myth about adoption

Adoptive parents are always hearing how great they are for having adopted People always mean well when they say this, but the fact is, most adoptive parents adopted because they wanted to be parents Not because they are special saints This also sometimes sounds to adoptive parents like their children are somehow less lovable, and therefore, loving them is a heroic act Adopted parents just love their kids like other parents love theirs It doesn t require any special effort!

Adoption is one option in a society with reproductive freedom Adoption requires motherhood of a woman both throughout a pregnancy and delivery and throughout the rest of her life even if she never sees her child again after birth For a woman in a crisis pregnancy who doesn t want to be a mother, abortion is an important option For a woman who doesn t personally feel comfortable with abortion, but neither feels ready or able to raise a child, adoption is an important option

Adoption is meant to combine people with children and make them a complete family To many people the term complete family does not mean marriage Married people often adopt, of course, but there are no legal restrictions on whether or not you have to be married to adopt a child Same sex couples still cannot legally marry in many states, which is a common concern in terms of adoption; however, if you are capable of raising a child, you can adopt The same rule goes for single people looking to adopt

Adopted children do well in life A research study showed that 50% of adopted youth said they were as happy as their peers while 38% rated themselves as happier In another research study, adopted adolescents scored positively in self esteem and self identity In yet another study, adopted adolescents scored higher on characteristics of well being and lower on characteristics of high risk behavior when compared to their peers

Research shows that adoptees are as well adjusted as their non adopted peers There is virtually no difference in psychological functioning between them Numerous studies have been done on adopted children and found that they saw themselves as strong as their peers in personal identity and self esteem Support from family and friends and availability of counseling services

Adoptees are not confused by contact with their birthparents In reality, adoptees benefit from the increased understanding that their birthparents gave them life but their forever families take care of and nurture them

The child will grow up knowing that his family was created by adoption and understanding that his or her birth mother selflessly planned a wonderful future for her child The child will be grateful for the birth parents choice of adoption

Children benefit from having positive, nurturing parents who can provide both positive male and female influences Two parent families where fathers take their responsibilities seriously and parents support each other can be vital to a healthy childhood and strong family

Adoption does not guarantee or ensure pregnancy, and it should not be used as a means to try and get pregnant Pregnancy is a biological process, and a couple can not determine if and when they will become pregnant

No Some families will have older children, at least two years older than the age of the child they wish to adopt Others have no children Many of our adopters have birth children, adopted children and step children already Some are already permanently caring for a child not related to them