top of page
  • Neenah Pickett

May 3 - A Mother to the Motherless


A friend of mine announced this week that she is going to adopt. I remember the seminar on adoption this friend and I both attended 3 years ago. She, like me, is in her 40s and has never married. And when she was younger, she, like me, thought she would marry and then have babies. But here we are! I couldn’t be happier for her. The idea of bringing an orphan into your home and vowing to care for this stranger and making them your family until your dying day is heroic. I always thought I would adopt, regardless of whether or not I could have kids biologically. I’ve been passionate about adoption, spending time volunteering with adoption agencies and groups, doing research, and media consulting on adoption. Over the last decade, I’ve even thought about adopting as a single parent. There is a growing population of women who fall within a term called ‘single mothers by choice.’ According to an article in the New York Times, the birthrate for unmarried college-educated women has climbed 145 percent since 1980. Many of these women pursued starting a family of their own without a partner. As much as I love the idea of adoption, I’ve come to realize that being a single-parent by choice is not the best option for me. But like my friend, I am still pursuing my dream of having a family. That family dynamic may be just me and my husband without a child. But for all of you single mothers or single mothers-to-be of orphaned children, I am cheering you on, and wish you all the joys and blessings of motherhood!


1 view0 comments

Recent Posts

See All
bottom of page