Congratulations. By reading this, you have overcome doubts, fears, and hurdles that keep so many people from even considering adoption. So, again, congratulations.  

Full Disclosure: My husband and I chose to build our family through adoption. I am an advocate for loving, healthy adoptions. Everyone will have their definition of what that means. So, take my opinion as just one of many.  

The decision to adopt is not singular and isolated. It is ripe with other choices that will start hitting you the moment you tell someone you want to adopt a child. When I chose adoption, I also chose these seven things.  

1. You are choosing to be an open book whose fine print is constantly under a microscope.  

When you choose to adopt, you are also choosing to open up your entire life. At some point in the process, you will need to document everything about your health, finances, career and education, relationships (good and bad, past and present), and future plans. You will document it all, sign it, and probably get it notarized (and, if you’re adopting internationally, then apostilled as well). This will happen multiple times for different entities, and once you feel like you’ve done it all, you’ll have to go through it all again with regular updates. People will ask you questions about how and why every detail of your life is the way it is, and you are expected to explain in clear, concise terms. By the end of the process, there is little (if anything) left about you that will feel like private information.  

2. You are choosing to rise above the judgment of others.  

Adoption means being judged based on all the information you give to complete strangers. It also implies fielding positive and negative comments from others in your life. A common nuisance among adoption parents is being seen as a hero or a savior. As tempting as it is to correct people when they say things like that, you quickly learn that you cannot correct everyone and that how you feel about yourself is none of anyone else’s business. The positive and negative judgment runs rampant during the adoption process and lingers around long after the process is over. As an adoptive parent, you choose to rise above the judgment, compliments, and criticism and focus on your family.  

3. You are choosing to spend money…a lot of money.  

Adoption is expensive. It is like having a biological child but without the option of insurance coverage or public assistance. Some forms of adoption are advertised as free, like adopting from foster care, but even those routes come with expenses you should be prepared for. What surprised me the most about the cost of adoption was how often we were expected to write big checks to people we barely knew when we didn’t understand what they were for. The agency had fees that were never truly explained, although they all had fancy titles and labels. But, then, there were little expenses, LOTS of them, that added up very quickly. I recommend talking to people who have walked your specific path to adoption and being genuinely prepared with a contingency budget. Thankfully, several grants and loans are specifically for people choosing to adopt, and they are not necessarily awarded based on income.  

4. You are choosing to campaign and possibly date. 

I was surprised by the amount of marketing and salesmanship involved in the adoption process. Prospective parents, especially for domestic adoptions, make photo books and other materials to promote themselves to potential birth parents. Children available for adoption are presented in profiles similar to online dating. Information is cleverly highlighted or left out based on the package’s overall appeal. As I type this, it sounds disgusting. And yet, it is a reality of the adoption world.   

5. You are choosing to be different.  

I would love to tell you that adoption has become so mainstream that it is not considered “different” anymore. But the truth is unless I am talking to a fellow adoption parent or someone who works with different types of families, I still get “the look” when I tell people that I adopted my daughter. I still have to educate people about what it means to adopt and how that impacts my daughter and my family. At times, especially at the beginning, it also means parenting differently to help facilitate bonding, address healthcare needs, and transition into a family. Finding a community that “gets it” is key to understanding that you are not alone because traditional mom groups and discussion boards will not work.  

6. You are choosing to love above all else.  

Adoption has a way of bringing out dysfunctions in all areas of your life. You will encounter plenty of reasons not to do it, maybe even thinking that you are not good enough to handle it. There are arguments from all sides of the triad (birth parents, adoptive parents, and adoptees themselves), both for and against adoption, and all those arguments are valid. However, when you choose to adopt, you choose to love in place of all the doubts, all the arguments, and all the potential outcomes. If you can master this alone, you will master the mindset of the adoption process. 

7. You are choosing to parent.  

You choose this first, and then in the process of everything else, it gets lost until the end. Adoption is a long, heartfelt, dramatic journey for many. It is so easy to get lost in the process that you lose sight of what you are choosing long-term. For first-time parents who choose adoption, this last part seems so apparent and yet comes as a slap in the face. When you decide to adopt, you are choosing to parent a child. That means you are committing to being their person, their family, and their everything. You are choosing to parent through the inevitable trauma that makes adoption necessary in this world. You are committing to it for life. As a dear friend told me, “Motherhood is who you are, it is not something you just do.” 

