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Welcoming a new member to your family is always an exciting time. If you already have children, then it goes without saying that everyone will have to make some adjustments in their lives. Your adoption agency has provided a few tips that can be helpful as adoption day draws near.

First, Be Upfront with Your Children

One of the first things you will need to do is to tell your children about their new adopted sibling as soon as possible. This means being upfront about what is going on, and also talking about it frequently. Allow them to be excited about having a new brother or sister, and also take the time to listen to their feelings.

At the same time, it is also important for your children to prepare for the experience of having an adopted sibling. You should anticipate that your children will get questions from other children and adults about their mismatched family. Allow them to practice what to say in these situations. Doing so will reinforce your shared values as a family while upholding a sense of privacy.

Anticipate That There Will Be Growing Pains

If you are welcoming a toddler to your family and your children are about the same age, then you will need to anticipate that adjustment will be rocky. The new child might have had past experiences that forced them to compete for attention, and there will be times where such episodes are a distinct possibility.

In these cases, you need to assure your child that such behaviors are inappropriate for your home. Additionally, teach your child to foster an accepting environment for their new sibling. Assure your child that you are committed to sharing your love and attention.

Raising children can be challenging, especially when adopted siblings are entering the picture. However, being honest and straightforward can go a long way in easing this period of transition. Your adoption consultant may also have more suggestions about working out relationships between children.

The key to a positive adoption experience is what’s best for the child. With that in mind, at Unique Adoptions, we would like to tell you that open adoptions have been shown by research to be beneficial for the child.

These types of adoptions are now the norm in the US, with interactions between the birth family and adoptive family ranging from in-person visits to an exchange of photos and letters through a third-party. We are going to provide five tips here that will help you navigate the waters of open adoptions.

1. Keep the child front and center because they are the entire reason you’re doing this.

2. Take advantage of resources, such as education and counseling. It will help you calm any fears you may have about keeping the birth family as part of your child’s life.

3. Discuss with the birth family what level of openness you want and what they want. An adoption consultant can help you with these discussions so you can find common ground.

4. Strive to create a healthy, respectful relationship with the birth family.

5. Look for assistance and support when you need it to handle conflicts or feelings of anger toward the birth family.

This is an unusual experience for everyone involved, but with patience and professional support, you can make your way through it successfully.