I think it's important for an adopted child to understand as much about their adoption story and their birth family as possible. I think that serves the connection between you and your child to the utmost. As early as you can share those facts, that background, the better. I think it's really important that your child never remember the time when they learned the fact that they were separated from their birth mother at birth. I think it's important that they always know they are adopted. The concept of adoption was nothing that they remember a specific line of demarcation, between knowing that and not knowing that. There may be facts surrounding an adoption that are painful. There may be wonderful facts. There are painful facts, those can be woven in at a time and age appropriate manner, when they are old enough to process. These facts and this story is part of who your child is and should be shared in an open and honest way.