Top 10 Reasons to Adopt a Child

Types

• Children can be adopted domestically or from another country, through foster care or private agencies. They can be adopted as newborns or as teenagers. Potential adoptive parents can be single, married or in a committed relationship.

Sharing

• The top three reasons for adopting a child have to do with sharing:

  1. Adoptive families share their home with a child who would not otherwise have a safe place to live.
  2. Adoptive parents share their religious faith.
  3. Children who are adopted share in family traditions and history.

Meeting Needs

• 1. Adoption ensures that a child receives nutritious food and adequate clothing.
  2. Adoptive families ensure that a child has educational opportunities.
  3. Children who are adopted have access to proper medical care when needed.

Understanding Other Cultures

• 1. Families who adopt a child gain respect for another country in the case of international adoption.
  2. They gain an understanding of the adoption triad, which includes the birth mother, adoptive family and child.
  3. Adoptive parents gain an empathy for the pain of child relinquishment.
  4. Most important, adoptive parents gain the love of a child.

Considerations

• Adoption can be a time-intensive, costly and emotion-filled process. It's recommended that families choose a well-respected adoption authority to guide them through the system.