The Adoption Film

Hat tip to Karen for posting this first.  PBS is doing a documentary on adoption.  You can read about it here.

This sounds like not only a long overdue project, but finally an honest portrait.  So many rumors and urban legends swirl around about adoption, it's time the truth was talked about. Although I consider myself an armchair expert on adoption, I was pretty stunned at the statistic that one in three Americans is touched by adoption.

I knew my family were the poster children for adoption since Martin and I were both adopted as infants and adopted our daughter but I never realized how far reaching the numbers are. 

Adoption has always been a part of me, my life, of who I am.  I was very fortunate that my parents treated it in such a positive manner and made sure I knew I was loved and wanted and no different than any other kid.  I only had a couple negative experiences ever. 

So, ignorance does still exist about adoption.  As an adult adoptee and an adoptive parent, I think it's part of my duty to educate people about adoption.  I am fortunate that my parents were ahead of the curve and dismissed all the secrecy about adoption that existed back in the 60s as utter nonsense and were always honest and open about it.  I plan on doing the same with Mia.  I think that is the only healthy reasonable solution.

I don't blog about the details of Mia's adoption for personal private reasons relating to her birth family.  Also, I don't consider it anyone's business except ours and the people close to us we wish to share it with.   I have been inspired, however, in reading about the documentary, to address some general questions and untruths about adoption and I will be writing about those. 

Comments

[Colleen]

I had friends who adopted a 2-yr old girl. (She's 12 now) It was never a secret. In fact, when my friend learned she was receiving her little girl, she asked the mom to write the daughter she was about to give up a letter.

My friends celebrate the day they adopted their daughter as a "gotcha day". They celebrate it almost like a birthday.

I haven't read the link to the documentary yet, but I plan to. My husband and I haven't started trying for children yet, but if we learn that we can't conceive, we plan to adopt. None of that fertility stuff. THere are children out there who need loving families.

Bless you for adopting and not keeping it some secret. It's a blessing, not a curse.

[Holly]

I have been thinking alot about adoption lately so I'm very interested in what you have to say. In the statistic does that include adoptions like Andy's, where a father adopts the child of his wife I wonder?
Adoption is such a beautiful thing..thank you for talking about it on your blog.

[nicole]

I have the same ideas about adoption...my husband and I do not think we want a family, and I have a fucked up uterus anyway,but if we decide later we want them, and cannot, we would adopt...it is awesome, and a gift to someone who needs a family

[Carol in GA]

Thanks for posting this Lisa. I am the mom of one bio child and one adopted child. You and I have much the same feelings about adoptions. Just a teeny bit of our adoption story: Alex's birth mom moved away after placing him with us. She made some major lifestyle changes, went back to school, got married (and now, 12 years later is still married to the same guy), and I recently got the news that they had a little boy. I'm so happy for her. I would love to write a book about our adoption experience. So many lives were touched and changed for the better. One more thing. Could Mia POSSIBLY be any cuter??? Thanks for sharing her pics.