Advice for prospective adoptive parents that have been matched with expectant parents who are looking to make an adoption plan.
It is a very personal decision whether or not to share with your family, friends and co-workers that you have been matched. There are several things to consider when deciding who you may choose to share the news with, including:
- If you plan on taking time off from work, when and who do you need to prepare for your absence?
- If you require child care for other children you are parenting, when do you need to arrange things if you suddenly get a call that the expectant parent(s) want you in the delivery room or the baby has been born and the expectant parent(s) are requesting that you visit with the baby in the hospital?
- If you tell your family and friends, will they be supportive of you during the match period if the match falls through?
The excitement of being matched can cause prospective adoptive parents to want to shout the news from a mountaintop (which is understandable). However, it is key that prospective adoptive parents take time to truly think through who they want to tell, how they want to tell them, and how easy (or not easy) it will be to explain the adoption process to folks…not to mention having to repeatedly share the news that a match “fell through” if indeed that should happen. As exhilarating as it is to get a match phone call, it’s key to not make a rash decision to disclose (or not disclose) the information to friends, family and co-workers.