Many couples are hoping to adopt a child who is of a race different than their own, but aren’t sure where to start.
If you’d like to pursue a transracial adoption, there are important steps to follow to help your child thrive. A couple of these steps include learning about your future child’s culture and respecting their connections to it.
Here are the top 10 tools to use in preparing for a successful transracial adoption:
1. Read a book about transracial adoption, such as In Their Voices: Black Americans on Transracial Adoption, Come Rain or Come Shine, or Inside Transracial Adoption. After both you and your spouse are done reading, review the book together and share your notes.
2. Watch and learn from the panel of adoptive mothers in Lifetime’s Q&A webinar about their experience in adopting a baby of a race other than their own.
3. Read articles and follow blogs about transracial adoption and what it’s like to become a multi-cultural family. Check out the blog White Sugar Brown Sugar: the sweet life of our transracial, adoptive family.
4. Watch educational videos on YouTube, such as “Considering Transracial Adoption? Four Questions to Ask Yourself” and “The Multi-Racial Family.”
5. As you’re thinking about adopting outside of your race, ask yourself these important questions.
6. Watch this webinar, which shares Brent and Latonia’s transracial adoption story: AdoptionWebinar.com/brent-latonias-adoption-story.
7. Network with other adoptive families who are hoping to adopt a child of a race other than their own. Also, find families who have raised transracially adopted children to adulthood. Ask questions.
8. Read stories from couples who adopted outside of their race.
9. Research and find local community resources that promote your child’s culture. Begin networking and attend festivals and gatherings prior to your child’s homecoming.
10. Write out a plan that includes activities you will do with your child to promote his/her ethnic identity.
Are you ready to take the first step in your path to adoption? Start today by filling out Lifetime’s free online application!
