If you’re like many hopeful parents, you’ve gone through a long process to try to bring a little bundle of joy into your life. Perhaps you’ve faced infertility struggles, waited in vain for your perfect partner to come along or simply spent some time wondering whether parenthood is really right for you.
No matter how you got here, if you’re reading this article, you’re probably considering adoption as a way to finally become a parent. Congratulations — even thinking about adoption is the first step toward your new life as a family.
However, you know that adoption is a huge commitment, and you may be wondering whether you’re really ready to take that step. While you can find information and advice from many adoption professionals (including Brown Pruitt), the decision to choose adoption will ultimately be up to you.
Here are some signs that you might be ready to start your own adoption process.
1. You’ve Done the Research.
Adoption is not always an easy process; there are many important steps to take to make it successful for all involved. Before you enter the adoption process, therefore, you’ll need to understand exactly what’s ahead. Adoption is not right for everyone, so by reading information and talking to professionals about adoption before making that commitment, you’ll better understand whether it’s the right choice for you.
2. You’ve Set Your Adoption Goals.
While you will work closely with your chosen adoption professional to make an adoption plan that works for you, it’s important to decide on the basics of your adoption plan before you begin. That means deciding whether you want to pursue a private infant adoption, a foster care adoption, an international adoption or another kind of adoption.
The questions you may want to ask yourself are: Do I want to adopt an older or younger child? What about a child who’s of a different race than me? What kind of contact do I want to have with my child’s birth parents? If you’ve been thinking about these questions as you’re considering adoption, it’s usually a great sign that you’re committed to the idea and ready to move forward with the process.
3. You’ve Accepted Your Infertility.
Not everyone who chooses adoption has always planned on adopting a child. Many couples face infertility before going the adoption path, while other single people may have held out hope for meeting “the one” and having biological children. If you approach the adoption process after a disappointment like this, it’s important that you’ve fully moved forward from this challenge in your life.
If you still harbor dreams of a biological child, it won’t be fair to you or the child that you adopt. You should take time to properly grieve your lost dreams and fully commit to the adoption process and loving an adopted child just as much as you would a biological child. As most parents discover, it’s not being pregnant or having a biological child that matters to them — it’s becoming parents and adding to their family in whatever way they can.
4. You’ve Financially and Emotionally Prepared for the Adoption Process.
While research is a great place to start before the adoption process, you’ll also need to take additional steps before you work with an adoption professional. First off, adoption can be an expensive process, so many hopeful parents have to plan for the financing of their adoption (through options like savings accounts, loans, fundraising and more).
Secondly, adoption is an emotionally complicated process with many highs and lows as you wait to be matched with a prospective birth mother, wait for her to give birth and then wait for her to sign her adoption consent. You should be prepared for any challenges that arise and have a support system of friends and family to lean on. Adoption is a commitment you that you should only make if you’re 100 percent comfortable with the process.
5. You’re Ready for a Child, No Matter What it Takes.
As mentioned above, adoption can be a complicated process — which is why you need to be committed from the very beginning. One of the biggest signs that you’re ready for adoption is that the potential challenges don’t deter you. If you’re truly ready to become parents through adoption, you’re ready to face any difficulties you encounter, because you know it will all be worth it in the end when you have your perfect little bundle of joy.
Deciding that adoption is right for you may take some time — but don’t rush into the process until you’re sure you’re ready to start it. For more information on adoption in Texas, please contact us at 817-338-4888.