Have I overwhelmed you with information over the past two weeks? I've included a link list near the end of this post with all the posts in my series, so you can catch up if you missed anything, or to come back and re-read if you want to digest some of the info before moving onto the next topic! I asked adoptive families to suggest resources for … [Read more...] about Additional Adoption Resources
10 Days of Adoption
Biggest Hurdles in Adoption
I am an enthusiastic adoption advocate, but as I've said before, I never want to paint such a rosy picture that families enter into the process blindly. Today's post focuses on some of the challenges within the adoption process, as well as what you can do even if you don't feel called to adopt. What was the biggest hurdle in the adoption … [Read more...] about Biggest Hurdles in Adoption
One Big Happy Family? Bonding in Adoption
In many families, like ours, there were already children in the home when a new adopted child joined the family. Questions I'm often asked about this include: How do we handle the blending with children already in the home? Are there jealousy issues? What about birth order? What do the kids (if not infants) call you when they first … [Read more...] about One Big Happy Family? Bonding in Adoption
Special Needs Adoption: Could I Handle it?
Spend a little time researching adoption, and you'll see the term "special needs" come up often. However, in relation to adoption, special needs may not be what you're thinking. In U.S. foster care, for instance, special needs may be defined by specific factors such as age, race, or being part of a sibling group. These are considered special needs … [Read more...] about Special Needs Adoption: Could I Handle it?
Can We Afford to Adopt?
I've heard it said that if we had to wait until we could afford to have children, we would never have them. A quick internet search will show you that the cost of raising a child has risen 40% in the last decade, and if you want to give yourself a bit of a scare, you can even use an online calculator to figure these costs. Most of us don't go by … [Read more...] about Can We Afford to Adopt?
Greatest Misconceptions About Adoption
Since I'm just one mom in one family, I asked for input from other adoptive parents on what kinds of misconceptions they've faced from the general public, but also some misconceptions that we adoptive parents had before we adopted. The parents who contributed to this post vary greatly: we have input from those who have adopted infants to those who … [Read more...] about Greatest Misconceptions About Adoption