I spent a week and some odd days talking about Mother's Day and how the day affects the birth mother masses. In the past, I've just made a solitary post each year about Father's Day and those biological fathers in our midst. I don't think that's quite fair, do you? So we're going to bump it up a notch here on the Birth Parent Blog.

But I need some help from others. Mainly because I'm not a birth father. Or a father. Or a man.

I will be discussing... more

It's National Dance Recital two-week-span or something. The big dance school in our area had their recital two weekends ago. I heard about it over and over from friends of ours whose daughters were going to be twirling in tutus across a local stage. Fellow bloggers have written their own stories. Friends of ours from various locales have been blogging about their daughters' recitals.

And I've just been sitting here. Sad.

You don't expect it. You... more

I rarely read something about adoption in entertainment and want to watch it for myself. You've seen me rant about Lifetime movies before and, quite honestly, even mainstream adoption movies are filled with Lifetime-esque kitsch. That's why I am sitting here, feeling surprised.

I just read an article about a play featuring an adoption storyline. And I want to see it!

Okay, so it is definitely not a happy trip down adoption... more

I love happy reunion stories. I really do! We hear, so frequently, the stories that go wrong. This is partly due to the fact that when people have a good experience, they'll likely tell one or two people but when people have a bad experience, that number jumps to the double digits. We're more likely to rant and rave than we are to applaud. Human nature. This is only further compounded by the fact that the mainstream media isn't all that quick to report the good news. Stories of happy reunion don't fall under the "if it bleeds, it leads" motto of newsrooms everywhere.

And... more

I came across an "article" regarding open adoption on an adoption attorney's website. I'm considering writing this attorney a letter. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me explain why I'm riled up.

First and foremost, the article completely neglects to address the reason openness exists: to benefit the child. It also doesn't address grief or loss experience by birth parents or adoptees. Instead, the article ends with this gem:

It is much easier for adoptive parents... more

Take a moment to read this article. Done? No? You need me to paraphrase for you? Okay. Basically, an expectant mother was working at a restaurant. One of her tables leaves and, along with their tip, they leave a card that reads, and I quote:

We wish to adopt a baby. We are a caring, happily married, financially secure and loving couple. We want to share our joy and love with a child.

There are many things wrong with this... more

I've written twice about the hosting-slash-fostering situation on the Monday evening drama One Tree Hill. Well, last week was the season finale and, in true television fashion, things had to be wrapped up before they left us hanging in other regards over the summer months. Of course, one of those things that was wrapped up in a neat little package and tied with an unrealistic bow... more

In a discussion about post-placement pregnancies, a member of the adoption forums said:

I don't feel like a mom, and she's said she doesn't feel like a grandma yet.

She went on to discuss how her current, post-placement pregnancy feels like a "first pregnancy" in many ways. I think the honesty of these words lend a lot to the discussion of post-placement pregnancies. I wish more... more

Many people touched by adoption know that May is National Foster Care month. While reforms are needed in foster care as well, I find this an easier month for me to acknowledge than November (which is National Adoption Awareness Month). However, I got to thinking about things the other night and I was struck by my lack of empathy and understanding.

While many foster parents and parents who have adopted from the foster care system might... more

Every now and then I forget that I'm an intelligent woman who can read books. By forgetting this, I get sucked into the horrible world of made-for-television movies on Lifetime. Oh, what a waste of a Sunday afternoon! Thanks to a tip from a friend, I wasted two hours watching a movie about stolen embryos. But that's not the worst of it. I continued watching the next movie. And, oh, was it special.

The Last Trimester, as you may have guessed since I'm writing on this blog, was about adoption.... more