Adoption 101: Preparing to Receive a Great Blessing

 

Children are such wonderful blessings. One of the greatest joys most of us experience is the opportunity to become a parent. If people decide they would like to become parents, but decide to forgo the nine months of pregnancy and labor, adoption is an excellent choice. There are many children who would love to be placed in a home filled with loving care. Fortunately, there are adoption advertising agencies like Adopt Connect that help families find children in need of homes. Even with the help of agencies and a great support system, there are many different points to review when preparing for a new adopted child. Listed below are four main details to consider if adoption is desired.

 

 

1. Is the Home Prepared for a New Child?

A child drastically changes the lifestyle of the parents. While it is a blessing, it is also an adjustment. The home is no exception. Depending on the age of the adopted child, it may be really important to child-proof the house. If children are already in the home, make sure there is another room to house another child. It makes no sense to invite a new child into a space that is already crowded. Be sure to make sure the members of the family are well-aware of this transition to make it as smooth as possible.

 

 

2. Know the Costs

Children are very expensive. While there may be financial assistance for a family who adopts a child, there should always be a way to stay on top of the finances. Take a long, hard look at the family budget. Think long-term as well. Expenses for education, childcare and extracurricular activities add up quickly. Be sure another child is able to live comfortably under their new roof.

 

 

3. Will Services be Needed?

In addition to enrolling a child into their new school, consider whether aftercare may be needed. Hiring a nanny or babysitter is an option. Extracurricular activities are another great option to keep children occupied after school hours as well. During the summer, think about enrolling children in a summer camp. Just remember that leaving children home alone while they are under aged is not an option. For extra support, the US Department of Health and Human Services offers lots of different assessments, options and services on their website for adoptive families.

 

 

4. Make Sure the Documents are in Order

When adopting a child, stay on top of the access to their social security card, birth certificate and other important legal documents. When the child is adopted, they will receive the family last name. Be sure to get the name changes completed and verified within a timely manner.

 

 

These are just a few of the many things expectant parents can do when preparing to receive a child into the home. It is natural to be nervous about the process, but if these major components have a check mark next to them, everything else should fall in place.

 

 

Categories: adoption, adoption agencies, adoption costs, Children, new child

How does Adoption Affect a Family?

Jane Fonda has been in the media for many years, as an actress, activist and fitness guru. She’s always been incredibly open about her life, from her three marriages and her sex life to her plastic surgery. But her relationship with her adoptive child Mary Williams has always been closed off to the media, until Mary recently published her memoirs, giving everyone a shock. Fonda took in Mary more than 30 years ago, when she was a troubled teenager from a broken home, and raised her as her own daughter. While Mary was in no way kept a secret, the situation was one of the few things Fonda chose not to broadcast to the papers. Mary details her journey from being the daughter of Black Panther members to a Hollywood star’s child in her new book, titled The Lost Daughter.

 

Families work in a number of ways – the traditional 2:4 family is a rarity in today’s multidimensional world. Mary’s story of her journey from a troubled background to comfort and stability is inspiring and speaks volumes of Fonda’s attitude towards improving one’s life and staying committed. Mary describes her as a world away from the Hollywood royalty that we know her as, stating that family life was domestic and as normal as one could expect from someone so prominent in the media’s eye.

 

Following her difficult childhood, Fonda inspired Mary to visit a therapist to discuss the issues and emotional trauma she’d faced, as well as inspiring her to pick up her grades at school and explore new places whenever she’d visit Fonda on set. The chance meeting of these two people sparked a lifelong bond and changed Mary’s life for the better, for good. While the news of adoption can sometimes cause rifts in families, it’s important to remember that the people who raise and care for you are your family beyond any label – this is something that Mary feels strongly about, claiming that while she still sees her birth mother, she considers Fonda to be her real mother.

Categories: adoption, Family, Parents