Friday, March 29, 2013
For families considering older child adoption it is important to do a self-assessment based on your ideas and thoughts about this type of adoption. Here are some questions to consider:
- Why do you want to adopt an older child?
- What does “older child” mean to you?
- Who introduced the idea of adopting an older child?
- Do you and your spouse feel the same level of desire toward adoption of an older child?
- Are you open to potentially adopting (select all that apply): Transracially, A child who has been sexually abused, a child who has a mental health diagnosis, A child with attachment issues.
- Are you open to being placed with a child from out of state?
- Are you open to parenting a sibling group?
- Do you have flexibility at work to take up to 6 weeks (combined) off during/after the adoption?
- Has the decision to adopt caused conflict in your relationship?
- Have you shared your plans to adopt an older child with family and/or friends? If so, how have they responded to your decision?
- What do you feel you could contribute to an older child?
- What aspects of child rearing are so important to you that you would find it difficult to compromises (such as discipline, religion, schooling, stay-at-home parenting, etc.)?
- Deep down do you feel like you are being forced to adopt if you want to have children, adoption as a means to build a family is “second best,” or that adoption is your “last resort” if you want to be able to have children?
- On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest, how committed are you to the adoption process?
- ‹ The Importance of Sibling Connections for Children in Foster Care
- Adopted at 12 - Ryan's Family Shares Their Story ›
Category:
Older Child Adoption from Foster Care