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Adoption First Language

November 8, 2017 By Becki Mann Leave a Comment

The words we use when communicating have value. They not only convey fact, but they evoke feeling. Using positive adoption language helps to dispel adoption myths, emphasize the importance of family and reflect the true nature of adoption. By using accurate adoption language we help educate others and diminish the misconceptions of adoption.
Terms to avoid:
Positive Adoption Language:
Real parent/mother/father
Birth parent/mother/father,
(even more recently, the term “first mother” has grown in usage)
Natural parent/mother/father
Biological parent/mother/father
Adoptive parent/father/mother
Parent, mother, father, mommy, daddy
Adopted child (vs. own child)
My child/son/daughter
Prior to the birth of the child using the term Birth Mother
Woman considering Placing her child for adoption
Abandoned child, unwanted child
Child placed for adoption
Foreign adoption
International Adoption
Give up for adoption, put up for adoption, give away, adopted out, abandoned
Make an adoption plan, choose adoption, place child for adoption, terminate parental rights
To keep her child
To parent her child
Is adopted
Was adopted
If you want to learn more about JFS Adoption Services, contact Teresa Birchett at 804-282-5644 ext. 223 or [email protected]

Filed Under: Adoption, Blog Tagged With: blog

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