The decision to adopt is a big one. The steps involved can be intense. The experience will test you on all levels. Now, on the flip side of a complicated international adoption, I will happily share my experiences with anyone looking to bring a child home. I will not lie and say that the challenges seem small in retrospect or that it wasn’t a big deal. What I will say is this: it was worth it. 

Adoption is a big decision. Before you jump in, make sure you have answers to all your legal questions. To book a no-cost coaching call with me, click here. 

Early this year, I traveled to India to finalize the adoption of my daughter. The process that was supposed to take 4-6 weeks took over 6 months. My husband had to leave us there and return home to work. I was alone with our daughter traveling from one hotel room to the next for months on end and I never knew how long we would actually be there. Once stuff went crazy, it went really crazy. 

I had to adjust my approach to almost everything I did. Running to the store was no longer a quick trip because I had a child to prep. Making phone calls was a real nightmare because I had to ensure she was occupied enough not to notice, all within a tiny hotel room. When I needed to do something for work, I either had to focus through a tantrum or wait for bedtime. On top of all that, I also had to keep my brain sharp to get us out of the legal mess we were in so that we could eventually get home. It was an insane amount of energy just to get through each day. 

Most of my friends back home were, unfortunately, very unhelpful. I realized that if I wanted true understanding, I had to find community in the small group of other moms who had done what I was doing. A fellow adoption mom, who had adopted as a single mom, told me something that touched me deeply: “Choosing to be a single mom is so different from being forced to do it alone.” 

I realized that I needed to give myself grace and the space to admit that I am not cut out to do this alone, and that’s okay.  

And in realizing that, I realized something about my clients: you never intended to do this alone, either.  

And yet, when you get divorced or otherwise separate from the other parent of your children, you have no choice. While I did not know how long it would take, I knew that eventually I would get home to my husband and we would parent together. When you get divorced, it is the exact opposite. I gained a new level of empathy for each of you. 

Now I know what it’s like to be the only one who matters to a child. I know how it feels to go to court time and time again and leave with no answers, no plan, and no hope. I know the surrender of giving a boatload of money to a lawyer with no idea whether they will actually come through and help me. And I know what it’s like to do all this on my own, with no one else there to pick up the slack or give me a moment of time alone to breathe. 

Here’s the lesson I can share that does have truth for both of us: My best was good enough, and so is yours. If you do everything you can to be the best version of yourself that you can be, you will also be the best mom you can be. And even if temporary circumstance makes your best self less than what it may otherwise be, it is precisely what you and your children both need in that very moment. 

Although my experience of being a single parent was short-lived, the impact on me is there to stay. It will make me a better lawyer, friend, coach, partner, and parent.  

So here’s to all the single moms out there. You’re taking care of yourself and also another life, and that is no small feat. I see you, I feel you, and when you need help, I am here for you. 

Are you a rockstar single mama who needs to chat with a lawyer friend? Click here to book a no-cost coaching call with me. 

Prefer to listen? Check out our podcast here!

Bonding is essential to building trust and developing a relationship between a parent and child. It is the entire foundation of the “joint custody presumption” and the philosophy behind parents sharing equal time. It is also embedded in adoption through required fostering periods and hours of educational requirements for prospective adoptive parents.

As a lawyer, I have always followed the idea that equal bonding requires equal time because, well, I have no choice as a professional. As a person, however, I’ve always questioned whether the number of hours is really what matters. 

I was pleasantly surprised when I got my answer from personal experience. 

While I was living abroad fostering our toddler, my husband was back home working. We were concerned about whether our daughter would develop a close bond with him during this indefinite waiting period, which ended up being over six months. We hoped we would do enough that she would at least recognize him when she saw him again in person. Imagine my surprise when he came for his first visit not only did she recognize him, but she was more attached to him than she was when he left two months before that. It was a matter of seconds before they were rolling around on the floor laughing. By the time we got home, it was almost as though she had never been away from him.

In retrospect, there were a few things we did that made all the difference in developing this long-distance bonding experience between father and daughter. Here are our 4 biggest tips for those co-parenting long-distance over video chat.

