Thursday, May 22, 2008

Adoption Terminology To Know

Every so often I hear well-meaning people use rather negative terms to describe adoption. We feel so strongly about adoption and such love for the birth mother that I get upset when people look at adoption as a "last resort." I'm including some positive terminology to replace old terms that some readers may find useful or of interest.

Negative:
Put up for adoption
Adopted/Give up
Real Parent (I find this one especially irksome!)
Natural Parent
Adopted child
Illegitimate child
Unwanted child


Positive:
Baby joined the family/Place the baby
Adoption plan was made for
Birth parent
Biological Parent
My child
Born outside of marriage
Born to a single person

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