holden of their book, Adoption Unfiltered.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Adoptee Perspective:
- 23 adoptees contributed to this section of the book.
- What are some of the issues adoptees may face?
- Compliance and people-pleasing
- Fantasy Attachments
- Shame
- Interracial Adoptees
- The Danger in the Rescue Narrative
- Role of religionin adoption for adoptees, birth mothers/expectant mothers, and adoptive parents
- Birth Mother:
- Before birth mothers get the chance to ask for help, they ask for mercy.
- Advertisements and search algorithms when searching for adoption information
- Lack of neutral support
- Lack of post-placement support—lingering trauma and grief—It’s a different type of grief and trauma.
- Adoptive Parent:
- Insecurity—who’s the real parent
- Adoption Unfiltered Online
Please leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.
Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content:
- Weekly podcasts
- Weekly articles/blog posts
- Resource pages on all aspects of family building
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