Birth Moms
It’s so exciting to adopt a child. Oftentimes adoptive parents get so excited about finally becoming a parent that they don’t necessarily care (or even think much) about where they could be coming from. While it’s easy to get caught in this kind of thought process, I want to encourage you to adjust it. This adoption process should feel like having a biological child: while you’re excited about it, you know that now it’s time to focus on the child you’re set to take care of.
When you’re raising a child, it’s your responsibility to help them grow into a fully developed adult. A big part of that is by honoring their cultural roots and community. It’s so easy to forget about the significance of culture and, by extension, forget to teach your child about their culture. While some could say that once you adopt your child you share the same culture and history, there’s more to it than that. If you have a child that is of a different racial, ethnic, or cultural origin, not only is it possible but necessary to raise them with both your culture and their culture.
So Why Is Culture Actually Important?
When you have and raise a child, you need to love and appreciate their entire being. You need to help them grow into their fullest self. A big part of their being is where they come from and their racial & cultural roots.
Your child, like any human, is a multifaceted being. They have a bunch of different aspects to them. One of them is their nature, or the person they’re born as. The other parts of them fall into their nurture, or their lived experience and upbringing. All of these facets of your child are important and make them who they are.
By nurturing your child’s cultural needs, you’re showing them that you do love all of them. You’re also helping them understand more about themselves, which can strengthen their sense of self and help them develop the strong sense of self love that comes from knowing who you are. To put it simply: to connect a child to their culture is to connect them to themselves.
Culture is more significant (and sometimes more complicated) than we can even begin to realize sometimes. It’s more than just food or festivals or a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s a way of living and an understanding of your history. It’s a necessary part of your life.
I want to encourage you to find out more about your adopted child’s culture and to go out and experience it with them. Not only will it help your child develop a deeper understanding of themselves, but you’ll have a deeper understanding and appreciation of them as well.
I hope you gained a deeper understanding of why culture is so significant to your adopted child. If you need further support with this or anything else related to adoption, feel free to reach out to Connected by Love Adoptions. We want you to feel supported no matter where you’re at in your adoption journey. We’re here for you 24/7 to answer any questions you may have. Don’t hesitate to reach out! Call us today at (321)355-2010 for more information.
