In our first installment of Wombs of Wisdom, we talk to fashionable fathers Michael Krans and Matt Rice. They met while working at men’s style magazine Details, married in NYC, and adopted Kaia and Josie shortly after. Michael and Matt give us their top picks for their adorable daughters.
Q: Tell us about your experience adopting 2 baby girls.
A: It’s a very long and winding story, but in short – the experience was fulfilling, at times harrowing, and filled with ups and downs. It was also a very fast and furious process for us. We worked with an attorney to adopt both of our girls, known as private adoption. There are a few effective ways to adopt.
Q: What advice would you give to people considering adoption?
Q: What advice would you give to people considering adoption?
A: Firstly, I strongly encourage anyone looking to build a family, to consider domestic adoption as a safe (and fast) option. There is very low awareness around how many children are born in the US every year that are either unwanted or cannot legally be taken care of by a birth parent or family member. By adopting one of these children, you are literally changing the course of a human’s life and also helping to make the world a better place.
Q: Your children are Native American. How do you keep their heritage alive at home.
Q: Your children are Native American. How do you keep their heritage alive at home.
A: My daughter Kaia (7) is 50% Native American and my daughter Josie (5) is Latinx (Mexican American). We read books about their respective cultures and talk about them a lot. It’s just part of our normal day-to-day conversation.
Q: It’s Pride Month! Will you celebrate with the girls? Any recommendations for parents as they start talking to kids about the LGBTQ community?
Q: It’s Pride Month! Will you celebrate with the girls? Any recommendations for parents as they start talking to kids about the LGBTQ community?
A: We would usually take them to North New Jersey Gay Pride, which is hosted in our town (Maplewood), but it’s not happening this year due to the pandemic. With that said, we sort of celebrate Pride all year around, because we talk about different families, LGBTQ families and of course, we are a house that loves rainbow everything. In terms of parents talking to their kids about the LGBTQ+ community, I think it’s important to expose kids to media that depicts families and people of all different skin colors, gender identify and sexual orientation.
Q: Your family is very spiffy. Are the girls particular about what they wear?!
Q: Your family is very spiffy. Are the girls particular about what they wear?!
A: Kaia is becoming more and more particular as she gets older – she loves anything with sparkle and that moves when she twirls. And Josie likes anything her big sister likes.
Q: Happy Fathers Day! What are your plans?
Q: Happy Fathers Day! What are your plans?
A: We’ll probably spend the day with the girls and do usual things. We actually celebrate both Mother’s Day and Father’s Day in equal measure. With that said, we’re not really big “fans” of either holiday as they perpetuate heteronormative standards of what a “mom” and “dad” are and their roles in the home. We’re all for combining the days and just calling it “Parents’ Day”!
