By Joyce and Fred

"So, what does Open Adoption mean to you?" When we first started learning about Open Adoption, we thought we understood what it meant. Little did we know that we had many preconceived ideas and stereotypes of birth parents and adoptive parents. Looking back, we realize that there were some fears of the unknown, including fears around what the birth family might want or expect. Would we be able to build a relationship with birth parents and still raise a child in the best way we thought possible? Would it obligate us in ways that we weren't comfortable, impose on us things that were not true to who we were? Many of these fears dissipated as we learned more about Open Adoption. Through seminars, various social workers, reading material, the work of Beginnings and getting to know our daughter's birth mother, we learned how beautiful and natural the open relationship can be.

Open Adoption respects all parties involved: the child, the birth parents, their family as well as the adoptive family. Open Adoption promotes honesty; there are no secrets or hidden agendas. Honesty and commitment are paramount given that Open Adoption is a process of building trust. This trust bond allows for wishes and dreams to be shared by all, for the benefit of the child involved. It also allows for input on the part of the birth parents, getting to know interests, personalities and values and helps ensure the best possible match. Open Adoption involves opening yourself to a new relationship.