Creative pet adoption marketing ideas can help improve adoption rates. See how some animal groups are using creative ways to make a statement!
Super cute adoption party ideas!
Deciding when and how to tell your children they are adopted can be a major source of stress. What if they want to find their birth families? Or what if the tru
Is fundraising to afford an adoption uncompassionate? What are other options for raising the money to adopt?
I invite you to just take a moment and focus your attention on your heart center in your body. Imagine all of the people, pets, memories, and other significant things resting here. They are being c…
Here are 10 baby shower theme ideas for adoptive moms to be. There are some special ways to celebrate adoptive moms to be.
Beautiful Stitch is regarded as a kind of adoptive "mother" to all those animals who are lucky enough to be cared for her by her.
Are you thinking about adopting a child? Before you decide, take a look out my 5 things that you need to prepare yourself for before adopting.
It's a common concern among hopeful parents. You can afford to raise a child. But you can't afford that whopping homestudy fee, the wait fee, the placement fee (gulp), the post-placement fees, and the legal fees. (That's A LOT of fees). And sometimes birth parent expenses. Travel costs. So what do you do? I know some will tell you, "Just adopt from foster care. It's free!" But I want you to know that foster care adoption isn't for everyone, that it's OK to have a desire to adopt an infant domestically, and that you shouldn't adopt from foster care solely because it's free. You need to go into foster care adoption understanding what you are doing and knowing a whole lot about trauma and attachment, among other things. Alright, so you want to adopt domestically, but you can't afford all those fees. What do you do? 1: You choose an affordable agency. There ARE agencies that do not have $30,000+ fees. There are. I would know, as we used small, ethical, affordable agencies for all four adoptions. This might mean you spend a lot of time choosing an agency. This might mean waiting longer for a child (as big agencies tend to have more outreach, like advertising and PR tactics, and more connections). But listen. The most important thing isn't a fast placement. It's an ethical placement (that doesn't put you in the poor house). How do you find an ethical adoption agency? I spend a great deal of words discussing that here. Because it's so, so very important. Remember: every choice you make today has a forever impact and must be explained to the child you adopt in the future. 2: You don't make irresponsible decisions. There are some financial decisions that may give you money NOW but could hurt you in the long run. Very carefully consider how wise it is to take out a second mortgage, borrow money from a relative, or borrow from your retirement fund. If you aren't financially savvy, talk to a trusted relative or friend about your options and concerns. Making irresponsible decisions will negatively impact your finances for the long-haul. 3: You cut back. Before you ask others to help you afford to adopt, you do everything in your power to save on your own. You cut out the extras: cable TV, daily mornings stops for coffee and pastries, memberships (ahem, gym) that you do not use or use enough, frequent eating out/ordering in. You figure out what is truly essential. You take the money you were spending on these things and save, save, save. (Plus, you'll be more fit!) 4: You clean out your stuff and sell items. Think of the things you have that you don't need and can make you money! A vintage collection of something, bigger items that you no longer use or need. Think of this as a win-win: you get more space in your home for all the baby stuff and you make money in order to afford adoption! 5: You take a second job. Sell a product on Etsy, get a second job on the weekends or evenings, offer a service (something you're good at). Beware of pyramid schemes that are almost always a ton of work for very little pay off. If you do opt to join a direct sales company, be sure it has a great reputation and doesn't require a lot of up-front investment from you. (Remember you're trying to save money, not spend.) 6: You fundraise. I discuss this in my new book (ways NOT to be tacky when fundraising and how to handle criticism). Fundraising can be effective. To help you: there are Facebook groups and there's this book by a mom-by-adoption. There are some great ideas out there: selling t-shirts, puzzle fundraisers, auctions, dinners, yard sales. There are endless possibilities! The best thing you can do is talk to others who have done these successfully (try the adoption fundraising FB groups) and mirror what they did. My #1 fundraising rule, which I talk about in my new book, is this: DO NOT BE TACKY. (You're welcome.)
Are you adopting a newborn from the hospital? Learn what to expect and how to prepare for your first hospital adoption experience.
Discover stories of empathy, connection, and courage told by BraveLove’s growing community of birth partners, adoptees, adopted families, and more.
Adoptive parents do not usually receive money for adopting a child, and becoming an adoptive parent typically cost a lot more than having a child biologically.
Make the most of the monthly updates you write to your adopted child's birth families. I share general tips as well as guidelines for what to include.
Your friend just told you that she is adopting. You're worried you might do something wrong. How do you support your friend who is adopting?
If you are reading this post, you are probably asking yourself, should I adopt a kitten? Find out here if kitten adoption is right for you!
A satirical look at the silly and sometimes insensitive things people say when they don't understand adoption.
The need for foster parents is constant. There are always children in need of loving and safe foster parents to help them heal from circumstances beyond their control. By entering into the world of foster care parenting, you are giving a child a gift that cannot adequately be described through words. A similar wordlessness arises
When you decide to pursue adoption, one important consideration is how to find the best adoption agency for you. It can be confusing.
Holt adoptee Qiulan Henderson shares some advice for adoptive parents about how they can build a strong and loving relationship with their child. My name is Qiulan, which means “autumn orchid” in Chinese. I was born in China, and I came to America three years ago when I was 10. When I was first adopted, […]
Eating certain foods doesn’t appear to cause eczema, although it may trigger a flare-up if you already have the condition. Maintaining an eczema diet plan Or eczema meal plan is key to overall cond…
Cultivating a solid network of fellow adoptive families is crucial for navigating adoption successfully and maintaining the support you need for your family!
Understanding the various types and avenues of adoption is often the first step for prospective adoptive parents. Find the pros and cons of each here.
Infertility and trying to conceive is such a heavy topic. There’s dread, fear, worry, anxiety, struggle, pain, loss, financial hardship, no control, broken dreams, etc. Blogs and blogs full of pain. There isn’t much out there on the gifts of infertility. But there is nothing in this life good or ba
Open vs closed adoption is an important consideration with adoption. What are the differences? We help break it down to understand.
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #InsideOutEmotions #CollectiveBias My kids and I loved the Disney/Pixar movie, Inside Out! (Have you read my Inside Out movie review for foster/adoptive parents?) What makes the Inside Out movie a great tool in parenting is that it gives kids
A niacin flush is beneficial for detoxification and is commonly experienced by those adopting traditional foods into their diet for the first time.
Adoption Musings are old blog posts journaling our Ugandan adoption.
Struggling to decide on the right colors for your cat or dog brand? Well here is a handy guide and some free palettes to inspire you
