You make the best decisions when you know all the facts. When adopting a boy or girl you aren’t just choosing to become a parent. You need to take into account if you are acting on the best interest of the child. Each child has a unique set of blessings, as well as challenges. While we can just sit back and let the blessings delight us, it is best to understand what challenges you will be willing to accept.
Learn about the different challenges that adoptive parents might face. Off the top of your head you may think of medically fragile, Attention Deficit Disorder, or Drug Affected. Have you given thought to birth parents who change their minds, the complications of open adoptions, or Attachment Disorder?
Don’t let these scare you! While these can be problems you might face, you can solve them before they even happen, or at least soften the impact. Keep yourself informed about adoption laws, learn from the mistakes of other adoptive parents, and teach yourself about the solutions to various disorders.
The best way to do this is through a magazine that stays on top of current adoption issues.
Adoptive Families – A bi-monthly publication - an award-winning national adoption magazine, it is the leading adoption information source for families before, during, and after adoption.
Adoption Today – A bi-monthly publication - Written by Adoptive Parents, Adoptees and Professionals in the Fields of Medicine, Education, Law, Social Work, Child Development and International and Domestic Adoption.
Rainbowkids.com – An online publication – Rainbow Kids focus is on international adoption. Rainbow Kids also has local support group meetings.
Fostering Families Today – A bi-monthly publication – Explores the issues that profoundly affect families and children through articles and stories reflecting professional expertise and the experienced perspective of dedicated foster and adopting parents.
