Celebrate National Adoption Awareness Month - 30 days of ideas to help promote adoption.

Building a Relationship, Page 4

Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace. ~ Amelia Earhart

For birth parents who intend to contact their child, there are a few points to keep in mind:

If your child has not been told about the adoption, expect that it will be a shock for them.
Your child may have been given information about you that was incorrect. Be as prepared for this possibility as possible;
Do not expect instant love, trust or respect. You need to earn them. Although you are related, your child may not feel the connection that you do.

Resist the temptation to introduce your birth family member to everyone imaginable during the beginning stages of reunion;
Do not insist that your birth family member refer to you by the designation that you prefer. Labels are not important enough to be an issue;
Listen, watch, pay attention, and let your birth family member set the pace for your relationship.
Respect any boundaries that your birth family imposes.
Do not compare your reunion with others. It is likely you can always find some better or worse.

Credits: Jan Baker

Reunion