April 23, 2015
Tips For Planning A Great Adoption Shower
Everyone knows how to plan a baby shower…but what about an adoption shower? Because every parent-to-be deserves the excitement and celebration that comes along with welcoming a new family member, here are some helpful tips for planning an adoption shower. (Feel free to pass along to the person planning yours 😉
1. Ask questions! When it comes to planning an adoption shower — some typical baby shower rules don’t apply. And no one will know more about how they want their adoption to be understood and presented to their loved ones than the adoptive parents themselves. What kind of theme do they want? What imagery would they like on an invite? Where are they registered? Consult with them, get their opinions, don’t feel like you have to intuit everything on your own. It will be greatly appreciated in the long run.
2. Make sure guests receive the proper information. Adoption showers can happen at multiple points in the adoption process — after a match or even weeks after the child has arrived. Make your guests aware of the known details about the child: age, where they’re from. This will allow them to bring appropriate gifts, and it gives them an idea about when the child might be arriving and a little more information about their cultural background.
3. Gift ideas. Everyone wants to bring a gift to a shower, but depending on the age of the child, typical baby shower gifts may not apply. Talk to the adoptive parents beforehand to get a sense of what they might need, or even help them set up a registry. This way you can guide guests towards appropriate gifts, and not, say, a 6-month onesie for a two year-old.
4. Theme! Every good party has a theme or concept behind it. And yours needn’t be anything more than the celebration of an expanding family, and the pure happiness that comes with it. But if the child is being adopted from a state or country outside your own, especially if they have a different ethnicity, consider a shower (with the parent’s permission, of course) that celebrates the baby or child’s heritage and where they’re from. Both educational and celebratory!
Most of all, just remember to be sensitive to the process. No talk of pregnancy, nursing, birth, or labor. The important thing here is that people are getting ready to become new parents — they are thrilled and excited to be welcoming this baby into their family, and they need and deserve all the support they can get. Include the new parents in the planning so you can ensure everything is how they want it, and that they’re comfortable…and then sit back, enjoy, and have a wonderful time!
