After the Adoption – What to Do as Adoptive Parents

As adoptive parents, you spend so much time preparing for the adoption you sometimes forget what life will be like after the adoption. Life doesn’t stop after the adoption is finalized. It keeps on going, sometimes at a more hectic pace than before the adoption. You may be wondering what life will be like after the adoption. Here are a few things that you can do after the adoption.

1. Celebrate

An adoption is a huge milestone. Make sure to celebrate and welcome your new family member into your home. Celebrate in whatever way feels appropriate for you, whether that is throwing a party or simply staying at home and enjoying time with your new family member.

2. Update Records

After the adoption is finalized, you will have to update relevant records to reflect that the adoption occurred. This includes filing for a new birth certificate with your child’s new name, applying for a new social security card with your child’s new name, and updating insurance information to reflect that your child is on your plan with his or her new name. Don’t forget to also update (or create) your estate plan.

3. Form a Relationship with your Child

Now is the perfect time to form a relationship with your new child. Many companies offer unpaid time off or even paid time off for newly adoptive parents. Take advantage of the family leave policies that many companies offer to adoptive parents and take some time to build a relationship with your child.

4. Form a Relationship with the Birth Family

Depending on whether you are adoptive parents in an open, semi-open, or closed adoption, you may have the opportunity to keep on building a relationship with your child’s birth family. Forming this relationship is important since your child will almost certainly have questions about their birth family as they grow up. In an open adoption, you can even have direct contact with the birth mother, something that will be crucial in allowing your child to form a loving relationship with both of his or her families.

5. Keep on Learning

Your adoption journey isn’t over. The only difference between before and after the adoption is that now you are a parent. Keep on learning about your child and the best ways to raise him. A good source is your adoption counselor. At Adoption Choices of Missouri, your placement counselor is able to answer any question you have before and after the adoption.

So, there you have it. Five things to do after your adoption is finalized. For more information, visit Adoption Choices of Missouri or call us toll free at 1-877-903-4488.