After decades of working in the field of fertility, meeting with thousands of donors and recipients, and running a program for donor-conceived children, I have found the following four steps to be helpful to use as a framework to begin to craft your narrative for your child.

It is now common knowledge that speaking to donor-conceived children about their origins early and often is most helpful. However, parents often have trouble getting started. The following framework can help provide you with elements to consider when creating your story.

Difference

If you are using donor conception to build your family, your family may look different than your friends’ or neighbors’. It is helpful for everyone to have a tolerance for difference, but if your family was created in a way that seems different than the norm, it may be especially important for your child to embrace the concept of difference.

An easy way to start this is through books that you can read with your child. I have a sample book list on my website, and a quick Google or Amazon search can also provide many choices. Books that show different family types are ideal. For........

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