Disadvantages to Open Adoption

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You may find it intimidating to choose a family for your child. It may also be difficult to set limits in the relationship between you and your child as you write your adoption agreement

Should you feel like changing your mind before the adoption is finalized, you may have a hard time doing this, because you might feel obligated to place since the adoptive family has invested time and effort into you and your child.

There may be feelings of disappointment as you watch your child grow. At times, you may think that you would handle certain situations differently than the adoptive family has.

It might be difficult to have to limit yourself to the adoption plan. Knowing that you aren't able to visit whenever you feel like it can make you frustrated.

While in one sense it can be easier for a child to bond to his or her adoptive family when he knows where your relationship with him starts and ends, for some children, interaction with you may make it difficult for him to be a full part of his new family. He may feel different than the other family members.

Some teenagers who are adopted find it difficult to figure out who they really are when there are 2 sets of mothers and fathers involved.

Once established, visits should ideally continue throughout the life of the child so that there is no sense of rejection once the child knows who you are. This can be difficult to commit to and continue doing.

Some children may pit the two families involved against eachother to manipulate certain situations.

It can be hard for a child to explain to friends the different relationships that make up his or her family.

Disadvantages to Open Adoption

Disadvantages will differ from individual to individual and even from adoption to adoption. Read through the most common disadvantages, and try to decide which ones you feel will effect you and your child and which ones won't really impact you as you decide.