Adoption happens in many ways. In some cases, couples seek out babies or young children to adopt as they expand their families. In other cases, people take in foster children, bond with them and decide to adopt them to get them out of the foster care system. In still other cases, one spouse decides to adopt their spouse’s children from a previous relationship.
Ask these questions as a start
No matter what adoption holds for you, it’s important to consider it carefully as you proceed. Here are a few questions you may want to ask if you’re considering adopting a child:
- Why are you interested in adoption? What are your goals? Why is this something you’ve decided to look in to?
- Is it affordable? This starts with the immediate costs of the adoption, which can be quite high, but you also want to consider the added costs in your monthly budget.
- Are you committed? This isn’t something to take lightly. It’s a huge step. Becoming a parent is a wonderful thing, but you need to be dedicated and willing to work hard even when it’s not fun.
- Are you personally prepared to parent a child who is not related to you biologically? For many, this is not a hurdle at all, but you want to consider the position it puts you in. This is especially true when adopting the children of a spouse. How committed are you to that relationship?
- Do you have any preferences in terms of age, gender and other characteristics?
These five questions can get you started, but they will lead you to many more.
Remember, even when you know that adoption is right for you and your family, it can be a long and complex legal process. It’s important to know where you stand, what rights you have and what steps you’ll need to take.