Father’s Day is celebrated every third Sunday in June, but before that comes Birth Father’s Day, which is always on the Saturday before it.
While Father’s Day honors the father, Birth Father’s Day celebrates and honors birth fathers that have chosen adoption for their baby.
When facing an unplanned pregnancy, the best case for prospective birth mothers is having a birth father supportive of an adoption plan for the baby. Adoption is always an option, and whether you are married or not, having the support of a partner gives you both someone to lean on during the process.
How Do I Celebrate Birth Father’s Day?
There’s no right or wrong way to celebrate Birth Father’s Day.
You can celebrate a birth father, or father, any day of the year, but adoption is a life-changing journey for everyone involved. It’s a great opportunity for you and your child to honor the birth parents that gave your child a life of opportunity while making parenthood possible for you.
Here are some ways you can celebrate Birth Father’s Day and their brave, selfless decision to choose adoption:
Telling Your Child Their Adoption Story
A great way to honor the birth father on Birth Father’s Day is to talk to your child about where they came from.
Educating your child about adoption and the courageous decision their birth father made that led them to you can reinforce the community and support your child feels from the families in their life.
Create Your Own Tradition
Birth Father’s Day can look like whatever you want it to, whether that’s connecting with the birth father if everyone is comfortable or finding your own way to put a unique spin on it.
Maybe it’s a day out with your child where you have a specific activity, like going to the zoo or going out hiking. Maybe it’s grilling out followed by a movie night.
You can celebrate Birth Father’s Day however you see fit.
Planting
Planting a flower or tree is another way for you to talk about the birth father to your child. As you go through the process, whether it’s decorating the pot or planting the seed, you can talk about the life-changing decisions made out of love that brought them to you.
Plan a Birth Father’s Day with Your Child’s Adoptive Family
Adoption doesn’t end after placement. It’s a life-long journey thanks to open adoption, and another way to celebrate Birth Father’s Day is by asking him if he would like to celebrate.
Adoption can bring a whirlwind of emotions before, during and after placement. And while open adoption allows that connection to remain, Birth Father’s Day is an opportunity for you to show your support for their decision.
Your child wouldn’t be where they are today without a birth father, and celebrating them is a fantastic way to show your gratitude if it’s something everyone is comfortable with.
Birth Father’s Day Questionnaire
This idea goes back to your relationship with the birth father, but it’s another great way to help educate your child about adoption and the decision their birth father made while allowing him to stay connected if he wants to, as well.
Almost every adoptee would like to know more about their birth father, from what they were like to what their family was like. You could put together a questionnaire of sorts that your child can give them to answer. A gift like that on Birth Father’s Day shows your child’s interest in their birth father, a positive outcome for everyone involved.
