Choosing or Not Choosing a Transracial Adoptive Family for Your Child

So, you decide to provide a better life for your baby and a chance to continue growing up yourself by gifting an adoptive family with your baby. You are sitting down with your adoption caseworker, going through your choices of adoptive families and you notice that there are some candidates who are not the same race as you. 

You don’t have to choose an adoptive family of different ethnicity from you, but it’s something to think about before deciding one way or the other. Transracial adoption isn’t for everybody, but at Adoption Choices of Texas, we can help you find the right adoptive family for your little one, no matter the race.

If you need help with adoption now, you can call us at 945-444-0333, text us at 945-444-0333, or email us here.

The Rewards and Drawbacks of Choosing a Transracial Adoptive Family

Considering a transracial family as the adoptive family to your child has both pros and cons. As you’re looking through the adoptive parent profile books, it’s important to keep these in mind to help you make the best decision for yourself and your child.

Pros of Choosing a Transracial Adoptive Family

• You and your child will learn to embrace diversity. When raised with an adoptive family who is of a different race, ethnicity, or culture, your child will learn that there are varying kinds of backgrounds outside of their own. In doing so, he or she will develop a respect for those who are different from them and become more open-minded and accepting as they learn to celebrate what makes people who they are. 
• Your child will gain insight into another culture. Cultural awareness is a huge benefit of transracial adoption and growing up with a transracial adoptive family. Your child will have the opportunity to not only learn about their own birth culture, but also the culture of their adoptive family. They will get to see what is special and unique and, perhaps, gain new traditions as they grow.

Cons of Choosing a Transracial Adoptive Family

• Your child may struggle with their identity. Recognizing what makes an individual unique is very important in adoption as a whole — but especially in transracial adoption. As your child grows up, they may notice that they are different and struggle with their sense of identity. This can happen more so if the adoptive parents haven’t implemented the child’s birth culture enough, or they don’t live in a diverse neighborhood. However, both you and the adoptive family can help your child develop a healthy sense of self and identity by teaching him or her to celebrate their differences and to involve their birth culture and heritage more in your daily lives.
• Your child may face discrimination and bullying. As progressive as we’d like to say our culture, world, and society is, there is still a long way to go in regards to racial and cultural beliefs. There are still some prominent negative stereotypes and misconceptions surrounding those of varying races, ethnicities, and cultures. However, with the help of their transracial adoptive family, your child can learn how to respectfully and correctly handle any discrimination and bullying they may face. This, in turn, can help them become stronger mentally and emotionally.

Is Choosing a Transracial Adoptive Family for You?

As you decide what family to bless your child with, ask yourself a few questions:

• Am I doing this for attention, or because I am being swayed by others’ opinions?
• Am I doing this out of bias?
• Am I doing this out of what I want and not what is truly best for my child?

Depending on your answers, you may need to backtrack and rethink choices and reasonings. Whichever path you choose to take this decision should be yours and swayed only by facts and what your child needs. If you are not ready to let go of or look past opinions and biases, selecting a transracial adoptive family to raise your child is most likely not for you.

What to Expect from a Transracial Adoptive Family

Although you may think that there’s a huge difference between picking a transracial adoptive family over another type of adoptive family, there really isn’t. There are pros and cons to every prospective couple or individual you may choose for your child. Each and every one of them can offer your child a different life with different opportunities. What you need to decide is what you feel is best for you and your child. What adoptive family best fits the life you envision for him or her.

Don’t be quick to glance over a transracial adoptive family. They might just be the family you didn’t know you were looking for. If you have any questions, concerns, or want to learn more, our staff at Adoption Choices of Texas can help you figure out the best course of action for you, your child and your chosen adoptive family.

As an expectant woman or birth parent, to learn more about adoption, contact Adoption Choices of Texas. You can call us at 945-444-0333, text us at 945-444-0333, or email us here. If you are hoping to adopt, please visit us here. We look forward to helping you through your adoption journey!

Meet the Author: Samantha Wilder is 19 years old and writes fictional stories in her pastimes. While focusing on fictional based stories, she has dipped her fingers into many types of writing such as poetry, essays (both personal and factual), and helped friends in the past prep for blogs. Her writing history began in her 6th-grade year but picked up more drive and passion in 8th grade. She shares her work and assistance to her friends and family who join her in her love for writing.