When you are parenting an adopted child, there are many more things to consider when it comes to how you raise him or her. Raising a biological child allows you to take a certain number of things for granted. The child should look at least similar to you and will share your medical history. He will have your ethnic background and culture. When you raise an adopted child, those things are not necessarily true.
If you choose to adopt a child that is of a different race, you will need to be purposeful in teaching and respecting the traditions that go along with the ethnicity of your child. There may be different physical or dietary needs that will require some research. There are places you can look online for information on such topics if you find you need help or support in that area.
Even if the child you adopt looks just like you and has a similar background to yours, you’ll still need to parent with purpose. It’s important for the child to know that she is adopted from the very beginning. You should be as open and honest about her adoption story as you can be. She will love you just as much as if you were her biological parent. It is important though to let her know that it’s ok to talk about the adoption and ask questions about her biological family.
It is only natural for a child to wonder about where he came from. The best thing you can do is be supportive. If your child has questions you don’t know the answers to, you can try to find out together. Adoption can be a beautiful thing for everyone involved as long as it is handled the right way.
Ashley Foster is a freelance writer. She is a wife and mother of two currently residing in Florida. She loves taking trips to the beach with her husband and sons. As an infant, she was placed with a couple in a closed adoption. Ashley was raised with two sisters who were also adopted. In 2016, she was reunited with her biological family. She advocates for adoptees’ rights and DNA testing for those who are searching for family. Above all, she is thankful that she was given life. You can read her blog at //ashleysfoster.blogspot.com/.