A great way to help keep people up to date on your adoption journey is by creating a website. With the availability of free websites, anyone can set one up for little or no cost.
We have had a website set up since the beginning of our adoption. We know people all over the country who have been following our progress and who regularly check our website for updates. For me, it is has been a good way to stay busy during what has been a very long wait. I also have the chance to share pictures and to brag about my kids, who are already the world to me!
Creating your own website is not difficult. You don’t have to know HTML and you don’t even have to understand Microsoft Front Page. There are a number of sites that have wizards that will help you set up an attractive website for your adoption.
As you are getting started, I would recommend that you don’t pay for your site. We still are using the free service that was offered through the carrier we chose. If you search online for “free website” you will find a great list of options. The one I have been using is www.freewebs.com and I’ve been very happy with it. However, there are lots of other great ones out there.
Once you’ve chosen a site, what should you put on it? Start with a page that tells about your family and perhaps another that introduces the child (or children) that you are adopting. Most countries allow you to post photos of your child once you’ve received a referral. I also recommend a page that has the “latest news” on your adoption. You might also want to have a page that answers frequently asked questions or a page that has a guestbook for people to sign. The last thing that I would definitely include is a contact page. For security on the internet, I would not put your address or phone number, but instead an email address where people can contact you.
A website is a great way to keep people updated on your adoption and can help people to understand the process. It also provides a great place to celebrate once your child is finally home!
If you would like to see the website that I created for our adoptions, click HERE.