Ever spoken to an adoptee who is searching? You might be surprised at how some people treat them. Although some social workers or clerks are very sympathetic and helpful, many people who have access to adoption records are are not known for being particularly kind.

Some of the remarks that I have heard that adoptees receive are extremely sad. Several adoptees have told me that when they went to the adoption agency that handled their adoption they were told to come back later - when they were older. A few adoptees have told me that they went back... more

Ever wonder how difficult it is for adoptees in the rest of the world to access their adoption records or original birth certificates? In most countries, it is much easier than in the United States. If you live in another country, do you know the laws in your country on adoption access?

This link discusses access to adoption records in some other countries. Even many countries less developed than the United States have open records laws for adoptees in place.

Records... more

As a child I never sabotaged my birthday parties but never really wanted to celebrate it either. For the longest time I couldn’t figure out why. I would start out with excitement leading up to my birthday but when it arrived my feelings were different. My mom had a party for me every year and she tried so hard. She wanted me to have a good time. It was actually the day that I was placed in my adoptive parents home at 4 days old was one of the worst and hardest days of the year. In hindsight my feeling hopeless, helpless, lonely, and depressed... more

Winter is finally upon us. It is a month late but finally has arrived and I am not suffering form the winter time blues. Up until this week the temperatures have gone between the high 40’s and the high 60’s or low 70’s. Thanksgiving is long passed and the Christmas rush is over.

It is funny because as I have gotten older I have gotten more into doing the family thing.

My birthday is now in the not so distant future. It is one of those days that can be painful and I still feel twinges of emotion due to adoption although through... more

The article that I am going to discuss appeared on the BBC news website at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6279061.stm. The article is titled Mother Wins Dead Son’s Sperm Case. This is basically allowing a family line to continue after the death of a male.

I think this article peaked my interest because of the family rights side of it but it involve family lines but the deceased is a soldier who was killed in the Gas Strip in 2002.

A couple had hired a lawyer... more

Larry Newman, reunited adult adoptee and volunteer for NJ Care wrote to me privately clarifying the Courier Post’s December 7th article. With his permission I have reprinted his response for you here.

New Jersey's bill (S-1087/A-2557) was originally introduced with an appropriation of $90,000, not $1,000,000. Here is the history of the million dollar price tag.

In the last legislative session (2003-2005), the bill in the assembly was assigned to an "unfriendly" committee. This committee let the bill sit for nearly two years and decided to schedule... more

"This bill has been my life for nearly 26 years," said Pam Hasegawa, spokeswoman for the New Jersey Coalition for Adoption Reform and Education. "I eat it, I sleep it, my family and friends are tired of hearing about it. I think everyone agrees it's been a very, very long road, and this is the closest we've ever come. It's very satisfying to see the secrecy of adoption finally erode."

New Jersey adoption reform advocates have been fighting long and hard to open records in their state. Pam Hasegawa has worked tirelessly... more

In 1977, Eda LeShan, an adoptive mother and family therapist compared an adoptee searching to a crook giving in to the impulse to steal. "Maturity comes when we learn to control such impulses" concludes LeShan.

Although most of the adoptees that I meet are reunited or searching, I am aware that the majority of adoptees are neither. However, I do not happen to meet adoptees or birth parents too often who are not involved in adoption support or reform groups. The adoptees I meet generally seem to be less affected by adoption... more

In 1977, Eda LeShan, an adoptive mother and family therapist compared an adoptee searching to a crook giving in to the impulse to steal. "Maturity comes when we learn to control such impulses" concludes LeShan.

Is there only one way to handle being an adoptee or birth parent? If you have not been following blogger Jupe's series on adoptee issues/non-issues, I recommend that you check it out. Here's one post in the series.... more

Emergency Medical Locators for Adoptees is a non-profit organization that conducts free natural family searches for those who are in critical need of their family medical histories in times of life threatening medical crisis. Each year, thousands of adopted men, women, and children lose their precious lives to catastrophic illnesses because they are unaware of their natural families’ medical histories. Many more live day to day without knowing that they are at risk of contracting any number of disorders—including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer to name... more