Making a Parenting Plan

If you are looking at this blog it’s probably because you are trying to decide whether to parent your child or place that child for adoption. This is one of the most important decisions you will ever make, and it will affect you and your baby for the rest of your lives. Adoption Advocates understands the gravity of this situation and just how important it is for you to feel you are making the best choice  – not only for your child, but also for yourself. This is an emotional process. Sometimes those emotions can become overwhelming and make it even harder to make the decision to parent or place.

One way Adoption Advocates can help you during this time is to help you develop a parenting plan. What is that you ask? Great question! Let’s talk about it!

What is a parenting plan?

A parenting plan is basically an outline for how you plan to provide for and meet your child’s needs after he is born and as he grows older. This worksheet is designed to help you think objectively about what children need outside of basic needs such as food, diapers and shelter.

Why complete a parenting plan?

If you want to parent your baby – and let’s face it most parents do – but are unsure if you can give him/her the life you want for them, then a parenting plan is a great place to start organizing those thoughts and ideas. When you work with us, we will provide a Parenting Plan worksheet. As our relationship grows and our work together continues, we will bring up these questions time and time again. We want you to make the best decision for you and your baby, and it is important for you to explore all of your options.

What is on a parenting plan?

When making a parenting plan we ask a lot of questions such as: what are your goals, what you would like to do for a living, what do you need to do to meet those goals, how do you plan to support yourself and your baby, etc.

However, we will also guide you in visualizing what life would be like if you raise your baby vs. if you place your baby. We will ask what you find appealing and unappealing about parenthood. We’ll talk about who is available to support you emotionally, financially and as a parent, because having a good support system is important regardless of whether you parent or place. Life can be tough and sometimes we need someone to remind us to slow down and breathe. Last but not least, we will ask what others in your support system and family feel you should do.

Want to get started? Download the Parenting Plan Worksheet now. When you’re ready to talk about it, call (512) 477-1122 to schedule an appointment.

What else do I need to know about parenting plans?

Parenting plans can be intense, because they make us think about uncomfortable things. However, making a parenting plan is something to help you organize your thoughts and make sure you have thought of absolutely everything before making the decision whether to place or parent. This plan is not meant to make you feel pressured to make one choice over another and should not be completed quickly. This is something that should take time to think through. Here at Adoption Advocates, we want you to be fully equipped to make the best choice for you and your baby, no matter what that may be!

Can I talk to someone who has placed their baby for adoption?

YES! Adoption Advocates has been around since 1991 and helped hundreds of birth parents along the way. We would be more than happy to connect you with some of our birth moms to talk about their experiences. We can even connect you with birth fathers who have gone through this process! We are here to give you everything you need to make this difficult decision and will support you in any way we can regardless of whether you choose to place or parent your precious baby.