Benefits of Arizona Transracial Adoption
One of the best aspects of choosing a transracial adoption is that your child’s adoptive family will be unique and have a new perspective on life. Being open-minded and accepting throughout the adoption process is the most important thing any couple looking to adopt a child can do. For the adoptive parents, parenting will bring constant learning experiences and new challenges. This is especially true for couples in transracial adoption. Adoption Choices of Arizona stands as a resource to provide families with the right tools and resources to guide them through the in’s and out’s of transracial adoption. While the process may spark uncertainty and complicated questions, that does not make it any less of a beautiful experience.
If you need adoption help now, please call or text us at 1-480-900-5520 or visit us at Adoption Choices of Arizona.
Do Not be Afraid to Ask Questions about the Adoption Process
It’s okay not to know what you’re doing! It’s okay to be nervous or even scared. Asking questions and making an effort to create a safe, comfortable, and acceptable environment for your child to grow up in is a significant step in the transracial adoption process. You are not expected to know every detail of the adoptive parent’s race and culture nor will they know yours, but asking questions and being open to learning how to implement aspects of your culture into their home will let your child know it’s okay to celebrate who they are and where they come from, even if they look different than the people that raise them. Here are a few examples adoptive parents might ask:
- How can I learn more about my child’s cultural and racial background? What are the most important things I should be aware of?
- How can I appropriately implement and celebrate their culture and intertwine it with our own traditions at home?
- Who are people I can go to as a resource that is open to educating me on how to handle my child’s differences?
- How can I make my transracial child feel equally seen, supported, and loved in my multiracial family?
- How can I talk to family and friends about my family being multiracial, and how can I handle situations where my child isn’t accepted?
Creating A Diverse Home
When adoptive parents take on transracial adoption, they open their home to every difference your child has from their appearance, background, culture, and view in society. As your child grows up, they will become more aware of their differences from those who raised them. It’s important to establish that you recognize their differences and don’t shun them but welcome them. If you choose to have an open adoption, you can help educate the adoptive family about different ways to teach diversity to the child as they grow. They can start from a very early age by having children’s books on diversity or multicultural families, children’s movies and TV shows that include people of all races, children’s toys that don’t all have the same skin tone or appearance, and even finding a community of friends or people who have diverse backgrounds. The more they normalize and create a diverse home, the more comfortable your child will feel.
Be Honest Throughout the Adoption Process
A common misconception is that the best thing a family can do when in a multiracial home environment is to ignore the fact that there are differences and diversity amongst family members. The worst thing to do is ignore the blatantly obvious or pretend as if you don’t see color. While you don’t want to single your child out or make them feel different, you are creating an adverse effect by making them feel as if they need to fit into the mold of the family raising them. This expectation can put a lot of stress on a child as they grow up, especially in today’s world of racial issues and social justice. Encourage them and their adoptive family to ask questions, speak up about differences they face in social issues they notice around them, and continue to advocate for equality even if they are raised in a family that doesn’t face discrimination.
Adoption Choices of Arizona recognizes that transracial adoption is not always an easy process. It takes a lot of learning, patience, and change. Our website offers representatives who are ready to offer support via phone call or email and can get you in contact with counseling and other families who have similar experiences so that you can get the best out of your Arizona adoption journey.
For adoption resources or to begin your adoption journey, birth parents can visit us at Adoption Choices of Arizona or call or text us at 1-480-900-5520. If you are a prospective adoptive family hoping to adopt a baby, please instead, visit us here!
Meet the Author: Allie Nowak is in her senior year of undergrad at Illinois State University studying public relations, with a minor in health & wellness coaching. She is extremely passionate about writing, digital content creating, and all things related to lifestyle & wellness. In her free time, she enjoys serving as editor-in-chief and publishing articles for her university’s chapter of Her Campus, the nation’s largest media platform for college women. You can also find her spending time with friends and family, traveling, reading, and walking her two golden doodles. She currently lives in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago where she was born and raised.
