When You Don't Know Your Child's Racial or Cultural Heritage - Weekend Wisdom

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Question: We very recently brought home our second child through domestic infant adoption. We feel very fortunate, and our son is developing well; we are also settling into the new routine. We matched with our Son's birth mother through a local agency, and unfortunately, she decided that she did not want to meet us. She gave no information about the biological father. We know she was caucasian, but honestly, it is unclear whether our son is entirely caucasian or not. The pediatrician said it was a mystery, and he may be caucasian with a darker complexion, or biracial, some amount of Hispanic, black, or any other heritage. We want to do everything in our power to be informed, acknowledge, and celebrate any ethnic background that is presented, but short of doing a DNA ancestry service on a baby that is a few weeks old, I don't really know where to begin- I'd appreciate any guidance you have.

Resources:

• Raising a Transracial or Multicultural Child
• Adoptee Voices
• Ethical Issues in Genetic Testing in Adoption
• Genetic Testing and Genealogy for Adoptees
• Genetic Testing for Adoptees – Is It Worth It?

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