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I am 52 years old and have recently started to build a relationship with my birth family. They have all welcomed me with open arms and are a very loving family. My adoptive Mom won't even discuss it with me, says she has more important things to think about. I am getting no support from my siblings (one of whom is adopted but his reunion did not turn out well), he in fact likes to tell my mom I'm being selfish. I have always put everyone else's feelings first but no one does that for me. They don't even try to understand why I want to know my birth family. She even called my brother (we had the same parents but he was also given up for adoption and we found each other), that boy! I love my Mom but she is pushing me away and then blames me for changing. I feel like I'm betraying her!! I know she is dealing with a lot as we lost my Dad a year ago but I did not plan the timing of this. I didn't tell her for months that I found my birth mother because of the loss of Dad but then when I did I got accused of lying to her. Not sure what to do now. I gave her a letter that my birth mom wrote to her which was beautiful. I know she read it but she refuses to try and understand.
I can identify where you are coming from! Less than 4 wks ago I found bio-mom, 6 half bio-siblings and several other biological relatives. I was raised with an older sister, also adopted, not biological to me. I shared ths info from the start with my adoptive parents out of respect but to also tokeep them in the loop of happenings in my life. They were happy for me to have found connections. Not any more.
Now it's turned ugly. My adoptive sister is now shunning me, and is offended that I want to form connections with bio relatives even saying "they are nothing to you, just share the same egg donor and stats on a page" (other comments they have said are far worse). My adoptive parents have also turned on me because THEY don't want ME to call any siblings "sister" or "brother" (how the hell else do I describe their relations?!).
I understand everyone has so much to process and any adoptee will ALWAYS be caught in the middle.
I feel adoptees have the right to be curious about dna relations and not everyone will be ok with that. In my case it seems my adoptive family feels threatened by the new connections and an underlying fear of being replaced. These insecurities have absolutely nothing to do with you! Everyone will process differently. Only advice I can offer to you (and myself) is don't rip yourself off trying to manage other's feelings and emotions. You are deserving of information and forming new friendships with anyone! It's your story not your adoptive mom's. It might be you need to come to terms with the fact that an adoptive family won't ever fully understand nor are they required to so perhaps try to take your A-mom's reaction with a grain of salt. It hurts but until they come around it's simply how it is. Good luck to you!
Last update on February 17, 1:34 pm by RaBeth.
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