Six in ten Americans have personal experience with adoption, whether they themselves or a family member was adopted, placed a child for adoption, or is an adoptive parent. For decades, adoption was shrouded in secrecy and shame, but today most are open, with both adoptive parents and birth families able to communicate through letters, pictures and even visits. This has made the opportunity for a written story about an adopted child’s past and future, called a lifebook or scrapbook, possible.
Adoption is an important issue to discuss for many reasons. Adoptees and their families can use their stories to inform others, educate and inspire. They also can help to raise awareness, find support and fundraise for adoption. In addition, writing an adoption story can be helpful for college applications as it shows an interesting and unique perspective on a student’s experiences. However, the topic should be approached with care to avoid being cliche or too general.
The nuances of adoption deserve better treatment than they often get in TV and movies. Adoption should never be used as a plot point to ratchet up drama or to imply that an adoptee is “broken” or “unnatural.” But it can be used as a tool for redefining family and helping society understand the wide variety of ways that people can form their own. Adoption is a valid and powerful option for any family.