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Community Corner

National Adoption Month: Faux Pas

To wrap up National Adoption Month, here's what not to say when talking about adoption.

As I interviewed families who were willing to share their adoption stories this past month, it was inevitable to hear some of the innappropriate things that have been said or asked.

From strangers in the check out aisle at Target to friends not quite understanding what adoption is, here's some things not to say: How much did he/she cost?

"I did not buy my children, I paid for services to adopt my children," Michelle Berglund said.

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Did you try to have children of your own? "These are my own children," Berglund also said.

What language did they speak? "English!" Debbie Bishop said when a stranger asked what language her boys adopted from Guatemala spoke.

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What are you? Kim Hanauska was asked that question often as a part Korean/part Caucasian girl growing up. "We don't walk up to other Caucasians and say what are you, German? Swedish? I'm a human born in Korea."

Was it hard for their mom to give them up? "What kind of question is that? Also, they weren't given up, they were given an adoption plan," an adoptive mom who asked to remain anonymous said.

While reading these things might seem like common sense things not to say, one would be surprised. It's a good reminder to us all to be more intentional with our words and how they can affect others.

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