When Do Children Really Understand What “Adoption” Means?
Today most Scientists & Adoption Agents are of the opinion that parents should inform their adopted children as soon as possible about their status. The issue should thereafter be discussed more often at various points in time to give the child/children a chance to grasp their special status and the opportunity to ask questions. Only an early introduction to the subject will give parents and children a chance to develop an open and trusting relationship between each other. There are two sides to the process of informing a child about it’s adoptive status: First of all the information has to be passed on to the child and secondly the child has to understand the information it has been given. It is more than likely that a 4 year old child can be made to refer to itself as “adopted” and further tell that it has grown in another woman’s womb before being adopted by it’s present parents. This however does not go to say that the child has understood what an adoption really means. More so it
