Love is Muliplied, Not Divided
By Joanna Ivey
I’ve had the same conversation three times in the last week, all in different contexts. Why all this week I’ve no idea, but I find it curious enough to write about it, and have the conversation with you on paper as well.
A child in my son’s school class asked me why our younger son looked different than our older son. As I feel we are ambassadors charged with creating a positive image for adoption I knelt down and explained that Marcus was adopted. “Who is his real mother?” the boy asked. I gave a short answer about how he has both a birthmother and me as a mother, and we are both very real. He then pointed to my older son and asked “Do you love him more because you are his real mom?” (I forgave the comment. He is after all, just five.)
A friend is adopting. Someone in her family asked her “can you love an adopted child as much as a child that is born to you?” (I try to forgive the
