“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 […]

  Every once in a while in this field, you meet a family who really touches your heart.  The Jones-Moreno family is one of those families.  When going through the adoption process, there are always delays and difficulties, especially in international adoption.  Alex and Shunna were always patient, gracious, and positive throughout it all.  Alex […]

    As an adoption agency, Nightlight Christian Adoptions deeply believes in the value of open adoption and the positive impact it has on all members of the adoption triad. One of the main questions that Nightlight social workers typically receive from inquiring prospective adoptive parents is about openness and the relationship they will have […]

  Have you ever thought “I want to advocate for adoption but how can I do that if I am not called to actually adopt?” or “Am I really helping advocate for adoption if I am not adopting?” It is completely valid, acceptable and feasible to help advocate for adoption without adopting yourself and yes […]

Children who are adopted often come with an early history of trauma. Children with such a background can find the school setting difficult, which then affects their academic performance. Often this background of trauma can lead to such problems as sensory issues and being over or under stimulated; difficulty with controlling emotional responses (e.g., outbursts, […]

  Adoptive parents are often anxious about how to talk to their adopted child about his or her adoption story. And if your child was adopted through embryo adoption, the conversation can seem even trickier to navigate. Even if parents have been very intentional to always speak of adoption in a positive light, there’s always […]

  With back to school dates on the horizon, it’s time to anticipate a new group of kids, and new challenges with helping little ones grow and learn. For parents who built their family through adoption, this also means deciding whether or not they will discuss an adoption story with their child’s teacher. While this […]