The Process of Adoption

The Process of Adoption

The Process of Adoption

 

 

It is probably a pretty safe bet to say that everyone knows what adoption is, and it is probably pretty safe to say that everyone knows, or at least knows of, someone who is adopted. However, I would definitely think twice before betting that these people would also know what was involved in the process of adoption.

From the time I was a young girl, I have always thought that I would like to, not only have a child or children of my own, but to also adopt children. I used to envision marrying an African-American man, having an interracial child, and then adopting both a white and an African American child to make up a perfectly little interracial family. My siblings and I had a very happy childhood, we knew there were children in the world who did not have homes or parents, and we tried to convince our parents to adopt a new brother or sister for us. In the end, they decided that the four children they already had were plenty and our pleas were left unfulfilled.

 

 

Even today, as I look to my future and think about the different avenues before me, I still openly consider the prospect of adopting a child. Yet, I realize that my consideration is very basic and greatly uninformed. I only had one friend growing up who was adopted and I thought that it was 'neat' at the time. I knew close to nothing then about the whole procedure and unfortunately my knowledge has only grown minimally since then.

 

 

I would venture to say that there are many people in the world who have similar feelings. People who would like to let a needy child into their loving home, but do not know if they would qualify, have any rights, or have to pay a large sum of money. Also, in my mind, I pictured a happy union with a grateful and happy child. I did not contemplate the fact that these children often have many problems that they bring with them. Again, I would guess that others are unaware of this and unaware of how to handle...