For those who think the adoption process is too complex, let me assure you that you are 100% correct. Adoption. Is. Too. Complex.
But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Anyone who’s ever been through college, or lost a significant amount of unwanted weight, or accomplished any goal requiring preparation, hard work and dedication can tell you that it was very difficult to achieve but it was worth every ounce of effort. Adoption is no different.
If you decide to adopt, I can assure you that you will be scrutinized by dozens of people. You will be fingerprinted more times than a criminal. You will have to fill out hundreds of pages of paperwork- no kidding. You will have to spend countless hours doing things you probably never thought you would to adopt like getting medical exams, making a fire escape plan for your home, getting notaries, installing fire alarms and fire extinguishers in your home, digging through the attic to find your high school diploma, locking up your knives and medications, asking friends for reference letters (which may take them hours to write), developing a financial plan for your home, writing in detail your theory on parenting… and the list never ends. So, yeah, it’s complex, not to mention time consuming and stressful. But so is planning a wedding, another union between individuals who plan to love each other through good times and bad.
The good news is that you won’t be alone. You’ll have a caseworker, adoption specialist, or social worker who will help walk you through the process. Granted they probably won’t hold your hand while you fill out paperwork at 2am, but they’ll be able to tell you what you need to do right now and what to expect to need to do in the future to make your adoption a success.
And another invaluable resource is people who have actually gone through the adoption process too. Find a group of people who have already adopted! If you’re adopting through an agency, ask them for a list of support groups or contacts. They can provide invaluable tips, as well as a wealth of encouragement, areas where a caseworker might fall short.
If you put your heart to it, you can maneuver the complex adoption process and have a successful adoption.
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