Adopting an Older Child

Children Walking on Trail

Image by vastateparksstaff via Flickr

There are so many older children available waiting to be adopted into a loving home. It has been estimated that there are over 100,000 children in foster care within America waiting for someone to care enough to take them in and make them part of a family.

Most people when considering adoption usually think of a baby. Sadly, there are so many infertile couples looking for a baby that they are often hard to find. Why not consider adopting an older child? Children that fall in this category may be ages two and up.

Often overlooked because of certain extreme stories that have hit the headlines across America, older foster children have gotten a bad rap. Older children can be a blessing to any family. There are many more testimonials to a great adoption than there are to a bad one.

Many older children in the foster care system end up waiting over 35 months to be adopted. Some never are adopted at all, sadly. Think of what life must be like for these children who are often bounced from foster home to foster home.

An older child actually can be less work, much easier to get to know and less demanding than a baby. If you are looking for a child with a particular personality, maybe someone that will be the perfect fit for your family consider an older child.

One option that many families have tried is being a foster parent. After spending time with a child many families often opt to adopt the child because they have come to love them as family. Consider adopting today!

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Planning for an Adoption Party

Anyone who has been there can tell you — adoption isn’t easy. It is expensive, it involves countless meetings and screenings, and it requires other countless weeks of tireless legwork. However — as anyone who has been there can tell you — adoption is incredibly rewarding, too. Bringing a new child into a loving and welcoming home helps one easily forget all of the difficulties surmounted in order to make the adoption possible.

This is why, when the time comes, new adoptive parents should throw adoption parties for their newly arrived babies. Its an event that helps parents connect with friends and family, and a time for gifts and a greater sense of social welcome. Generally,one shouldn’t start planning or scheduling an adoption party until everything has been approved by the agencies, but once that happens, start calling people and securing a date for everyone to come and see the newest member of your family.

Some people might also enjoy looking for some baby costumes in which they can dress their new baby. It’s something all parents do, and babies are generally easy-going enough to not be too picky about what they’re wearing. What matters to babies is food, love, and a clean diaper. Costumes may be a good idea for photographs and creating other memorabilia for a party.

The adoption party should be a memorable event for the parents. Set out a guestbook and have people write letters and notes for the child to read when he or she grows up. Plan the party to be potluck-style and have everyone bring a favorite dish. Share stories and anecdotes, and get excited about the new addition to your family.The center of attention should, of course, be your new child. An adopted child experiences a new and unique kind of love, and the adoption party should be a time to celebrate the beginning of a wonderful life.

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Adopting a Child? You’ll Need a Good Place to Live

RAMLE, ISRAEL - AUGUST 26: Marie Pisam, the F...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

When it comes to adoption, there are many factors to consider. One of the most important issues is having a safe place for the child to grow up. The agency that you’re going through to facilitate the adoption will want to have a home visit with you, to see where you’ll be raising the child and what kind of environment you’re offering. Keep in mind that you don’t have to be perfect – but you do have to provide a safe, clean, and healthy place for the child to sleep, eat, and generally grow. If you don’t have that in your current living arrangement, it may be time to move.

If you’re serious about adopting, consider Phoenix apartments that are affordable, clean and well maintained. When you rent instead of buy, you sometimes have more money available for other things, because you don’t need to pay property taxes and maintenance. Someone else takes care of those items, which can also make your life easier and give your less to worry about. That will allow you to focus more on the child you’re going to be adopting, and what you can do to nurture him or her to adulthood.

Depending on the age of the child, there may be lingering issues from losing his or her parents, from abuse, or from foster care. Be prepared for these kinds of things, and talk them over carefully with the case worker at the adoption agency. That way you’ll be better prepared to deal with anything that could show up later as an emotional or behavioral problem. The more you know about the child you’re adopting, the better off you’ll be, and the better the child will likely do, too. It can take some time for an adopted child to open up, but with compassion and support, you can get there.

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Filed Under: Adoption, Child, Family Tagged With: , ,

Frustrated by the Adoption Process? Start a Journal

Have you hit a wall in the child adoption process? If all the paperwork and headaches make you want to tear your hair out, don’t throw things or lash out at your partner. Don’t give up. Instead, channel your frustrations into a journal for your future child.

Writing journal entries to your future child will remind you that someday you will have an adopted child of your own. It will remind you that there is an end to the long, hard journey. It’s okay to cry while you write and it’s okay to write in all capital letters. Multiple exclamation points? Sure. Don’t worry about grammar or spelling. Writing is a powerful way to exorcise all the emotions built up inside of you. Even if you decide someday that the writing is too emotional or private to ever show to your future adopted child, it’ll be a way of expressing yourself in a way that you might not be able to in a conversation.

Don’t let yourself stare at the blank page and be intimidated. Just start writing. Write how you feel. Write what you did today or write about what’s got you so upset or frustrated. Keep writing until you feel you’ve entirely expressed yourself. More often than not, you’ll end the day’s entry with either a new motivation or a solution to your current problem.

Feeling especially creative? Turn your journal into a scrapbook, too. Paste clippings, ticket stubs, pictures, paint chips for the nursery, etc. into your journal. Decorate each page when you’re done writing. Stitch together your very own journal, if you like. Your artistic efforts can be just as soothing as your journal entries.

As tempting as it may be to only write about the bad stuff, write about your victories, too. Whenever you’re feeling really down, reread those positive entries to remind yourself that while there may be many hurdles, the bright spots are still there lot be found.

Filed Under: Adoption, Child, Family Tagged With: , , , ,
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