How do you want to
spend your adoption day? Do you want to be alone to cuddle your new child and
get to know them? Or, do you want to celebrate with others and share the joy?
It’s a hard call
but we can tell you that most people we know chose to celebrate the adoption
day with others, especially those who adopted small children.
Our best advice is
to do what’s best for you and your partner, your new child and your other children. You’ll be glad you did.
Family and friends are sometimes confused
about what they should do, so you need to give them advice.
You’ll tell them,
for sure, whether or not you want to see them on the day of the adoption. (We
know people, who adopted an older child and spent the first part of the day
alone as a family, letting their child explore his new home, then went to a
celebration at a relative’s house later, where everyone could meet their new
son but they were able to leave when they felt that they’d all had enough.)
Here’s a tip list
of ways that family and friends can help; just let them know and they will jump
at the chance to do something for you.
1.
Help with daily chores and housework. You and your
family need time to bond but housework never ends! Ask people to give you a
hand with laundry or vacuuming.
2.
People love to make meals and you should encourage them
to help you out this way. Even if you’d prefer to make meals for your family
just now, you can freeze the offerings; you know you’ll be able to use them
later.
3.
Take your other children out to do something special.
As we said before, it’s easy to feel left out. Even though your other children
will really be looking for your attention, they probably won’t turn down pizza
and a movie with Uncle Joe and Aunt Kate.
4.
Run errands for you. It’s true that you are not
recovering from childbirth but you will probably feel a bit overwhelmed as you
manage this new and different household. Besides, when you let a friend or
family member help you, you also let them share in the joy of your adoption.
