January 15, 2020
Have You Thought About Your Adoption Profile?
Starting your adoption experience is the beginning of a big, emotional journey. It’s no small effort, but it yields incredible rewards. The first step to beginning your adoption story is creating your adoption profile. Your adoption profile is your introduction to a prospective birth family—it’s your first impression on someone who wants to share their life with you. There are thousands of people looking to adopt, so you want to put careful thought into your adoption profile so you ensure you’re truly saying what you want to say. Don’t know where to start? That’s what we’re here for!
Be authentic. This is your life. Showcase your true self! Use this opportunity to share your beliefs, hobbies, and lifestyle. Invite your immediate family to join in as a way to highlight your support system. An adoption profile is an excellent opportunity to let a birth family or mother get to know you. They are making a life-changing decision about who they want their child to spend their life with, and they want to ensure that the family they choose shares their hopes, dreams, and vision for their child.
Curate your adoption profile photos. Pictures of you, your family, and/or your spouse are incredibly important. These photos highlight your daily life and give birth families a visual perspective on who they are trusting with their child’s life. Expectant mothers and families want to be able to envision their child with a family—if you have biological or previously adopted children, include them! Select photos that show vacations, hobbies, activities, and holidays so a prospective birth family has a special “inside” look to your traditions and daily life. Some families include photos dating back generations, or engagement and wedding photos to show the big moments in their life.
Keep it simple, but professional. There is a lot of information that you’ll want to share with a potential birth family, but don’t go overboard. An adoption profile will not be made overnight and it’s important to curate it with the most important and special moments that highlight you as a family. There are lots of companies and software programs that can help you build an adoption profile or book. Companies like Shutterfly and Presto Photo and more can help you create a book or photo story that perfectly encapsulates you as a family.
Don’t stress! An adoption profile is a beautiful way of describing yourself in an authentic and honest way. Do your research and find a way to present yourself that perfectly represents you.
