Over the next week I will attempt to take a look into the Core Issues in Adoption and how they may or may not come into play in birth parents' lives. The series has not been particularly easy to write as a mother in the midst of dealing with some of these issues. With that, I can imagine that it may not be particularly easy to read for those who are still struggling. As they are described as lifelong issues, that may be the majority of birth parents. At the same time, discussing the hard stuff can only help us heal in some form or fashion, right?

First and foremost, before I delve into the deep stuff, it must be stated that these issues are considered triad-wide issues. Adoptive parents and adoptees may or may not experience all seven of the core issues in their lives. However, while we acknowledge that these issues are not unique to birth parents, this series will be discussing how those particular issues affect those who have placed a child for adoption. I just want it to be known ahead of time that we are not ignoring adoptees or adoptive parents, we are merely focusing on the subject of this blog.

That said, some birth parents will not agree with the list of Core Issues and may take offense or be offended in some form or fashion. Please note that is not the intent of this series. Read each entry on a separate issue with an open mind. It may be that you haven't experienced that particular issue in your life but you may be able to empathize with those who have because of other influences and experiences in your life.

Another area of note is that my "expertise" comes in the area of open adoption. Hopefully my co-blogger Jan will have some additions to add in the comments in case I do a bad job at including the mindset of those who have been involved with closed adoptions. As always, I try to write in an all-encompassing way but sometimes I fall short. Hopefully I will be able to do so in a pleasing way this time.

For those unfamiliar with the linked article, the core issues that will be discussed are:

1. Loss

2. Rejection

3. Guilt and Shame

4. Grief

5. Identity

6. Intimacy

7. Mastery/control

I will hit on each one, separately, as I hope to fully discuss the ins and outs of how that particular issues may or may not affect the life of a birth parent. Take a look at them now and consider what those issues have meant in your life as a parent of a child placed for adoption. Some may seem immediately evident while others seem confusing. I'll be hitting them in order so start thinking of questions. (And feel free to ask them ahead of time by commenting on this post so I can address them as I go!)

While the original article was written by Deborah N. Silverstein and Sharon Kaplan in the year 1982, I think a lot of the information still holds true today. There are certain things that all who are involved in adoption experience on some level, whether consciously or not. It is my opinion that some things have changed from the original wording, which I plan on discussing, but for the most part, these issues are still current in today's adoption world.

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For more on issues in adoption, read:

1. The Core Issues in Adoption by Deborah N. Silverstein and Sharon Kaplan, 1982.




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