| Many times, people are uninformed, insensitive, or | | | | Avoid using: "taken away", "given up", because this |
| even just rude when commenting on "real" families. | | | | implies that children are stolen or forgotten, rather |
| Words do hurt and it's important to know and | | | | than adopted legally and with forethought. Use |
| educate others about the appropriate words and | | | | instead: "Termination of parental rights". |
| phrases to use (and not to use) when discussing | | | | Avoid using: "Surrendered", "relinquished", "gave |
| adoption. | | | | away", "put up", because this is a poor description of |
| It is important to educate those around you when | | | | a birth parent's decision making process and choice. |
| discussing adoption. This is especially true if your | | | | Instead use "chose adoption", "created an adoption |
| family isn't quite on board with the idea of you | | | | plan" |
| adopting a child or placing a child for adoption. | | | | Avoid using: "to keep", as this indicates that children |
| Avoid using: "real" or "natural" when referring to | | | | are possessions. Use instead: "To parent" |
| mother, father, or sibling, because: this implies that | | | | Avoid using: "adoptive child", or "adoptive parent", as |
| the adoptive relationships are artificial, tentative, or | | | | no qualifiers are needed. Use instead: son, daughter, |
| not real. Use Instead: "Birth" or "biological mother, | | | | mom, dad, grandparent |
| father, or sibling" | | | | Avoid using: "foreign adoption", has despite all |
| Avoid using: "own child", because this suggests that | | | | advances, this still has a negative connotation. Use |
| the adoptive relationships are less important than | | | | instead: "International adoption". |
| biological relationships. Use instead: "birth child", "child | | | | Avoid using: "is adopted" because it is a one-time |
| by birth" | | | | event. |