Telling your family may seem overwhelming and intimidating when you have chosen adoption as your pregnancy option, but it doesn’t have to be. Explain that when you were researching unplanned pregnancy help, you researched alternatives to abortion in Arizona, and that led you to your adoption decision.
As you share your adoption decision, remember that you are further down the road on your adoption journey and your family members are just now beginning their journey with you. In addition, you have the ability to understand your own thoughts, feelings and emotions, whereas your family has to rely on you to express them to understand how you have arrived at your adoption choice.
Some families have adoption experiences interwoven throughout their family – a cousin who was adopted from China, or a grandmother who adopted her grandchildren or maybe you, yourself were adopted. Families that have experienced adoption and are familiar with the process may not have as many questions as families that are not as familiar with adoption.
Be prepared to explain the adoption process. You might consider having an adoption specialist or adoption counselor present to assist you. If you found Arizona Pregnancy Help while researching alternatives to abortion in Arizona, you know that we are part of Building Arizona Families, a local adoption agency that would be honored to help you.
It may also help to choose one or more of the following:
- Invite a friend that knows and is supportive of your adoption plan present.
- Choose the right time and the right audience, don’t pick a time where people are running late or they have other people around them who don’t need to be part of the conversation.
- Make sure you are educated and confident in your adoption decision so they can feel secure in your choice and know that you are okay.
Other suggestion include:
- Give family members time to process what you just told them.
- Understand that their first reaction may not be their final sentiment. (You have taken time to make the decision and they should be allowed time as well.)
- Allow your family members to grieve if needed. People go through different steps in processing grief that can include:
1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance - Prepare for mixed emotions, sometimes they may express a range of emotions until they accept your decision.
- Invite them to be a part of your adoption plan if and when they are ready to be supportive of your choice.
- Explain the type of adoption you have chosen: open adoption or closed adoption and describe what that will look like.
- Also explain that you are “placing baby for adoption” not “giving baby up for adoption.”
Lastly, remember that you have made a beautiful choice. Your family loves you and may quickly embrace your adoption decision or may need some time. Either way, feel reassured that you have made an educated, well informed decision choosing adoption as loving alternative to abortion in Arizona. You and your baby will be forever grateful for your courageous choice!
If you need help with your unplanned pregnancy, please really do contact us. As a local adoption agency in Arizona, we have so many resources to help and they are all free! You can read about our resources HERE. You can call or text us 24/7 at 623-695-4112.