While the holidays can be filled with fun times spent with family and friends, they can also be a very difficult time for birthparents, especially if you placed your child for adoption around the holidays. In these seasons, it can be hard to find healthy ways to cope with […]

  The Indian Child Welfare Act was enacted in 1978 as a response to the crisis affecting Native and Alaskan American children who were separated from their families, communities and cultural heritage.  To best understand why this law was necessary, it is important to know the practices leading up to the passage of this federal […]

I grew up in a family where my mom, dad, and stepmom were all social workers. They worked with children and families and it was their job to provide better lives to others. Throughout my entire life, my family had instilled basic values of compassion, empathy, and benevolence. When I was in middle school, my […]

Our staff at Nightlight often are asked, “Why isn’t adoption free? As wonderful as that would be, in order for an agency to process an adoption in such a way that all parties involved are assured ethical treatment, adequate training, and proper legal oversight (not to mention the cost of licensing, liability insurance, international accreditation, and […]

Open adoption looks different for every family. The relationship between an adoptive family and birth family is a special relationship, in which you are connected by the child. Each adoptive family and birth family is unique and therefore, the relationships are unique. There are a few things that adoptive parents should keep in mind when […]

  Have you wondered how to teach your young children to be grateful when we live in a world where people around us complain or think they deserve certain things? It is a challenge many parents face with a lack of confidence. Research has shown that if adults focus on three to five situations daily, […]

  “I can’t imagine how you’re feeling right now.” “What a hard decision you are making.” “Thank you for trusting us with your baby.” “You are so brave.” “I admire your strength.”   These are all statements that one might hear being said to a birth mother in the hospital or at placement. How many […]

    Attachment is the secure bond that is created initially between an infant and their caregiver. This attachment process will begin in utero with a child’s birthmother and then be formed again with other caregivers, specifically their adoptive parents. Children have the capacity to form several attachment relationships, the important thing is those are […]

  In case you didn’t know, October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. As a mother to a child with Down Syndrome it’s one of my favorite months as it gives me a good excuse to talk about my child to anyone who will listen! But every year at least one person asks me why we […]

In my career as a licensed clinical social worker, I have been honored to counsel women walking through the process of grief after placing a baby for adoption.  One such woman, Mary (name and information used with permission) captured her journey in a heartfelt essay entitled “The Beautiful Side of Grief,” which she wrote shortly […]