Read a good article today talking about children born through surrogacy and the question of when to tell your child and what to tell them.Of course, the same “what and when to tell” is there with adopted children. I like the point the authors made of finding appropriate context and words with the goal to let your child feel totally secure that they’re with the family they belong in.
This question arose in my life when we adopted our daughter from Colombia. I found myself simply talking about her story openly probably before she could fully understand the meaning. There were a few questions from time to time, and forgotten pieces that wanted to be rewoven, and it felt very natural.Every child has a birth story and often their asked to relate their story at different points in schools. This is a rich opportunity as parent to talk to them about what they want to know at each stage, giving more details as feel appropriate. Some great examples in this article about various ways people helped their children understand the context of their birth and their family.
