There is something freeing about the summer season. The sun is shining, there are plenty of beach and pool activities, and you spend more time relaxing with friends and family. For those considering adoption after a tumultuous battle with infertility, some of the fun of summer can seem dampened by the weightiness of the decisions that lay ahead. In reality, summer is the perfect time to start the process and plan to make your adoption journey successful. Here are some summertime tips to start your adoption without sacrificing the fun of summer.
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1. Start now to prepare for consideration by potential birth mothers
If you have been considering starting adoption, summer is the perfect time to jump in the deep end! A lot of prospective parents wait to start their adoption journey until the beginning of the following year, but starting in January will often make the adoption process longer. When you start your adoption journey in the summer, you’ll easily be ready to be presented to potential birth parents by January.
Being ready to be presented to birth mothers before January is important because of the increase in the number of birth moms seeking families at the start of the year. Like many prospective adoptive parents, birth mothers put off important decisions until after the holidays unless they are due imminently. Those pre-adoptive parents who have the same mindset and don’t start their paperwork until January will miss out on that busier time of year. By starting the process now, you will have all your paperwork done and a sparkling adoption profile in place when January rolls around.
2. Utilize the lazy days of summer
The lazy days of summer mean plenty of free time! Summer activities tend to provide more downtime than other times of the year, activities like when you are relaxing by the pool or camping in the wilderness. Take advantage of the extra time to fill out paperwork that will launch your adoption process. With more low-stress, quality time with your partner during the summer, you can discuss adoption-related decisions in the more relaxed settings of lounging poolside or at the beach.
More:How to talk thoughtfully about adoption
3. Get family support for your journey
Similar to time spent with your partner, family gatherings during the summer tend to be less stressful and more fun than gatherings at other times of the year. The happy days of summer that put everyone in a good mood are the perfect time to reach out to family about the next step in your parenting journey. Use this more relaxed atmosphere to have some important family conversations rather than when people are more stressed at other times of year.
4. Take advantage of summer stress breaks
There is no denying that adoption is a tense process. Those going through the process realize that they need mental breaks to take a breath, to consider difficult decisions or to blow off some steam. When you wait to start your adoption journey during other parts of the year, you are less likely to be able to take those much-needed mental breaks as easily. For instance, if you start adoption planning in the fall, it is difficult to afford to take breaks without sacrificing that key January time frame.
Starting later in the year can lead to a time crunch that only exacerbates an already stressful process. Starting now also increases the likelihood that you be ready before January and that you may even be ready before the full craziness of the holidays hit. Instead of finalizing paperwork during the holidays, you can relax and enjoy yourself, knowing that you may well be a parent by the same time next year.
More: 4 tips to make your adoption journey quick and successfull
Nicole Witt is the owner of The Adoption Consultancy, an unbiased resource serving pre-adoptive families by providing them with the education, information and guidance they need to safely adopt a newborn, usually within three to 12 months.
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