Adoption forums were my greatest source of both information and support during the adoption process. Sharing each step of our process, learning from others who were at the same stage, and whining (let’s call it what it was!) when things took too long made me feel a part of the larger adoption community. Finding these resources for your adoption process is simple, so join a forum!
Adoption Agency Forums
The best source of support and information is through your own adoption agency’s forums (if they’re forward-thinking enough to have them). You’ll meet people who are following the exact same steps that you are, you’ll be able to get an idea of who is ‘ahead of you’ on a waiting list, you can see how your agency deals with a variety of situations that pop up during the process, and you will ‘meet’ the people who could be your travel companions for international adoption. You can celebrate referrals and other adoption milestones and create friendships that will last for years. I count many of my adoption forum connections among my closest friends, even though I still haven’t met a few of them.
Domestic Forums/ International Country-Specific Forums
Yahoo seems to have a corner on the adoption forum market, and there are forums for any country you can think of with an international adoption agreement with the U.S. Search Yahoo Groups for the country and the keyword ‘adoption’, and a list will come up. Yahoo has many groups for the different types of domestic adoptions as well, including forums for each state you may consider adopting from and for foster care adoptions, interracial adoptions, and step-parent adoptions. You will have to submit a short application form for approval from the forum owner, since membership is typically restricted to those in the adoption process.
Adoption.com is another excellent source for adoption forums, both domestic and international. Check your favorite parenting sites and you may find that many of them have adoption categories. I regularly checked the forums at iVillage, too. You may choose to become an active member with only one or two forums, but check several others for information.
General Adoption Forums
Again, I’ll direct you to Yahoo and Adoption.com for these groups. There are forums on finding an adoption agency, choosing a country, writing birthmother letters, dealing with U.S. government paperwork, ensuring ethical adoptions… you name it, someone has created a forum about it! There is a wealth of information available in these groups and you may want to join several until you determine which groups are providing the quality and quantity you need.
Dianna Brodine’s internet/blog/forum addiction began while she was in the adoption process. Her addiction to Twitter is completely the fault of the other wonderful writers at Type-A Mom. Read her blog about adoption and life at www.mamainpajamas.com.
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Dianna
By day, I'm an editor, a writer and the mama of three girls, one of whom was adopted from Vietnam in 2007. By night, I'm a mama in pajamas and can be found lounging on the couch in my bunny slippers with a glass of wine (red, of course!).
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