Preparing Your Extended Family When Adopting a Child

Adoptive parents spend a lot of time preparing themselves for adoption, but what about their extended family. As much as we want grandparents, aunts, and siblings to be supportive and excited about our upcoming adoption, this is not always the case. Join us today to talk about how to help our extended family understand our adoption. Our guest is Elisabeth O’Toole, author of In On It: What Adoptive Parents Would Like You To Know About Adoption.

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Hit the Highlights

How can adoptive families educate and prepare their extended family and friends about adoption?
When should adoptive families start preparing their extended family and friends about adoption in general and their plans in specific?
What should adoptive families do if their parents do not warm up to their child or show favoritism to other grandchildren?
What is the best way to respond comments about needing to try harder to have a “child of your own”.
Transracial adoption can often throw a kink into a extended family’s reaction to adoption news. What are some causes for this reaction and what can adoptive families do?
Loss is a part of adoption for your child certainly, but also for yourself and for your extended family. And with loss comes grief. What are some of the losses grandparents and extended family members may feel surrounding plans to adopt a child?
How should adoptive parents handle derogatory comments from grandparents?
How should adoptive parents handle racist comments from your extended family?
How can adoptive parents help their family understand parenting designed to facilitate attachment?