Tag Archives: domestic adoption

Should You Consider Adoption Part 3

When I am trying to think of reasons that I have heard some that people don’t consider adoption is they want a healthy baby. If you are having a child the old fashioned way can you guarantee a healthy baby with no complications? Here are some scary statistics about births in America: 1 in every 618 births in America is premature * That is about 440,000 per year born premature *50 babies are born premature every hour of every day * 25,000 babies born as stillborn every year * One in 33 are born with birth defects My point is … Continue reading →

Should You Consider Adoption Part 2

I am trying to help bring to light the major need for people to adopt from the United States foster care system. I know there are some concerns that people have when they think of adoption. The first one that I want to talk about is that they want a newborn only and they do not think they can get a newborn from the foster care system. I personally know that is not true. There are a great many infants in the foster care system. They may have been given up by their mother, turned into a safe site through … Continue reading →

Should You Consider Adoption Part 1

Would you be surprised to know there are about 115,000 children in the foster care system in the United States waiting for a family to call their own? I am not sure what I can do just as a regular person to help people consider giving these kids a family. I am not sure where the hesitation comes from for people to adopt. I am going to go through some of the deterrents that I have heard. Adoption not only benefits the children you give a family but it also give you such a gift of the love of a … Continue reading →

International vs Domestic Adoption

We have friends that are in China adopting a beautiful baby girl right now. The journey for them to adopt a baby from China started over five years ago. They knew since they got married that they wanted to adopt a baby girl from China they just did not realize how long the process would take. When you do an international adoption there are rules and guidelines that the country of origin requires for international adoption. It does not happen as fast as you see when some famous celebrity goes to a country and comes right home with a baby. … Continue reading →

It is Not Like it is in the Movies

Shortly after we got married we started to do research on where we would go to adopt. I never saw any signs around town that say “This way to orphanage”. This may make sound really naive but when we started I almost expected it to be like in the movies “Annie” or “Stewart Little” (although we were open to any kids a mouse was never an option) We were in for such a surprise. Would you be surprised to learn it is easier buying a house than it is to find a child to call your own? At least with … Continue reading →

Why We Chose Adoption

When my husband and I started discussing getting married we both decided that we wanted to adopt a child or a sibling group. Unlike a majority of the people who make the decision to adopt we did not have a fertility issue. We actually took all the necessary precautions not to have children the good old fashioned way. If you are anything like my in-laws, you may be wondering why we would chose adoption rather than birthing our children. Hopefully this blog will help clarify that for you. When we thought of our family we both knew that the kids … Continue reading →

Prospective Parents’ Health Status: What Effect on Chances of Adoption?

A reader recently asked two excellent questions about persons with serious health conditions adopting. I am paraphrasing the essence of her questions here, as I understand them. 1) Are agencies really allowed to ask about all this? What about health privacy laws? Most, if not all, of the forms I’ve seen will ask this question. (As well as questions about your debts, your marital communication, amount in your bank account, how you get along with your parents and many other things that wouldn’t be legal in a job interview, at least not in the U.S.) 2)Does having a serious medical … Continue reading →

“Saints” in U.S. Adoption

Since some Christian denominations recognize today as All Saints’ Day (a day to honor role models past and present, living and dead), I decided to do a bit of research on people who have had a great impact on adoption. Of course this list could include many, many people. I hope that holding up a few will reflect honor on all of those who continue to work for children and families. The U.S. Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute established the annual “Angels in Adoption” awards and gala to honor the unsung heroes from all 50 states who have enriched the … Continue reading →

Adoption Options for Single Parents: A Newborn?

Can a single parent adopt a newborn without going through the foster care system? Yes. Domestic adoption of infants is usually open or semi-open. In these adoptions, the birthmother chooses the family she would like to parent her child (from parents who have completed a homestudy). Some birthmothers do want a two-parent family for their child, so single parents may wait longer to be chosen. However, some birthmothers have been very open to single parents. In these cases the birthparents and adoptive parent negotiate how much openness they are comfortable with. The birthparent and adoptive parent often meet before the … Continue reading →

Responses to the Closing of Countries to Outside Adoption

In a perfect world, parents would be able—emotionally, socially, economically, and in every other way—to raise their children. However, would-be adoptive parents of today should realize that, while steps toward this ideal are being taken, the world is unlikely to run out of need anytime soon. Perhaps the closing of easier and better-known avenues to adoption will spur reforms to make adoption from state foster care systems in the U.S. easier. Perhaps it will spur development of programs to assist people who adopt sibling groups, older children, and children who have suffered abuse. Perhaps it will encourage the adoption of … Continue reading →