Have you thought a bout an adoption party?
The process of adoption springs from the deep desire to take another couple’s biological child into their family. This has not been an easy decision for you nor has the entire process of adoption been an easy task to accomplish. So congratulations to you parents, on your honourable intentions. No doubt, you would want to share your joy with your family and friends-so how can you celebrate child adoption appropriately?
Undoubtedly as adoptive parents this is the occasion which you have dreamed about and long waited for! It is the dawn of a new beginning for you, your child and your entire family. You sure want to make it a momentous occasion. It is the time for joyous celebration and rejoicing.
This is also a perfect time for family celebration, a time when all the members of the family come together to joyfully welcome their newest member with open arms with showering of love and affection.
There is no single fixed measure of appropriate celebration; this will depend on your environment, culture, intent, interest and budget. However, there are some significant factors the adoptive parents need to focus on and take into consideration while planning to celebrate child adoption appropriately. Here are some important factors:
Read more about how to adopt here
Try the safest approach in an adoption party
The safest approach would be to celebrate on a low key and invite not too many the very first time. At the same time, discerning parents realize that they would need a good support system to successfully raise the child. Striking the right balance is the key; it would be most appropriate for parents to invite their close family members, friends and perhaps neighbors so that they all could participate and make this occasion a memorable one. This would indeed be the perfect time for parents to introduce their child to all the well-wishers gathered, to people who would eventually matter most in their child’s life.
You have to know the child a little to gauge how low key your celebration should be.
Focus on your child’s comfort zone
The most important would be to make the newly-adopted child comfortable in the new environment, especially in the company of total strangers! Parents must think and plan out the celebrations with utmost sensitivity so as not to overwhelm or embarrass the child in the presence of guests. Understand that the focal point of the celebration is to make the child feel loved, respected and significantly important above anything else. Never a moment should arise when they feels left out. After all, the purpose of hosting this celebration is to celebrate their life and his entry into your lives.
Choose age-appropriate celebrations for an adoption party
Let the celebration you plan, keep the interest and welfare of your adopted child in mind.
For instance in the case of a baby or an infant, it would not be appropriate to have a large children’s party as the child would be too little to understand the significance. The needs of the infant like feeds, schedules, diaper changes, should all be considered. But if the child is a toddler or even older, a children’s party along with their parents would be very appropriate. For an older child, it would be most appropriate for parents to first consult the child in whose honor the celebration is to be held-this would give your child the importance he/she deserves.
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Maybe Add a sparkle to your adoption party
Decorations and appropriate music besides food and drink, add to the festivities of the party. It would be nice to accept offers of help from any close family members, friends or neighbor to decorate one’s home. Appropriate banners could be put up with Welcome______'{ with your child’s name}colorfully written on it. Pre-cut, personalized favor ribbons are also available in varied designs and colors if the parents wish to mark the occasion with personalized favors/gifts for all the guests. Perhaps, making an announcement in the local papers would be a good idea too.
Gift thoughtfully
The true essence of gifting would be to make sure that the adopted child is a blessed with a sense of belonging and feelings of connectivity with your family and friends. Again as far as the appropriateness of the gifts for the child, it depends entirely on the child’s age.
For babies and toddlers, perhaps the most appropriate gifts would be silver items like spoons and rattles engraved with the child’s name-something that the child can later cherish as a keepsake. Hand-made personalized quilts too would be welcome. An older child might like to choose a gift idea themselves
Concluding thoughts on an adoption party
It would be most appropriate for parents to bear in mind that although they may not share the same genes with the adopted child, it is their vision and largess of heart which in the first place prompted them to embrace this child as their own. Whatever celebration you choose, it would be wise to make it meaningful for all concerned.
The importance of celebrating child adoption appropriately cannot be undermined; it is dawn of a new beginning, a beginning of lasting, meaningful and loving relationship-nurturing it with mutual trust and respect, can create for you and your adopted child a lifetime of happy bonding.
Further reading
Should you tell your child they are adopted
