Lead
When you are raising an adopted or foster child, the question "what do I tell this child about themselves?" arrives early. When to disclose, how to talk about it, how much to share about biological background — these are not merely parenting decisions. They touch identity, memory, and a set of ethical questions that don't resolve cleanly.
Research won't provide a script. But the longitudinal studies on adoptee development, and the evidence on disclosure and open adoption, offer material for thinking through those questions carefully. This article draws on that evidence.