[MandaRose06]

hey everyone.. i'm amanda.. and i'm 15.. yea i kno thats young compared to everyone eles. sorry. umm, i'm an adoptee.. and i live with my a-mom and a-dad.. and i have an brother who was also adpoted.. but not from the same family.. i just wanted to kno if anyone knows about Gental Care Services Inc. in Ohio.. I was born in Cyahoga (haha i dunno how to spell it) in April and i kinda want to know a lil more.. so um i've never done this before, so i need a little help!! haha okay.. thanks everyone!

[BrandyHagz]

Manda,

What are you looking for? Information on the agency itself?

[MandaRose06]

I guess so.. i searched all over threw like google.com to find a website for it, and there is none..

[BrandyHagz]

.

[MandaRose06]

Aww! thanks... but i dunno where to go from there.. i kinda want to find my bio-parents... how should i go about doin that? it was a closed adoption, so theres not much i can do right?

[BrandyHagz]

Sure there are TONs of things you can do...but you have to wait till you're 18.

Have you talked to your parents about the desire to locate your birthfamily?

Thats the first thing you should do...they may support you 100%, and may even start the search now!

[MandaRose06]

well.. mom and i did it like 3 years ago.. but no she doesnt really kno right now... i dunno i think it would make her feel bad???

[MandaRose06]

and my brother found his birth mom when he was like 16.. but his girlfriend found them.. so it wasnt like he was looking.

[BrandyHagz]

Well, I think if you sat down with her, and talked to her in a tactful manner, she would be ok.

The important thing to remember is to be respectful. Don’t go in the kitchen in the middle of her cooking dinner and say, “Mom, I want to find my “real” mom”. That right there will put a halt to any further conversations, I am sure.

Ask her if it would be ok if the two of you had some “alone time” to talk. Then tell her that you’ve been thinking a lot about your roots, and you’d like to talk about your adoption, and possibly locating your birthfamily for more information.

Its important that she knows that you aren’t doing this because you’re mad at her, or because you want to replace her. She will ALWAYS be your mom, no matter what…so you’ll need to walk on eggshells, so to speak.

I think if you go about it the right way, she could very well be your biggest supporter when it comes time to search!

Just do some research, go to the library and read some books…spend the next few years preparing yourself for what search and reunion is going to be like. Its very emotional, and the outcome is very unpredictable. Just prepare yourself for anything, and you’ll be ok.

Also, you might try posting on the Adoptee Support forum http://forums.adoption.com/f220.html for support. Right now, you’re on the Foster Parent support forum, so it might be hard to get support from others who have gone thru what you are going thru.

Good luck!

[MandaRose06]

haha.. whoops! thanks.. just keep in touch... u've helped me..! thanks! bye bye