Adoption can have a positive and lifelong impact on your child when done with care and openness. Studies show most adopted children grow up healthy, happy, and confident in their identity, especially when raised in secure, loving environments. If you’re wondering how your child will feel about your decision, this article will help you understand the emotional effects of adoption, what the research says, and how to ensure your child’s well-being for years to come.
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You’re Not Alone: These Questions Are a Sign of Your Love
These questions are normal to have for any birth mother. Even adoptive parents wonder the same things. Having these questions regarding an adopted child shows that the individual wondering these things loves that child dearly. It would be more uncommon not to be asking such questions.
The answers depend on multiple factors. There are so many complexities to the psyche of a child, that there is no simple answer. However, studies have been conducted that prove adopted children are just as well-adapted to life as other children, if not more well-adapted.
What Affects How a Child Adjusts to Adoption? Key Factors That Influence Their Wellbeing
Adoption influences a child’s developing identity and emotional life. Many adopted children grow up with a strong sense of self, especially when their adoptive families talk openly about adoption from an early age. However, some may also wrestle with feelings of loss, abandonment, or questions about their origins. These emotions are natural and can be addressed through healthy communication and emotional support.
Children who know they were adopted and understand their birth story tend to feel more secure and grounded. When adoption is presented as a loving and intentional choice, it can reinforce positive self-esteem and belonging.
Teaching a child about emotional and mental health will only positively impact them. Educating children on where they came from and giving them the courage to face life will only aid them in their upbringing. While every child may be different, the needs remain the same: safety and security.
Every story is different—yours matters too.
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Adoption Is a Loving Choice—And Kids Can Thrive Because of It
One of the biggest fears a birth mother may face is whether her child will feel abandoned or resentful. But studies and experiences from adopted individuals tell a different story. With loving adoptive parents and a supportive narrative around their adoption, children often grow up feeling proud of their story and grateful for the opportunities provided.
The type of adoption plays a critical role in shaping a child’s experience. Open adoptions, where there is some level of ongoing communication with birth parents, can foster a stronger sense of identity and reduce feelings of mystery or abandonment.
Children in open adoptions often grow up knowing that their birth parents love them and made a selfless choice to provide them with opportunities. This transparency can significantly ease emotional burdens and promote positive mental health outcomes.
When you work with a licensed adoption agency, you have the ability to choose the adoptive parents and the level of openness you want. You’re not disappearing from your child’s life—you’re shaping it with intention and love.
👉 Explore how open adoption works
👉 Learn how to stay in touch with your child after adoption
The Positive Impact of Adoption: What the Numbers Reveal About Adopted Children’s Lives
- 85 percent of adopted children are in excellent or very good health, and adopted children are more likely to have health insurance than children in the general population. Adopted children are also less likely to live in households below the poverty threshold.
- 97 percent of adopted children ages 5 and older know they were adopted.
- More than 90 percent of adopted children age 5 and older have positive feelings about their adoption. According to Considering Adoption, “because today’s adoptions are more open than ever before and allow birth mothers more control throughout the process, most adopted children are now raised to understand their birth parents’ unconditional love and selfless choice. As a result, adoptees tend to think highly of the courageous people who gave them a chance at a better life.”
- A study about being adopted reported that adopted children had greater health, more one-on-one attention from a parent and were more involved in extracurricular activities. Research shows that adopted children grow up as well-adjusted as their peers, especially when they have continued healthy contact with their birth parents.
No matter what your situation regarding your adoption decision, be encouraged! Your child is loved and you have chosen his or her parents. Adoptive parents and birth parents can guide the child to become healthy, happy, and whole. As a team, the child can be taught that adoption is normal, and makes them rather special.
Your baby deserves love. You deserve peace of mind. Let’s talk.”
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