5 Benefits of Transracial Adoption in Kansas
As a birth mother pursuing adoption, your main goal is to find an adoptive family who will provide the child you carry with a bright future and unconditional love. To ensure you choose an adoptive family who will be the right fit, you carefully consider all the characteristics you want to see in them. Often, you will find that many prospective adoptive families have wonderful things to offer that you did not expect or were not originally looking for, which is why it’s important to keep an open mind during the selection process.
Being open to different types of families might lead you to consider transracial adoption. There are many gifts that transracial adoption has to offer you, the child, the adoptive parents or parent, and even society as a whole. At Adoption Choices of Kansas, we celebrate the benefits of transracial adoption and support those who decide to embark on this moving journey.
- Proof that Family Transcends Race
Including individuals from diverse backgrounds as family members is a testament to the fact that race does not make a family. Rather, family is about working together as a unit bound by commitment and sacrifice to create a loving home. These values define and shape adoptive families, and families created through transracial adoption are no exception to this. Transracial adoption adds an extra element of visibility to the idea that blood is not necessary to bond a group of individuals together.
- Exposure to a Different Culture
Even if you are pursuing a transracial adoption, you will have more in common with the adoptive parents or parent than not. Where differences exist, you have a wonderful opportunity to learn about your chosen adoptive family’s culture and to teach them about yours. Through this cultural exchange, you can educate each other on your respective histories, traditions, and even issues that may affect you or them today. Being open to such experiences enriches your perspective and promotes empathy.
- Raising a Secure and Self-Aware Child
One concern you may have if you pursue a transracial adoption is that the child may feel insecure when he or she inevitably picks up on the fact that he or she looks different from his or her adoptive family. Although this seems like an obstacle on the surface, it also presents an opportunity for the child to understand confidence and tolerance at an early age. By discussing how to handle this with the adoptive family, you can mitigate any fears you have on this matter so you are happy with your choice.
When you educate the adoptive family on your background, they are in a better position to pass this knowledge down to their adopted child and instill a sense of pride in them. If you are in an open adoption, you can even play a role in this as well. Additionally, when the parents include the child in their traditions, this makes their child feel welcome, and thus teaches them to be open and welcoming to others. By learning how to embrace and be a part of both cultures, they learn that race doesn’t define them, their birth parents, or their adoptive parents.
- Being an Example of Racial Harmony
In a time of rising racial tension and misunderstanding, transracial families are living and breathing examples of racial harmony. They represent a profound form of inclusion in a way that is highly visible to those around them. They shun racial tribalism and discredit past and modern-day narratives that surround different groups of people. Most importantly, they normalize these values just by living authentically and going about their daily lives.
- Increasing Interracial Interactions
It’s part of human nature to seek the company of those who are similar to us. Sometimes, even very tolerant people may unintentionally use race as a proxy to determine how much they have in common with someone. Although sharing a cultural background with someone can certainly give rise to some similarities, there are so many other ways in which individuals can connect and find common ground.
Each transracial adoption plays a role in chipping away at these perceived barriers as they help normalize diversity at the family level. The more exposure people have to mixed families, the more they see it as unremarkable as having red hair or being left-handed. It can also help subtly alter any race-based assumptions about who our neighbors are and how much we might have in common with each other.
Pursuing Transracial Adoption in Kansas
At the end of the day, the most important thing when selecting an adoptive family is choosing the family that you believe will give the child you carry the best life possible, regardless of race. By being open to the possibility that family might be of a different race, you can open yourself up to all the wonderful benefits that transracial adoption has to offer.
If you are a birth mother in Kansas and are interested in transracial adoption, Adoption Choices of Kansas will support you every step of the way and provide you with all the resources you need to ensure a successful placement.
Adoption Choices of Kansas serves birth parents statewide and beyond, please call us or text us to learn more!
Call Us 877-903-4488 or Text Us 316-209-2071
Meet the Author: Mary DeStefano is an Ohio native currently living in northern Virginia and works in the litigation consulting industry where she has experience in antitrust, product liability, and mass torts matters. She holds a B.A. in Economics (‘15) and an M.A. in Applied Economics (‘16) from the University of Cincinnati.
Mary finds great meaning in wielding the written word to develop impactful narratives and to help people stay informed. In her spare time, Mary can be found beachcombing and going on other adventures with her dog along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. She also has an affinity for antiquing and loves a good 80’s movie marathon.
