Would You Try To Find Your Biological Parents?
I’m 42 years old….. but Senior year feels like yesterday!
I have some mild health issues….would you try to contact your birth parents? Could be wonderful people….could be a nightmare…. worth it, or not?
I would definitely attempt to find my biological parents. If not for obtaining medical history information only.
I have worked with a couple attorneys in locating the biological families for medical purposes (ONLY). It is not an easy task and at times can be very sad. My question is do you want answers for medical purposes, or do you want to know who you biological parents (mother) was? There is a difference. If you want to attempt to locate you biological parents there are web sites that were created for that purpose and I would suggest that you try them. If you want information on medical histories, there are medical tests now that exist which can help with that as well.
As far as you last comment is concerned, 40 years ago most adoptions were not “open” and the biological gave up all rights, which included contacting or attempting to contact. It was the time of the 60’s and many unmarried girls gave up children, the entire “free love” thing didn’t always come with birth control and many girls found themselves alone with a child and no way to take care of the child or themselves. Just because she hasn’t contacted you doesn’t mean she doesn’t think about you. Most of the women I have worked with have never stopped think about the child they gave up and what they would say if that child ever contacted them.
There are also support groups for people who were adopted, I also suggest that you contact one of them.
This is a very personal issue that I think only adopted folks could answer. I have an adopted aunt who took up the quest in the 1960’s; she found her parents, and became a genealogist in the “index card” days.
I have two cousins who couldn’t care less about their birth parents; they are supportive of my work and interested in the genealogy because it represents the culture they grew up in.
My wife’s grand-mother fessed up about giving up an out-of-wedlock son for adoption in the 1930’s. This was a year before she died. A distant cousin was also a family historian (also old style pre-computer days) found the son in time for him to meet his mother. Heart-warming miracles do occur. Now my wife has a new uncle, and he has a new family.
Adoptions are a specialty. Check the link about the Gladnay home, and if you want more resources check out http://www.cyndislist.com/adoption.htm
If it turns out to be painful or impossible, you can always walk away. If it’s fulfilling and hear-warming, you’ll never know unless you take the step to do the research.
The Gladney Center for adoption as it is now called has a website and this service:
“Texas Voluntary Registry; Gladney provides a Registry in accordance with Texas law, and helps facilitate a “match” through our Registry, which would allow contact between the adult adoptee, age 18 or older, and birth parent(s) or siblings, age 18 or older.”
By most adoption laws, Gladney can’t help her or you make contact or identifying either of you until you both notify Gladney of the desire. Have you let them know what you desire? Maybe the bio mom has a request wanting to be matched with yours.
Another section may just give you information on getting all non identifing information such as medical as was known at the time of the sdoption or thay may make contact for you for just medical information. All county programs are different.
Here is the website for both sections:http://www.adoptionsbygladney.com/html/s…
This is a personal choice only you can make, talk with the Gladney people to see what your options and level of contact can be. Only you know in your heart and mind what you are truly wanting and expecting and what you can handle. Others ideas and opinions are not relative, you are seeking them to give yourself permission what to decide. Be brave and make the decision for yourself and own the outcome.
Good luck
Whether it is worth it or not, only you can judge. There are several places you can go to for help and advice. Maybe you should research a bit before deciding. This is one place to look, or just search on finding birth parents.
This really isn’t a genealogy question. You might get much better answers over in the adoption section.
(About the mild health issues–did your doctor say they were hereditary, or just the process of aging?)
Good luck whatever you do.http://www.freeprf.com/birth_parents.htm…
yes i would. about sometime in a persons life ( i was not adopted, but i always wonder) you want to no where u got your personality from. You want to no whos eyes you have and what not. it might be cool to go see your birth parents.
well you should do it because you’ll never know until you look for them. and hey id they turn out to be awful people its not like you have to stick around with them. you are old enough to live on your own
I would. Just to find out where I was from, what they (and the rest of the ancestors) are like.It’s good to know your roots, even if you turn out not to like them, it’s not bad.
well i guess nothing wrong with locating, finding your parents.
No.