Quarantine Adoptions

QUARANTINE ADOPTIONS

TIPS FOR DOCUMENTING YOUR ADOPTION DURING QUARANTINE!

We know that many of you who have scheduled adoptions during this time are likely using Zoom, Google Hangout, or FaceTime for adoptions, and we want you to feel celebrated! We want to encourage you to video and photograph your adoptions! Here are a few tips we thought of for how to record your own adoption videos!

STEPS TO MAKE YOUR OWN ADOPTION VIDEO:

1. QUICKTIME SCREEN RECORDING:

Open Quicktime. If you are unsure if you have it, you can search your computer applications to see if you have Quicktime downloaded. If you do not have it, you can download it here for Mac and here for PC.
Choose File – New Screen Recording.
Once the window is open, to the right of the record button, select Internal Microphone to record.
Press the record button before your video call begins. Toggle the volume to somewhere between 1/8 and a 1/4 of the way up. If this is too loud the recording will have a very loud echo. (The volume is located underneath the record button on the Quicktime window).
Conduct your adoption and the screen will record in the background.
When you hang up the call, you can end the recording. The stop button can be difficult to find – look for a small circle with a square in it on your top bar up near your wifi signal or battery.
We recommend testing this method with someone before the actual adoption so you can ensure everything works properly.

2. Use Your SMART Phone to record adoption:

Set up a phone that you are not using to record the video. Prop it somewhere that you can see the whole family and the judge/social workers.
Record a video.
Use speaker phone on the call/ video chat, and turn the volume up high so you can capture the person on the other end of the line.
We recommend testing this method with someone before the actual adoption so you can ensure everything works properly.

3. SmartPhone Videos:

To help your family remember your adoption day, here are a few ideas to record on your smartphone throughout your adoption day!

Waking up for adoption day – Film your children waking up and saying “happy adoption day!” or something memorable for your child to see how loved they are on this day.
Getting ready for your adoption phone call – Talk to the camera and explain what’s happening, narrate your day…ie. “Okay, so we’re currently getting dressed and we feel ((insert feeling)) about completing our adoption online because of the Coronavirus…etc.”
Playing around the house that morning – Film making breakfast, a dance party, coloring, baking a cake, a family snuggle session, etc.
Going for a family walk/ playing games/ whatever you have been doing during quarantine!

4. Questions to Answer on the Video:

Here are a few questions you can ask your child, siblings, family members, mom and dad, or anyone else involved.

What is today…date, what’s happening, etc.
How are you feeling?
What does adoption mean to you?
For mom and dad: What do you want your adopted child to know? You could do this one when your child isn’t around – it will be a sweet thing for you and your child to look back on one day. One fun way to do this is write a letter to your child and then read it to the camera.

5. Take pictures throughout the day!

In the midst of everything going on in the world, this day is special and you will want to remember it! Take pictures throughout your day!