Parenting is a way of life; nothing is more rewarding than raising a child. The only question is, does raising an adoptive child fill that same contentment as raising your own child does?
“You’ll never know happiness like the happiness of being a parent.”- Huffington post
Parents have kids because they feel a sense of completion in their life. They need a purpose to live.
Over 1/3 of Americans have considered adoption, but out of that only 2% of Americans have actually adopted, according to American Adoption.
Adoption can cost zero to $30,000 depending on how close the adoption agency is to you and what kind of agency it is adopted.
Adoption can take anywhere from three months to several years. The process is very complicated and hard.
Most children are stuck in foster care or orphanages’ until their 18th birthday. Not all foster cares, and orphanages’ are bad, but many don’t give the child the love and attention they need. Also when a child turns 18 they are kicked out of the system and forced to live on their own with little or no guidance. This is because when they turn 18 benefits end for their caregivers. This can be damaging to an 18 year old who is thrown on the streets, they are not financially or emotionally ready.
According to the Basic Needs Theory, we need love/acceptance, security/trust, variety and independence to grow and prosier. Children who grow up in these temporary living situations do not have the opportunity to have their basic needs met.
Carrie Craft who has adopted a child of her own and has conversed with many other adoptive/foster parents’ states that a main reason people adopt is to give the child a chance to move about their life. Which is interesting because instead of the parents point of view and how it can benefit them, it’s about how can we help this child. Craft states that adoptive parents want to help child move on from neglect, abuse, pain or abandonment. Caring for a child and giving them a supportive family is a way the child can leave their grief and grow into the person their meant to become.
Reasons why Rose Schimmel wants to adopt a child “To give a child a secure, loving home environment that would otherwise be a skewed, rollercoaster government system.”
Many people feel closer with someone who is biologically related to them. If you are having a baby you are passing on your genes. A little bit of you is in them and it will always be. Also adopting can be an extremely long and expensive process, and not everyone automatically bond with their adoptive child.
“I think it’s just natural to think you are going to have your own baby and not adopt,” –Robert Hamilton.
According to RamDel from Family and Parenting, pregnancy and childbirth are wonderful life experiences. That if you are able to experience, you should take advantage of that opportunity. Carrying your own child for nine months before you even meet it, gives you a strong emotional bond already.
Having a child or adopting a child are different experiences but are both meaningful and can give you a sense of purpose. If you are looking to adopt a child go to adoptionnetwork.com, oneworldadoptions.org or Americanadoptions.com to get started on your process.
If you are thinking of adopting you can start by doing some research to make sure you know what you are doing.
Visit http://www.americanadoptions.com/adopt , if you think this is a good agency for you join it! This is an American agency.
Their staff and attorneys are among the most experienced. They have been involved with thousands of adoptions. They can best counsel you and the birth parent towards a safe and secure adoption.
To learn more about adoption living expenses, talk to an adoption specialist at 1-800- adoption!