November is National Adoption Month. If you're like most of us, you need a few ideas if you're going to participate...be an advocate...speak up...enlighten your community. Here are a few suggestions for spreading the word about adoption.

-Do a presentation to your child's classroom, Sunday School class, or Boy Scout Troop about adoption. Topic suggestions...

"We're All From Somewhere Different"

"How Families Come to Be"

"How Families Are Different"

"What Does Adoption Mean?"

"Famous People Who Were Adopted"

"Poems and Writings About Adoption"

-If your child is adopted from another state or country, buy a flag from their birth location and fly it along with your American flag.

-Donate a book or two for your local library. Suggestions...

"Our Own: Adopting and Parenting the Older Child"

"Be My Baby: Parents and Children Talk About Adoption"

"Toddler Adoption: The Weaver’s Craft"

Donate a book or two for your child's school library. Suggestions...

"Why Was I Adopted?"

"Families are Different"

"A Koala for Katie: An Adoption Story"

-If your child is internationally adopted, send a box of donations to your child's orphanage. Things most needed are often underwear, shoes, pajamas, tooth brushes, and one child remembered, "We had hardly any books at my orphanage." You might consider buying books from Books Without Borders in your child's native language to include in your orphanage donation box. Check with your adoption agency or facilitator and see how to best proceed.

-Write a guest editorial for your local newspaper about your adoption experience.

-Call your local department of social services or your local agency and volunteer to talk to prospective parents about adoption.

-Take the training to be a respite provider for parents who need a break from their challenging children.

-Buy copies of Adoption Is Another Word for Love and send it to all your family and friends. It's a tiny, 3 1/2" x 4" inch book, with photos and quotes from adoptive parents, adopted children, and adoption advocates.

-Send out a press release or letter to your local media about Adoption Month.

It's National Adoption Month right now. What are you going to do to educate the public about adoption?

Author and mother Susan Ward is the originator of Hannah and Her Mama, the definitive webiste on Older Child Adoption

http://www.hannahandhermama.com