Open Adoption Vs Closed Adoption Essay

According to Ours Magazine, out of 120 surveyed adoptive parents, 68% agree that birth parents who ask for an anonymity should have their wishes granted. This means that the parents of an adoptee would remain anonymous, such a scenario would be considered a closed adoption. A closed adoption is when a child is adopted by a family, but the records of such an event are kept sealed. Therefore, the child is unable to contact his or her biological parents and is left with very little information about their background or family history. Alternatively, there are open adoptions, which allow the birth parents and the adoptee to have contact, or even hold visits. Within an open adoption, the adoption records are generally left open as well. This should …show more content…
However, when an open adoption is at hand, that tension is often dismissed. When in search for one’s birth parents, sadly enough, the adoptee must face reality and come to terms with the conditions the birth parents might be in. “Sometimes, the reunion helps an adopted child put to rest the fantasy of a perfect, idealized "real" mother or "real" father, said Bailey, clearing the way for a more honest, deeper relationship with the adoptive parents” (“Collier”). In other words, an adoptee may picture their birth parents as parents that are “perfect” when more than likely, they are the exact opposite. When facing such a harsh truth, the adoptive parents may provide a sort of comfort as the child could be struggling to grasp such a difficult concept. A reason why adoptive parents might not choose an open adoption is the tension that may rise. Tension with the decision process may dramatically affect the child’s future for it can make or break the chances of the adoptee possibly contacting level-headed birth parents. Although birth parents may be under not so appealing circumstances, it brings the adoptee a peace of mind. Without an open adoption, the child is left unaware regardless of their birth parents’