Adoption used to be a dirty little secret, but its connotation and denotation have changed in modern times. When adoption was first created, it was used to hide the illegitimate children of unwed mothers. Today, adoption is about giving your child a better life and giving a family the gift of starting or expanding their own family. There are no negatives regarding adoption; it is a gift for you and your baby. We are here to guide you through the adoption process at Adoption Choices of Nevada and help you see that adoption is not a bad word. 

The Benefits of Adoption

Maybe you are a single mother, and you cannot fathom the idea of raising another child. Maybe you had unprotected sex and are experiencing an unplanned pregnancy. Or maybe you are a victim of sexual assault and cannot possibly raise your assailant’s child. All of these reasons and more are valid reasons to choose adoption for your child, and there is nothing wrong with that. Adoption is a positive experience, and the language we use surrounding adoption should also be positive. 

One of the major benefits of adoption is giving your child a loving family. It is perfectly okay if you feel you are not ready to parent. Adoption gives your child the opportunity to be loved by more than one person; you and the adoptive parents can all provide love and support for your child. 

Conversely, you are also giving a family the opportunity to expand or start their own family. You could be placing your child with a couple who is struggling to conceive or a woman who always wanted to have a child but is not married. There are no limits to the positive possibilities adoption provides. Everyone benefits from adoption, even you. 

Choosing adoption for your baby gives you the opportunity to focus on yourself and your future. Everyone is not meant to be a parent, and that is also okay. You can finish college or start a career. Adoption enables you to become the best version of yourself while your child is being cared for by their adoptive family. The best part of adoption is you can continue to be a part of your child’s life without having the responsibilities of parenting him or her. 

Using Positive Adoption Language

The way we speak about adoption has a positive or negative impact on our adoption experience. It is important to use language that positively reflects adoption, such as “give up” versus “place.” You are not “giving your baby up” for adoption. Rather you are “placing your baby for adoption. “Give up” has an inherently negative connotation. You are not “giving up” anything; you are “placing your baby” for adoption to give him or her a better life. “Placing your baby” for adoption has a much more positive connotation and more accurately reflects the positive experience of adoption. As we mentioned before, you are giving your child and their adoptive parents a gift, and the language surrounding that gift should indicate that. 

It is also important to use terms like “birth parent” instead of “real parent” There is no such thing as a “real” parent. A parent is someone who cares for the child emotionally, physically, and financially regardless of how that parenting came to be. Adoptive parents are just as many parents as biological parents. Birth parents are merely the child’s biological parents, but they are no more or less “real” than the adoptive parents. Birth parents play a role in the child’s conception; adoptive parents play a role in the child’s upbringing, often with support from the birth parents. 

Adoption is now seen as a selfless act by the birth mother. Placing your baby for adoption takes maturity and bravery and is not a decision that is made lightly. It is important that you remember this if you decide to choose adoption for your baby. You are not a failure, and you are not “giving up.” 

Adoption Choices of Nevada is here to help with all of your adoption questions and needs. We guide you through every step of the adoption process and help you decide if adoption is the best choice for you and your baby. There are no wrongs when it comes to adoption—all that matters is you and your baby are cared for. Let us help you with the rest!

Adoption Choices of Nevada has been providing adoption and surrogacy services across Nevada since 2012. You can call us to speak to someone now. Contact Us 24/7: 855-940-4673 (Toll-Free) | 702-474-4673 (Las Vegas) | 775-825-4673 (Reno) | 775-738-4673 (Elko) | 775-884-4673 (Carson City).

Meet the Author: Rayna Batiste is an alumna of the University of West Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing. Having graduated with honors, she hopes to attend graduate school at New York University, majoring in Journalism. Rayna is also a United States Air Force veteran who enjoys watching documentaries about pretty much any subject, learning, and spending quality time with her family and friends. She is also a fitness enthusiast and an avid Peloton user. 
Her hobbies include brunch (yes, brunch is a hobby), fashion, makeup, and of course, reading and writing. Rayna has a real passion for the written word and correct grammar and syntax. She enjoys manipulating sentence structure and experimenting with punctuation in her writing. She’s what you would call a “werd nerd.” She was also recently featured at the Pensacola Museum of Art for her work, entitled Triangular Geometry.