Are you considering adopting a child? Here are five signs that you might be ready:
1. You’ve Healed from Any Infertility/Miscarriage Grief You May Have Experienced
Not every family who chooses to adopt has experienced infertility or has struggled with the loss of a biological child. But for those who have experience this pain, it’s something that needs to be fully healed before you can move on to your new dream of adoption.
It’ll take time. You may not be ready yet. Maybe adoption isn’t the right family-building method for you at all. That’s ok, too. But if you feel like you’ve moved past your infertility grief and you’ve released your dream of having a child biologically, then you could be an amazing parent via adoption.
2. You’ve Learned All About the Adoption Process and its Emotions
Your eyes need to be open. You have no misguided thoughts of “saving” a child, and you understand that adoption is full of joy and loss.
You understand the practical, legal, and emotional stages of adoption, and why they exist. You understand the adoption process that expectant/birth parents go through, as well, so that you can better understand the emotions that they might be experiencing.
Having a firm grasp of what happens throughout the adoption process for both adoptive and birth families is a sign that you’re ready to take the plunge! Still a little fuzzy on the details? Give an adoption specialist a call; they can walk you through things and you can ask any questions you may have.
3. You’re Ready to Embrace the “Unknowns” of Adoption
When you have a child biologically, you’re in control of a lot of things. You also have access to knowledge like an approximation of when your baby will be born, what the gender may be, what your medical history includes, etc.
Adoption means that you’ll need to release some of that control. A person who would make an amazing adoptive parent is someone who is comfortable embracing some of those unknown factors, like:
- Not knowing when an expectant mother may choose you for an adoption
- Not knowing what your child will look like, or their gender
- Not knowing all of your child’s medical or social history, especially in more closed adoptions like those in international adoptions
- And more
Your future child’s birth parents may be out there right now, looking to meet an adoptive family like you. Amazing adoptive parents are up for the adventure, and even the uncertainties! They’re comfortable letting go of the need to control the adoption process, and they trust that their adoption specialist is doing everything possible to help them grow their family.
4. You’re Excited to Share a Relationship with Your Child’s Birth Family
The mark of a great parent via adoption is a person who is fully comfortable with the fundamental point of adoption: raising a child that is not biologically their own.
A surprising number of people who are considering adopting a child balk at the idea of having a relationship with their child’s birth family. But nine out of ten birth parents choose to have an open adoption. Additionally, studies have shown that increased openness in adoptions has been linked to happier adoptees. There are many reasons why an open adoption may not be possible in a certain situation, but you know you’re ready for adoption when you’re also ready to share a relationship with birth family whenever possible.
So you know you’re ready to be a fantastic parent via adoption if you’re excited about one of the most important parts of adoption; building a relationship with birth family!
5. You Know that Adoption is a Lifelong Journey
Adoption doesn’t end with legal finalization. It’s a lifelong process of exploration for everyone involved. As a young adoptee grows, they’ll continue process their adoption in different ways. Adoption is something that you’ll continue to talk about and support together as a family.
Although adoption is the part of how your family’s beginning, it’s also going to be a continued part of your family’s life. You’ll know that you’re going to be a fantastic parent via adoption if you’re excited to embrace adoption as an ongoing part of your family.
