January 02, 2014
New Year’s Resolutions for the Adoption World
January is the time for resolutions, and we know you’re all feeling it right now. Adoption had an exciting and tumultuous year in 2013, and we wanted to make an adoption-centric list of resolutions to inspire both our own actions and those of the greater adoption community. Feel free to post your own on Twitter @onetruegift, or in the comments on our Facebook page!
2014 Adoption Resolutions
1. Bring equality back to the forefront. This banning of adoptions for people in different countries, and of different ethnicities, sexualities and religions has got to go.
2. Spread awareness. Just as 2013 inspired so many amazing adoption stories, between Putin and Baby Veronica, there were some harrowing ones as well. There are millions of orphans across the world desperately in need of families — keep the knowledge alive.
3. When your kids seem frustrated, distant or confused, try not to take it to heart. They have a lot going on they need to process, too.
4. Volunteer for at least one adoption/foster-related charity, event, or organization this year.
5. Help a foster kid. In any way possible, especially the older ones. Sponsor them, donate educational materials or clothing, send a Christmas or birthday present. Anything to show them that someone out there cares.
6. Share your story. Every time you share your story with someone new, you inspire. Who knows? You may even end up helping someone out who’s also looking to adopt.
7. Be honest with your children. Adopted kids can ask some pretty difficult questions, but we don’t get any closer to them by keeping them in the dark. Trust your kids, trust your family and give them their whole story.
8. Bring adoption into the schools! Work with your children’s teacher or administration to integrate adoption education into the curriculum.
9. Be a support for someone else. If you are an adoptee, find another adoptee to mentor. If you are a birth parent who has already placed, or an adoptive family who has already adopted, reach out to birth parents or adoptive families who are in the beginning, scary stages of their process and find ways to give them guidance and comfort.
10. Get the whole family on board. If you take on any of these resolutions for yourself, make it a family event. Support adoption, bring your family together, foster closeness. Resolutions don’t get any better than that.
