Three Important Tips to Having a Successful Military Adoption
Consider this scenario. You are having a wonderful day, then learn that you are pregnant. You review all possible options, but are unsure of how to proceed. You come to the realization that adoption will work best for you. Yay! Now to decide what type of adoption and adoptive family you want. After a lot of research, you decide on military adoption.
At your appointment with your caseworker, you ask, “How can I have a successful military adoption?” You’ve come to the right place! Adoption Choices of Kansas is here to help! Keep reading to find out the three important tips to having a successful military adoption .
Tip #1: You Communicate with Your Adoptive Family
No matter what scenario you find yourself in, communication is going to be the first step in getting the ball rolling. Keep in mind that especially in today’s technological world, there are a very large number of ways to communicate with your caseworker and potential adoptive family. These include, but are not limited to: FaceTime, ZOOM, phone, email, text or in-person. Depending on the level of openness you choose for your adoption, there is also a secure, confidential online portal that our agency uses so that birth and adoptive parents can exchange information back and forth.
The role that your caseworker plays in your military adoption is huge. He or she can provide adoptive parent profile books for you to look over and help select who you feel is the best fit for you and your baby. Then, your caseworker can help arrange your first conversation once you are matched with your child’s adoptive family.
Communicating with your chosen adoptive family is essential. You will get to know them and have the opportunity to build a strong and healthy relationship to carry you through the adoption journey and beyond. No matter what method you choose to keep in touch, communication is the key to making your military adoption successful.
Tip #2: You Stay Informed
Consistent communication also allows you to remain updated on how things are going with your child. You may already be aware that with military adoptions comes the high possibility of relocation or reassignment. This could mean moving overseas or to another time zone. You may also have limited contact available with your adoptive family for an extended period of time.
Keeping in touch and building a strong bond with your child and their adoptive family lets you know the new locations and how long they may be there. This can make things like updates much easier.
Ultimately, military families do move quite a bit, but this does not have to be an issue for you. The longer that you continue to stay informed with your child’s adoptive family, the more likely your military adoption will prove to be extremely successful.
Tip #3: You Educate Yourself
Another one of our three important tips to having a successful military adoption is educating yourself about the military and the possibility of your baby living overseas. We already know how scary it is just thinking about not being able to stay in touch with your prospective military family on a frequent basis, but you do not need to fear! Educating yourself about military life is extremely important for not only yourself, but also for maintaining a good amount of communication.
Get to know what branch your child’s adoptive parent(s) are enlisted in. Find out whether or not they are active duty, and what that could look like. Ask what their day-to-day life is like and how much time the parent(s) would be able to spend with your child. Having all of this information, and more, will help ensure that your military adoption is successful!
Will My Military Adoption be Successful?
Definitely! Any birth mother knows that, even though having your baby raised by a military couple or individual has its disadvantages, the advantages make it much more worth it. The three important tips to having a successful military adoption are crucial in order to truly have the best adoption experience.
As we said, it all starts with strong communication and maintaining contact throughout your adoption journey. Without having some sort of form of communication in place, staying informed and educated regarding your child’s life will be challenging to impossible. We truly want your adoption to be successful and here to help in any way we can. If you have questions or concerns regarding a military adoption, don’t hesitate to contact us.
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: Jason Legasse is a rising senior English major studying at Siena College in Loudonville, New York. He hails from the Albany, New York area, but has plans to relocate to sunny Venice, Florida with his mom come Fall. After completing his bachelor’s degree, Jason plans to study General Special Education at Meredith College, where he will earn a Master’s degree and use that to teach middle school Special Education.
Jason is a self-proclaimed introvert with Asperger’s who really enjoys writing. He has a huge passion for helping others, specifically those with disabilities. He is very excited to be working with Adoption Choices over the summer, and looks forward to learning more about the adoption process!
