Instagram based examination of the experiences of adoptive or foster care parents from the heart

In the digitalized world, family structures, parenting roles and social perceptions are being reshaped through social media. Today, the forms of being a family are diversifying; adoption and foster care make alternative family forms visible, which are established by emotional and social relationships beyond the biological connection. Adoption and foster care, called "parenting from the heart", are alternative forms of family formation that are outside the traditional parenting norms but whose social acceptance is increasing. This study is the subject of examining the experiences of adoptive and foster parents through social media shares. Based on this, the study was aimed at understanding and describing the meaning of motherhood, fatherhood, children and family uploaded by parents from the heart who share on Instagram and users who comment on their posts, and how adoption or being a foster care is reflected on Instagram. The research was designed qualitatively based on this purpose and the Netnography method was used. In this research, 7 Instagram accounts were identified, the data obtained from the Instagram posts and comments of adoptive or foster parents were examined categorically-descriptively. Within the scope of this study, parents' perspective on family and parenting, experiences experienced during the adoption/foster care process, reactions of society and the effects of these reactions on the decision-making process were discussed. As a result of the data obtained from the research, it has been determined that parents transfer information about their adoption or foster care experiences by sharing through Instagram, provide social support to other parents, promote adoption and foster care, and contribute to increasing the level of social acceptance. As a result, research findings reveal that social media contributes to making adoption and foster care forms more visible, and the normative understanding of family is being re-opened to discussion in the digital environment.