Adoption of a child is a complex process, full of emotional and financial considerations. There is often a wait to find a child, extensive costs, and deep emotional turmoil. There are also wonderful benefits of adoption, and through adoption, many families have become complete. Adoption can be a great experience, as long as you go into the process fully understanding both the pros and cons.
Cost of Adoption
The cost of adoption is often one of the first negatives people see when researching the option. Domestic infant adoption can range from $20,000 to $50,000 dollars, with international adoption usually costing between $40,000 and $60,000 dollars. On a positive note, there are ways to lower this cost such as by adopting older children, adopting special needs children, and adopting through the foster care system. Additionally, for some people, the high cost of infant adoption is still less than what multiple fertility treatments may cost.
Wait Time for Adoption
Depending on the age, race and type of adoption you are hoping to have, there can be a substantial wait to bring your child home into your family. To adopt a healthy Caucasian infant, there can be a wait time from months up to years. If you're open to adopting a child of any race or age, the wait time is typically much shorter. International adoption times vary greatly, often depending on the laws of the country you choose to adopt from. However, as daunting as the wait sounds for someone who wants to bring a child into the family, the wait time does allow time to fully prepare for the child. Sometimes, a family is picked quickly after starting the process, and even with the wait, adoption still may be faster for some families than a nine-month pregnancy.
Biological Connection
For some people, it is vitally important to have a child who is their biological offspring. For these people, adoption is not the right choice. For others, a biological connection is not necessary, and adoption may be a good fit for their family. Biology can be either a pro or con of adopting, depending on individual circumstance. There are many reasons to want a biological child, including similar looks, having a blood tie for medical reasons, and personality and biological traits that are often genetically passed down, such as IQ. For others, they may not mind having a child who has different genetic components passed down to them, and in some cases it may be ideal, if you have a genetic illness you do not wish to risk passing to your offspring.
Meeting Adoption Requirements
There are a number of requirements you must meet to be able to adopt. For some people, this will exclude them from the process. For international adoptions, each country has requirements for the prospective parents' age, marital status, number of children in home and income. Similarly, domestic adoption also has strict requirements. With both types of adoption, you must pass a strict background and fingerprint check, as well as a home study--which includes an interview with a social worker--and a home check. For some, this will make it impossible to adopt, while others may choose not to because of the invasive nature of having such extensive background checks done.
Giving a Child a Home
The greatest benefit of adoption is bringing a child into your home. For some, this may be the baby they have dreamed of having, while for others, they may be providing a home to a child who would otherwise be without one. In particular with international adoptions, there is often a great joy in knowing your child will no longer be living in an orphanage, but will now be home with loving parents.
