by Ross Voorhees

Created on: April 15, 2009

Adoption is a tough subject... there's no debating that point. The issue is constantly raising new questions about the adoption process, the psychological difficulties that face parents and children, and the ethical and moral challenges of genetic and medical issues which might arise in the life of the adopted child. The first and foremost responsibility of any parent, whether biological or adoptive, is the health and welfare of their child, to meet a child's needs and to prepare them for their future, and Open Adoption offers the best chance for an adopted child while benefiting all the parties involved.

Open adoptions are those in which a birth parent, usually the mother, plays an active role in the life of their child, even though all parental legal rights have been given over to the adoptive parents. The child is raised in an environment in which the fact that they are adopted is not hidden. Children have the opportunity to know where they came from and why it is that they were adopted. They have real examples that they actually know instead of abstract concepts like "birth mother". This allows adopted children to get concrete answers to their questions and concerns instead of open-ended speculation. They have access to all the parties involved, and perceive themselves to be in an extended family rather than being raised by someone else because their natural parent(s) simply rejected them or did not love them.

Open adoption also benefits both the adoptive and birth parents. Birth parents experience less guilt, because it allows them to see their decision as a responsible, ongoing process. They are not abandoning their child, but are making and participating in a long-term plan that benefits their child. As a result, studies have shown that birth parents in open adoptions have higher self-esteem and less guilt. They know exactly where their child is, who is raising them, and how the child is doing. They are able to see for themselves how the child is growing and developing, and are reassured that their decision was a good one.

Adoptive parents in open adoptions experience a greater sense of entitlement because they were chosen by the birth parent. They do not have to feel insecure or fearful about how a "discovery" down the road might affect them or their child, and can instead focus their full energy and attention upon the child. Additionally, they have access to full medical records and family history should a medical issue arise. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, adoptive parents actually are better able to "know" their child because they know the birthparent's tendencies, history, and predispositions.

There are no perfect families. There are good ones and bad ones, no matter the situation. But open adoption offers the best chance for raising a happy, healthy, well-adjusted child, and isn't that exactly what every parent wants for their children?

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