1. Set A Routine

Like everything with kids, it’s always better when part of a routine. We established the routine of video calling twice a day at certain times. Not necessarily times on the clock, but times in her activities. For example, we always call right when she woke up, even though that time varied a bit day-to-day. When it’s part of the routine, then kids know what to expect and look forward to. It sets them up to make the most of the limited time they have on the video call, and also to rely on the other parent to be there when the phone rings. We also had certain phrases, rhymes, and activities they would share during each call. This gave her something to look forward to, and it really helped us see the changes in her development by noticing her participation over time.

2. Supplement The Routine

In addition to the regular calls, we always made sure Daddy was present via video for the big things. If she did something that made her extra proud, we’d call Daddy. If she was throwing a tantrum, we called Daddy. Any time we wanted her to remember that both of us are there with her, we would video call.

This one may be hard for parents who are co-parenting after divorce. It requires excellent communication and a willingness to be interrupted 24/7, especially if the parents live in different time zones. In my experience, though, this part really is key for the bonding experience. While a routine is excellent, it’s being there for the big little things that mean a lot to kids. I really believe this was what helped our daughter know that we were both there for her, even if we were not both with her. From a parenting perspective, it also helped us stay consistent and on the same page about discipline and consequences.

3. Ignore The Limitations

It is easy to get caught up in the limitations of video chatting rather than focusing on the opportunities. Sure, you can’t be there in person, but how often can a toddler put her Daddy in a shopping bag and carry him around where ever she wants? That’s something that can only be done when Daddy is on a little phone screen. 

Toddlers have a very small attention span, so they are going to be hard to actually talk to for a long time. But that doesn’t mean that laughing, singing, and making funny faces have to stop. If the other parent can help, that makes the calls a bit more enjoyable. The parent who is physically present can create better camera angles and explain if something relevant is happening that is not showing up on the screen (like a wave, for example). The younger the child, the more patience it will take, and the more likely you are to be staring at walls and ceilings more than actual faces. If you can get past that, you can have long, fun video calls that make a lasting impression.

4. Save the Grown-Up Talk for Later

Do not mix video visits with adult conversation. Of course, any time my husband got on the phone, there were things I wanted to update him on and things we needed to discuss. It was important that this conversation not take precedence over our kiddo actually goofing around with Daddy. No matter how perfectly a video visit goes, it is still only a snippet of time in a child’s day. As long as she wants his attention, it should be hers.

When did we talk about everything else? A separate conversation when she was asleep was the best time. Or, during a long visit, there were frequent times when she wandered off to have a few minutes of independent play. During those snippets, I’ll turn the camera so that he can watch her while we talk about our own stuff. For divorced parents, this allows you to keep the visit focused and keep the adult conversation separate.

Overall, interacting with a child in person is the best way to form a bond. When that is impossible to do, though, technology gives us amazing opportunities to keep those relationships strong.

Do you have questions about parental alienation and/or bonding in the midst of a legal situation? You can schedule a chat with our lawyer by clicking here.

I have something bold to say: I get it.

I just got back from almost seven months in India where I went to pick up my daughter. I ended up fighting a third-world court system to finalize her adoption. I fought language barriers, political corruption, legal inconsistencies, and slow government offices. We lived in hotels, and I did it mostly alone since my husband had to work at home. I did all of this in a country I do not call home, with people who knew nothing about me. My law degree was totally useless in that world.

So now, I get it.

I know exactly what it’s like to be in your shoes, hiring a lawyer for a boatload of money with no guarantees that they will even help the situation.

I understand what it’s like to be away from my support system, physically and emotionally, and still present as strong and confident.

I have experienced what it’s like to stare at stacks of paperwork with no idea how to fill it out, then make little errors that throw everything into chaos.

I know what it’s like to be in a place of complete uncertainty, taking care of myself and my toddler, knowing that her entire world rested on my shoulders.

This list could go on and on (and it will). Because now that I’m back, I will share it with you. Not because I want to impress you with my stories, but because I want to impress upon you that I get it.

Some significant changes are coming to this law firm, the first being implementing our new brand: Girl’s Best Lawyer Friend.

