There seem to be two types of adoptive parents. There are those who pretty much keep to themselves throughout their adoption journey and then there are those who jump into cyberspace and start making connections. Which “type” you are depends somewhat on your personality, but I also think that a great deal of the people who keep to themselves do it because they are unaware of the resources that are available and the help that they can be before, during and after your adoption.
Why Network:
There are so many reasons to network with other adoptive parents and also with agencies and professionals. If you have a question, you know who to ask. If you need a phone number (perhaps one of those illusive INS office phone numbers?) you have someone that you can contact. You also have a wealth of knowledge if you encounter a difficult issue with a child, a problem with your paperwork or concerns about travel to visit or pick up your child. The time that you spend getting to know others in the adoption world is well worth what you get out of it.
How To Network:
When you are starting out, it can be hard to know how to find other adoptive families. The best thing you can do is to just jump in there. Contact any adoptive families you know and ask them what resources they use. Read blogs on adoption and talk to the writers of them. Get involved in email lists and adoption forums. Two great resources for this are Yahoo Groups and Adoption.com. Yahoo Groups has a large number of adoption specific groups. You can even find sub topics within adoption. Adopting a child from Ethiopia? There’s a group for that. Adopting a child with a specific special need? There is likely a group for that too. Adoption.com’s extensive forums provide little sub-communities where you can get involved. One of my favorite hangouts is the Guatemala forum. They talk about everything from birth weight to the best hotels to stay at while in the country.
What You Can Gain:
There are so many things that you can gain by networking with other adoptive parents. They can be a source for information, support when you’re struggling, a sounding board when you’re frustrated and a cheerleading squad when you need that extra boost to make it to the end. You can learn, laugh and cry together and make friendships that may very well last a lifetime.
Related Blogs:
Making a Support Group Successful
Building a Support Network
How to Support an Adoptive Family