Because they’re full of family, festivities and traditions, the holidays can be an especially tough time for couples who are waiting to adopt. While every family will handle the wait differently, there are some tried and true tips for getting through the holidays:
- Accept yourself and your emotions. Feelings of jealousy, frustration or sadness are completely natural.
- Know your limits. If attending family gatherings with relatives will only be stressful, it’s ok to minimize these interactions.
- Practice what to say. Most nosy relatives are just curious and want the best for you, but that doesn’t mean that their questions will be welcome. Prepare what you want to say about your adoption journey in advance and stick to a script.
- Take care of yourself and your spouse. You’re a team! Communicate with each other about what social gatherings you can handle this holiday season. And make sure you’re both sleeping, eating and exercising. Start a new tradition or take a trip – anything to take advantage of the free time you’ll give up when you have an infant.
Read the following articles for more advice for the waiting period:
