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Belonging to a group of people that you have something in common with is incredibly powerful. In a group you will most likely feel less alone, more understood and have more confidence in your decisions. This is especially true when it comes to adoption related support and social groups.
Adopting can be a scary, stressful experience and no one else but other adoptive parents can truly understand what it is like. We are still the minority in the parenting world and need to connect with and support each other. Making the decision to adopt, surviving the wait, traveling overseas and finally parenting all seem to be a little easier to handle when you know that you are not alone and your fears and emotions are completely normal. But the only way for you to know just how normal you are, is to be a part of a group or find another person who has stood in your shoes.
Adoptive parent chat rooms and internet forums are abundant, as are local groups and playgroups for the kids. I feel incredibly lucky to have found an online group of adoptive parents that I click with as well as friends in real life who are adoptive and foster parents. Finding these people was not by accident and it wasn’t easy for me to reach out, but I am so glad that I did. I am also incredibly grateful for the friends I have made in my ‘Adoption After a Loss’ group. Again, no one else can understand this journey and it is so important to seek out and be able to offer support.
We live in an ever increasingly isolating world. We can work from home and have our groceries delivered, pay our bills online and seek medical advice over the internet. As easy as all these conveniences seem, they simply cannot replace the power of belonging.
I urge all adoptive parents to get out of their comfort zones and reach out and connect with other adoptive parents and families. It’s as easy as doing an internet search for “Adoption Group (insert your town or state here).” Good luck and I hope you find a group of people or even one person who you click with!
Related Links:
Adoption Support
Adoption Counseling
Reaching Out: The Importance of Support Groups