Moving forward, I’m not going to be just a lawyer. There is no way I could go back to that way of practice now that I’ve been on your side of the story. Instead, I’m here to help you get through whatever is standing in the way of making your dreams come true. Because when stuff goes wrong, it’s great to have a lawyer friend who knows their stuff.

Here is what you can look forward to in the coming weeks and months:

• Experience-based blogs and podcasts about all the stuff no one talks about–the feelings, the money, the fears, and everything else associated with taking yourself and your family into the courtroom.
• A particular line-up of legal services, all on flat fees and subscription rates (that’s right, we’re completely scrapping whatever is left of our hourly fees).
• A new area of legal services: Adoption
• Extended consultations and intakes, all at no charge. Because we need time to understand each other before we know if I’m the right lawyer for you.
• A new charitable initiative that you can personally connect to.

So from now on, when you reach out to my firm, you won’t just be talking to just a lawyer. You’ll be talking to a woman and her team who have been through the trenches you are in and are eagerly waiting to give you a hand up toward success.

Ready to chat with your new best lawyer friend? Click here to schedule a no-cost, no-obligation coaching call right now.

Prefer to listen? Check out our podcast here!

The process for how to change your name is simple: get legal documentation of the change, then get all your important documents re-issued in your new name. Skipping either of these steps can cause headaches, hassles, and legal issues when you least expect them.

Step 1: Get Legal Documentation of the Name Change

Your name is given to you legally. For most people, their name is registered in the state they were born. This registration is usually done by the hospital or other entity that oversees the birth. Once they register your name and your existence, the state issues you a birth certificate with your legal name.

To change your name, you need a follow-up legal document that changes your name from the one on your birth certificate to something else. In Missouri, this must be done in court. For a child, both parents generally have to consent and/or be formally notified about the change before the court will hear the case. For an adult, the change must be published in a legal newspaper so creditors can be notified of the change.

Once a judge issues an order, you will receive a document that clearly states your new name and the date it is effective. You can proceed with using your new name from that point forward.

Step 2: Get Important Documents Re-Issued

You should stop using your old name and update your important documents as soon as practicable. This will help with a clean transition from one name to the next. Below is a convenient checklist of the documents you need to get re-issued.

You should note that you cannot truly change your birth certificate. If your state does change your birth certificat, that does not mean that your previous name is eradicated from all systems and records. Your name at birth will always be on file with the state. For adults, I have found little to no value in trying to change your birth certificate. For kids, a birth certificate with a new name helps them live without having to explain the change every time they undergo a life transition.

Frequently Asked Questions about Changing Your Name

Q: If I get married, can I change my name without going to court?
A: This depends on the state where you get married and what they include on your marriage license. If you are in a state where your marriage license includes a specific designation of what your new full name will be, then you should not need to go to court to change your name. You should check with a lawyer licensed in your state to be sure. In Missouri and some other states, the marriage license makes no mention of either spouse changing their name. In that case, the only way to legally change your name is by going to court.

Q: Social Security will change my name without a court order. Do I still need to go to court?
A: Yes. Many people are able to go to the Social Security Administration and change the name on their Social Security card without any documented proof. This is very common in states that allow a woman to use a marriage license as proof that they want to take their husband’s last name. With a new Social Security card, you can then get a new driver’s license, passport, and other important documents issued in a new name. The problem with this is that it skips Step 1, so you have no actual documentation of your name before and after the change. This means there is no way to prove that your old name and your new name belong to the same person. This has caused issues for several of my clients when providing documents and identity verifications for things like credit card fraud, adoption (especially international adoption), and claiming retirement/survivor/etc. benefits.

Need help with a name change in Missouri? Call The Lien Law Firm at 314-722-8557 or follow this link to schedule a complimentary case review. If you live outside the State of Missouri, contact an attorney in your current state of residence.

At least once a week, someone calls my office looking for a new lawyer. Their current lawyer, for some reason, is not meeting their needs. As a client, you have every right to switch lawyers so the right person is advocating for you. But if you do not understand the different types of lawyers, your new lawyer may not be any more helpful than the old one.

A conversation like this happens all the time in my world….
Client: I hired a top lawyer, and they screwed up my case.
Me: Why did you hire them?
Client: Because they are the best.
Me: Did you talk to different types of lawyers before deciding they were the right one for you?
Client: Well…..no. I just needed a lawyer.

