As an adult adoptee, you are likely to have a lot of feelings and ideas regarding your birth parents. It’s all too easy to let your mind wander, trying to fill in the gaps in your adoption story that you may or may not have. Finding your birth parents will most certainly be difficult, especially emotionally, but it is an important step in your adoption process.
Adoptees typically have an instinctive need to know, locate, or obtain information on their biological parents at some point in their lives, regardless of the circumstances surrounding their adoption. Adoptees have a wide range of experiences during their adoptions. Some adoptees learn about their adoption at a young age, while others learn about it later in life. There are even cases where adoptees are never informed of their adoption until it is discovered by mistake or accident. While such scenarios are not optimal for an adoptee’s general well-being, they do occur, leading to increased interest in birth parents.
3 Ways to Find Your Birth Parents for Free
We are living in an incredible period of history where information is readily available. You’ll be on your way in no time if you use a few keywords in your search. It’s never been easier to track for information about birth parents. That does not, however, imply that every search will be simple or quick. If you have comprehensive information about your birth parents, such as their names and dates, there are a number of free and easy ways to start your search right immediately. The top three free ways to find your birth parents are listed below.
Adoption.com Reunion Registry
When looking for your biological parents, the Adoption.com Reunion Registry is a terrific resource. It’s not only free, but it also works in two ways. You can use the registry to register not just the information you have about your birth parents, but also any identifying information about yourself. This is useful if your birth parents are looking for you as well. They may be able to conduct a search of their database and find you. The second way it works is that it lets you search through any information you have to see whether somebody is looking for you. This could be your biological parents or other members of your birth family, such as siblings or grandparents. Registering your details is a good first step in the right approach if you ever need to be found. There is a premium feature that provides you more messaging and other things like images, but it only costs $9.99 per year!
Social Media
If you use social media at all, you’ve probably seen posts of someone holding up a piece of poster board with information on it. Names, dates, and other identifying details about a family member are typically included in this material. It’s incredible how much power these posts have and how far they can go. This way of blogging and sharing has led to the discovery of many family members. You can discover success in your quest for your birth parents by using social media, which is a free resource. You can not only put information on a poster board, but you may also be able to locate your birth parent’s social media profile using information such as names and locations. You can also share information in various social media groups to enlist the assistance of others in your hunt.
Lookup of Records
There’s nothing quite like learning that you may have access to correct and comprehensive adoption documentation. Even if you had a closed adoption, it may be there at your fingers. Adoption records rules are constantly evolving, with many jurisdictions permitting records to be revealed if the adoptee is over the age of 18, but certain information may be suppressed. If your adopted parents are willing, the first step in discovering adoption records is to ask them. While this can be difficult at times, they may have the paperwork or additional information that they did not consider necessary at the time. The next step is to get in touch with the adoption agency where you were placed. They may or may not be able to provide records, but they may be able to refer you to the correct place. Finally, look through local birth announcements, newspapers, and local record archives from the day and location of your birth. You never know what kind of knowledge you’ll come across!
You Have the Right to Search for Your Birth Parents
As an adoptee, you should expect to have inquiries about your biological parents, and you should welcome them. You may simply be looking for information to fill in spaces that have been provided to you, or you may be looking for vital information. Please know that your desire to find your biological parents is noble, regardless of the reasons for your search. Your pursuit displays a sense of self-respect and a desire to improve your emotional and mental health. It is not only admirable, but it is also your right as an adoptee to search for your biological parents.
Take inventory of your heart to choose how you would like to go about finding your birth parents, whether it is a natural desire or for another reason. Use your adopted parents as a resource if possible. You may be amazed at how eager they are to assist you in reconnecting with your biological relatives. They are inclined to help you since they care about you and understand how important it is to you. Make the most of social media platforms. Allow them to complete the task for you because the options are limitless. If you think it’s necessary, you can also use DNA resources. Remember to use the Department of Vital Records resources accessible in your state and at the state level. Above all, remember that your birth parents have a voice and a story, regardless of how you conduct your search. They love you intensely because they chose life for you, regardless of why they chose to place you for adoption. Remember to treat them with love, compassion, and tolerance. Over the years, they’ve undoubtedly thought about you just as much, if not more, as you have about them. While everyone may agree that treating others with respect is a good idea, it is especially vital for birth parents and adoptees. Each person’s voice and story must be respected. Hopefully, your and your birth parents’ voices and stories will merge to form a wonderful relationship that involves repair and fulfillment. However, if it doesn’t, keep in mind that your tale is still worth telling. There would be no hope for better things if there were no terrible stories. Because every adoption story begins with some form of brokenness, no adoption tale is easy. However, there is still hope that a story will be created. I sincerely hope that your search for your birth parents brings you to where you want to be.
