How to Talk to Your Children about Embryo Adoption

It’s hard enough to talk to children about the birds and the bees, explaining where babies come from and how they come to join their families. Add embryo adoption into the mix and it can seem like an overwhelming task to help them grasp these big ideas. Whether you have older children you want to teach about embryo adoption or need to explain it to your child who was born through the embryo adoption process, here are some tips to help make the conversation easier:

• Make a plan with your partner early on. Don’t wait until after the birth of your child; take time to discuss how you want to talk about embryo adoption with your children.
• Be open and honest. Agencies, adoptees, and studies all confirm that being open about the adoption is easier on everyone involved. Avoid treating it like a big secret.
• Use kid-friendly resources. You aren’t the first parents that have had to tackle the embryo adoption discussion and you won’t be the last. Look for kid-friendly books that offer age appropriate explanations about embryo adoption (there are several available on Amazon that are highly recommended).
• Add their embryo adoption story to a baby book. Giving children pictures of their bio family (when available) or even adding pictures of ultrasounds can be useful to explain embryo adoption and start conversations about it as they grow older and want more information.

Need more ideas about how to explain embryo adoption to your children? Visit www.embryoadoption.org. You’ll find webinars, answers to questions, and many other great resources.

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