Image via Wikipedia
Adding a new member to the family comes with its own stresses, regardless if you’ve already got children or it’s just the two of you beneath the roof. And while it’s just as stressful in some ways to raise an adopted child, skipping the birthing process can be quite a bit less stressful. However, it’s a challenge either way, as the paperwork involved in adoption in the modern era is almost incomprehensible. You and your partner, or you if you’re adopting solo, must measure up by many standards. There are financial considerations to take into account. Then there’s time – the adoption process is often lengthy. Along that lengthy road, feelings of inadequacy will raise their ugly head, as you wonder whether you’re qualified to be a parent.
Getting pregnant is one thing. There’s no one involved in the process to tell you that you should or shouldn’t be a parent, or that your skills are lacking. Everyone just assumes that you’ll be a good parent, which is sometimes the case, and sometimes not. But adoption agencies pride themselves on their efforts to weed out unsuitable parents. The process involves plenty of questions which might make you uncomfortable enough to double think your decision.
But once you’re relatively certain that approval will come your way, it’s best to start budgeting for the costs associated with having another dependent mouth to feed. While the adoption process saves you some money on the hospital birth expenses, expect everything else to be the same. Food, toys, clothes, games, books, technological devices – you’ll need to supply all of these and more to your new loved one!
