Gift Giving Etiquette Tips as a Birth Mother
The act of gift giving is an age-old tradition around the holidays. People give gifts to show not only gratitude, but love and appreciation as well. Many birth mothers are in a position to give their children a gift during the holidays. Whether they have an open or semi-open adoption, birth mothers all around the country are contemplating whether or not to give their children gifts this holiday season.
You may also be thinking about the idea of giving your child a gift this year. If giving your child a gift this holiday season is something you are considering, here are some gift giving etiquette tips as a birth mother to remember to make your holiday season as special as possible.
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- Be Respectful
When giving your child a gift, it is important to remember the adoptive parents as part of the gift giving process. Be mindful of their wishes and boundaries when gift giving. Have a conversation with your child’s adoptive parents about gift giving and the holidays. This could be done during your adoption planning process, or after adoption finalizations, if you are able to communicate with them.
What are their boundaries, wants, and wishes? Is there a way for each party to be satisfied with a decision? Don’t be afraid to be honest and open with your child’s adoptive parents. Honesty is the best way to go in these discussions. It is also important to remember to be respectful to yourself as well. While it is important for you to be mindful of your child’s adoptive parents’ wishes, it is also equally important for your wishes to be respected.
By being as open and honest as possible during these types of conversations, each party will be better likely to be satisfied with the end result!
- Honor Your Child’s Heritage
A great gift to give your child is the gift of their heritage. By giving them a gift that symbolizes their heritage, ancestry and individuality, you are giving them something truly special. Many children who are adopted are of different cultures, races, or ethnicities than their adoptive parents. By giving them something that represents their culture and heritage, you are not only respecting the adoptive parents’ wishes, but you are honoring your culture as well.
Something of significance such as a piece of artwork that symbolizes a language or culture. Or a toy that represents your own upbringing. Anything that is special not only to you, but your heritage will be cherished and remembered for many years to come.
- Honor Your Story
When giving your child something this holiday season, think about how you want your story told and how you wish your child to know you. Birth mothers can have many different types of contact and relationships with their child that they have placed for adoption. Some have face to face meetings, some communicate through letters, and some may never speak to their child, but still want their child to know their story.
Your story deserves to be heard and honored by your child and adoptive parents.
Consider a gift that will help to tell your story. This could be in the form of a letter, journal throughout pregnancy, poem, or something that is of personal value to you. Whether or not you see your child during the holiday season or any other time during the year, telling your story to your child is a great way for you to heal and have a lasting impact on your child.
Adoption Gift Giving Etiquette Tips as a Birth Mother
Gift giving can be a stressful act to carry for many people. It can be even more stressful for you as a birth mother trying to be respectful to adoptive parents, honoring your wishes, and doing what is best for your child. The act of gift giving is an age-old tradition around the holidays.
If giving your child a gift this holiday season is something you are considering, remember to not only respect your child’s adoptive parents, heritage, and current upbringing but to honor yourself as well. Whether or not you are present to see your child open a gift this holiday season, you are important during this time and deserve to be honored.
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: Sarah Henderson can best be described as someone with an eclectic taste in all things related to literacy and writing. She can be found reading a wide array of subjects from true crime novels to the next young adult fantasy series. Because of her love of literature, it has been Sarah’s dream to become a novelist herself.
After graduating from college in 2019, Sarah has been spending her time planning, researching and writing for her first novel. When she isn’t reading or writing her novel, you can find Sarah out for her early morning run, hiking a three-plus mile hike or cooking her favorite vegan meal. She presently lives in Indianapolis, IN and is waiting for the next chapter of her life to begin!