A dentist may be a phenomenal dentist, but would you go to them for brain surgery?
A banker is great with money, but would you have them do your taxes?

It is possible the lawyer you hired really is great. They may have been great for the person who referred them to you. They are just not the right type of lawyer for you.

So the question is, what kind of lawyer do you need?

When it comes to family law attorneys, I can generally narrow them down into 3 different categories based on what I have observed and what my clients have told me. When looking for a lawyer, it is important to know which of these types you want working for you.

The Shark

You have probably heard of lawyers referred to as “sharks” or “bulldogs.” They are the punch line in most lawyer jokes.

Sharks will squeeze the legal system for every single thing you can possibly do. They file lots of motions, set lots of hearings, and do a lot of discovery. Sharks are rarely interested in settling a case that can be litigated at trial. They focus on what aspects of your story can be used to trigger legal action.

A Shark will make sure that you have done everything you can possibly do within the legal system – filed the motions, done the depositions, and subpoenaed the records. Because of this, they tend to be very expensive with varying returns. If you have enough money, then you may be able to dominate their time and attention. Running out of money during your case may leave you representing yourself in a very litigious situation.

If your case is highly contested and you want to give the other side a real run for their money, then you want a Shark representing you. Sharks also tend to play well with each other, so they work best when both sides have the same type of lawyer. Sharks will see your case as a “win” or a “loss” depending on the outcome.

I have noticed that clients complain the most about sharks for being impersonal. If you are looking for a shark, then I will openly admit that I am not the lawyer for you.

The Facilitator

A lawyer’s job is to answer questions and provide guidance while leaving the ultimate decisions in the hands of the client. The Facilitator focuses on this role and personalizes their legal knowledge to your life circumstances.

Facilitators will focus first and foremost on your goals. Once they know what you want to achieve and accomplish in family court, they will use the tools of the legal system to help you bring that about. Facilitators will take litigious action when necessary, but will focus on settling your case in a way that is conducive to your larger goals.

A Facilitator will give you the benefit of their guidance and experience, then leave all the major decisions up to you. They take charge of doing the legal work to act on your decisions. People describe the Facilitator’s fees as being reasonable. The biggest complaint I have heard about Facilitators is that they are too blunt when saying something that you might not want to hear. They work best with clients who appreciate honesty.

If you have larger goals than just getting through a divorce or custody battle, then a Facilitator may be the lawyer for you. Like Sharks, Facilitators tend to play well together, so it helps if the lawyers on both sides are motivated to reach a settlement.

I take on the role of a Facilitator when clients retain me for legal representation.

The Coach

At its core, the legal system is designed for everyone with or without professional help. The Coach helps you represent yourself in court when you just need a little bit of guidance along the way.

A Coach is only as involved in your case as you want them to be. You may meet with them just once or you may choose to coach with them regularly. Coaches tend to play well with Facilitators since clients who choose a Coach are generally looking for amicable resolutions.

A Coach will do things like review documents, develop strategy, and talk you through courtroom procedure. They seek to empower you to be your own best advocate without missing little details that only a lawyer would otherwise know to look for. Coaching is by far the least expensive option for legal help. People benefit from coaching when they are ready and willing to take full responsibility for where they are and plow forward to where they want to go. Critics of coaching get overwhelmed by the amount of action they need to take on their own. Clients who need someone else to blame when things don’t go their way will not work well with a Coach.

This is perhaps my favorite role because of the extraordinary results I see in clients who choose legal coaching.

The Right Lawyer for You

Remember: not all lawyers are created equal.

Finding the right lawyer is like finding the right doctor or counselor. You want someone who practices the area of law you need help with and someone who works the way you need them to. There are lots of very good lawyers out there, but that does not necessarily make them the best lawyer for you.

What you need may change over time, and if that is the case, then there is nothing wrong with switching to a different type of lawyer. This kind of shift happens all the time, especially if your goals for the case change over time. The most important thing is finding a lawyer who will help you the way you need to be helped.

To talk with Rachna one-on-one to see if she is the right lawyer for you, follow this link to schedule a complimentary case review call. You can learn more about The Lien Law Firm, LLC online at www.LienLawFirm.com.