After a woman in your position decides on adoption, she must ask herself an important question: who is going to raise my baby?
Fortunately, the answer is entirely up to you, and Michael Belfonte can help. Michael works closely with American Adoptions, a national adoption agency that works with hundreds of families every year. With Michael Belfonte and American Adoptions, you will receive guidance and support as you select an adoptive family in three simple steps.
1. Identify What You Want
The decision of who will raise your baby is yours, so you will be able to determine what is important to you in an adoptive family. Before you begin searching for families, talk to your American Adoptions specialist about the kind of parents you would like to raise your baby.
As you envision the perfect adoptive family, ask yourself some of the following:
Do I want my child to…
- Grow up in the suburbs or in the country?
- Have siblings?
- Live in a good school district?
- Have a religious upbringing?
- Grow up around particular activities/hobbies (e.g. camping trips, music, etc.)?
- Have pets?
- Live near extended family?
Only you can decide what is most important to you in a family. Whatever kind of life you imagine for your baby, you can find it in the right adoptive family.
2. View Family Profiles
Once you have an idea of what you are looking for, it may be easier to identify the right family for your baby. Your American Adoptions specialist will provide you with Adoptive Family Profiles, which will give you an introduction to the hopeful families waiting to adopt a child.
In the profiles, you will find:
- A print profile with text and pictures
- A video profile with footage of the family’s daily life
- An introduction to the family
- A description of the home and community
- Interviews with the adoptive family and friends/extended family
- A letter addressed to you, the prospective birth mother
The print and video profiles together will give you an idea of what the families are like, why they are adopting, and what kind of parents they will be. You will be able to view as many profiles as you need to make a decision.
3. Meet the Family
Even after you’ve selected a family, your decision does not have to be final. Before you have your baby, you will be able to communicate with the family through phone calls, emails, and at least one in-person meeting. Meeting the family is a great opportunity to get an idea of what your baby’s life will be like with them.
When the adoptive family visits you, consider asking some of the following questions to get to know them better:
- How did the two of you meet?
- When did you know that you wanted to adopt?
- What is an average day like in your family?
- Will you be returning to work? What are your plans for childcare?
- How will you talk about adoption in your home?
- What do you think is important in a good parent?
- What kind of relationship do you imagine having with me after the adoption?
The time between selecting a family and having your baby is a great opportunity to get to know them. By developing a positive relationship with your baby’s parents, you can feel certain that you made the right decision for your baby.
Contact Michael Belfonte to get started today or click here to look for waiting adoptive families in Kansas City.