How to Write an Adoption Story

When people decide to adopt a baby, they usually fill their shelves with adoption-related books. But when your newborn baby finally arrives, consider making room for his or her very own adoption story, since that is the most intriguing of adoption tales. It is important to share your child's adoption story with him or her from a very young age, and there is no better way than a homemade storybook.

An adoption storybook is a scrapbook that illustrates your adoption journey as adoptive parents waiting to adopt, and your child's journey home. Whether intended as a way of answering your child's questions about adoption, or as a source of information, it will certainly come in handy.

What should you include?

• Every family's adoption story is different. Many people decide to include photographs of their child's birth and early history. If you really want your adoption story to illustrate everything you have been through, include every moment that you find special and want to share with your child.
• The beginning should focus on the time period prior to adoption. To create it, describe the period before you were connected with the birthmother, the delivery and meeting the baby. This way you are going to create an adoption story your child will appreciate the most.
• An adoption story should focus on the child. It is not only a story about the adoptive family's journey to parenting, although you can dedicate part of it to describe your feelings during the whole process.

Tips for Creating a Personalized Adoption Story

• Create a personal name for your adoption story.
• An adoption story can be handwritten or typed. You can use everything from binders to empty photo albums or scrapbooks. Some parents download scrapbooking software so they can arrange images and text on their computer and print out the album. Here are a few online tools that you may find useful:
  • StoryJumper
  • Serif
  • Shutterfly
• A picture is worth a thousand words, so fill the pages with pictures and descriptions of each. Choose photos that show everyday life with your child. This way your child will be able to make up stories to retell and create a web of memories.
• If you are short on pictures, get creative and draw your own illustrations to present each part of the story.
• Find ways to engage your child in the adoption story. Make it interactive by using games and questions. You can also include pieces of fabric from the outfit your child was wearing when you first met, or details like the hospital wristband.
• Acknowledge the birth family, even if you don't have a lot of information. Include pictures when possible, and write what you know about them.

All adopted children should have a wonderful momento of how they became part of their family. An adoption story can provide essential information and details about the child's history and background and show just how much of a dream come true they were.