Introduction
Motherhood is arguably one of the most exciting experiences or any woman. It comes with numerous obligations and responsibilities, especially for the mother. The mothers are unprepared for these obligations in which case they opt for adoption. The practice comes with various implications for all the parties involved. I have had a close encounter with my sister. She gave up her child for open adoption and keeps tabs on the daughter through annual meetings, monthly phone calls, as well as weekly picture texts and facebook. Every time they have an encounter,
I can always tell that the guilt is weighing down on her. I realize that it would be worse than this if she never had any encounter with her daughter as she would always be troubled by the thoughts of her welfare.
Need to problem
It is always imperative that the rights and safety of the child in question are not jeopardized in any way. This comes as a tall order especially considering that adoption presents a number of challenges for the adopted baby, the birth parent, as well as the adopting parents (Waters, 2005). The birth parents have to battle down with grief and guilt of giving up their kid, as well as the constant fears as they wonder how the kid is being treated. The kid may not have a sense of belonging especially after discovering that he or she is adopted. “In addition, the adoptive parents may find it difficult to answer tough questions from the child especially pertaining to his identity and origin” (Waters, 2005). This underlines the importance of devising an arrangement that would settle all these things (Waters, 2005). The arrangement should consider the child’s rights and safeguard them jealously.
Solution
Open adoption fits in beautifully. “Open adoption occurs in instances where the adoptive families and the birth parents continually interact with each other”(Ryburn, 1994). All parties’ identities are shared with the families interacting through varied methods such as emails, visits, telephone calls and letters. While many people may feel that this process is not appropriate, I think it is the best thing for all the parties involved.
Visualization
Open adoption comes with a number of advantages to all the parties involved. For the birth parents, there is an enhanced sense of control and low uncertainty as they are always privy to the child’s conditions via frequent interactions with the adoptive parents (Caplan, 1991). The parents also have reduced guilt, as they have an opportunity or a chance to have a relationship with both the child and the adoptive family. “In essence, they have a relatively improved mourning as they can keep tabs with the adoptive family, as well as the adopted child. This enhances their capacity to deal with the grief that comes with the loss of their child”(Gritter, 1997). Open adoption serves the best interests of the child, which is always the most crucial thing for any arrangement. The child is brought up by able and capable parents but enjoys the warmth of his or her birth parents. The child has his security guaranteed in that the parents still watch over him (Caplan, 1991). Not only is he protected against abandonment, but he also has the opportunity of knowing himself and his roots. “This imparts in the child a sense of identity and belonging, thereby saving the kid of the effort of searching for his roots, which complements his confidence” (Ryburn, 1994). The adoptive parents are informed about the medical history of the child in which case they know how best to cater to him. They are also saved from fear as to the birth parents’ intentions, as they are in constant interaction (Gritter, 1997).
Action
Adoption done in goodwill does not need to be unnecessarily taxing on the emotions of the parties involved. It never should seem to put the present or future of the child at risk. These reasons convince me that open adoption is the way to go and the most appropriate option. “This option allows children rights to be safeguarded, not to mention the fact that the birth and adoptive parents would benefit from the option” (Gritter, 1997).
This arrangement is advantageous to the child in all aspects as he maintains his identity and confidence while being brought up in an enabling environment (Waters, 2005). It is imperative that any person who is considering adoption thinks of open adoption and the opportunities that it comes with for all parties involved.