Introduction, Page 2

Triad is the word used in the Adoption Community for the intimate grouping of child / PBP / PAP (or after adoption, child / birth parents / adoptive parents) that has in past times been known as the triangle. This term is no longer in favor.

Yes, a triangle has three sides, but that’s the problem in using it to convey the adoption image; there’s no place in a triangle where all sides meet, and it’s often the case that one side is greater than the others. This imagery, although seemingly innocuous, can easily cause relationships within the formation to start out on an uneven footing that upsets the balance right from the start.

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So, triad came into use, and although it, too, is discussed and discussed, its use is now commonplace and reasonably well accepted.

The Encarta World English Dictionary defines thusly:
Tri•ad n

a group of three people or things
a musical chord consisting of three notes, especially a chord made up of a tonic, a third, and a fifth
an atom of chemical group with a valence of three
a US strategic missile force made up of bombers, land-based ballistic missiles, and submarine-launched ballistic missiles
a form of composition in ancient Welsh literature in which subjects or statements are arranged in groups of three

Although it sometimes feels like the adoption world is dropping word bombs all over the place, it’s the first definition that characterizes our grouping. It may be helpful to think of triad members as “notes in a chord,” … three separate tones forever linked in either harmony or discord.

Therefore, in this book triad members are referred to as ‘notes’, and this representation of a three-note-chord will indicate sections where the notes come together.

Also, the word ”adoption” will be defined as the wiki states:

Adoption is the legal act of permanently placing a child with a parent or parents other than the birth parents. Adoption results in the severing of the parental responsibilities and rights of the biological parents and the placing of those responsibilities and rights onto the adoptive parents. After the finalization of an adoption, there is generally no legal difference between biological and adopted children, though in some jurisdictions, some exceptions may apply.

This guide is meant to give a concise view of domestic infant adoptions in the US. The definition of infant is a child from birth until around eighteen months of age, as that is the common age range of placement. There are many links throughout leading to possibly more information than any one person could ever use.

The Guide also includes some sections that may present concepts not always broached in the early stages of the adoption process; ideas that may strike the newcomer as harsh or unusually brusque for a topic as sweet and snuggly as everything-about-baby should be.

The process can appear daunting at the beginning, but adding to the stock of knowledge empowers and builds confidence, answers lead to more questions, and it is comforting to connect with others who’ve gone before. So, let’s start at square one.