• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About Heidi
    • Family Treasures
    • Matters of the Heart
  • PR Welcome
  • Disney
    • Find a Disney Travel Agent
    • Suggested Disney Resources
      • Blogs
      • Products & Services
      • Websites
      • Books & Magazines
    • Destination Disney
      • Destination Disney Topic
    • Magical Blogorail
    • Disney Trip Report
    • Disney Dining
    • 100 Days to Disney
    • Disney at Home
    • Tiggerific Tuesday
  • Reviews
    • Book Reviews
    • Product Reviews
    • Disney Reviews
  • Food
    • Recipes
    • Favorite Food Friday
  • Homeschool
    • 2 Year Musical Journey
    • Field Trips
    • Homeschooling Resources
  • Real Life
  • Sipology
  • Nav Widget Area

    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Heidi's Head

Come see what's going on in Heidi's Head

October 28, 2016

Questions Prospective Adoptive Parents Should Ask

Tweet
Share9
Share
Pin
9 Shares

As a blogger, I may be compensated in some way (either pay, product, or experience) for sharing the post below All opinions are my own. ~Heidi

questions

q29

Heidi & Other Adoptive Parents Say …

Obviously, adoption isn’t something you should just into blindly. Of course, as a planner and a researcher, I don’t think you should go into anything blindly; but, if you are a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants person, please know that adoption isn’t something that should be taken lightly. You can’t just jump into it not knowing anything. Do some research and ask lots of questions!  

Many adoption agencies will give you very thorough information that will most likely answer many of your questions before you even think of them or ask them. I know ours gave us extensive information and lists, etc. Also, be sure to check FAQ pages on agency websites.

It’s also a good idea to find another family who has adopted – even better to find one with personal experience adopting from the country you have chosen – and pick their brains. If you don’t know any other families, ask your adoption agency to help you connect with one/some (if they aren’t willing to do this, you may want to look for another agency).

Questions for yourself:

Why do I want to adopt?

Adoption, just like parenting a birth child, is a long-term commitment. Am I ready?

Am I OK with not being biologically related to my child?

How will we tell our friends and family that we’re planning to adopt?

What age child do we want to adopt?

What if we get a child that is not what we were expecting? (emotional problems, learning challenges, attachment issues, etc.)

What special needs are we willing to consider?

Will we select gender or be willing to take either a boy or a girl?

How will we handle discipline? (This is one that your social worker or perspective adoption agency will ask you, so be prepared.)

How will I feel if my child wants to learn about his/her birth parents later in life?  

Questions for your agency/social worker/other adoptive parents:

 

Is your agency licensed to practice in [country]?

How much does it cost to adopt from [country]?

How many children did your agency place last year?

May we have contact information for former clients/adoptive parents?

How many families do you currently have on your waiting list?

What are the requirements to adopt through your agency or from [country]? Do we meet these requirements?

How long does the process generally take?

How can I bond with my adopted child?

How long will we need to be in-country for the adoption?

What can we expect when we arrive in the birth country?

Will we get our child right away when we arrive or have to wait a few days?

Can I send items to my child while we are waiting?

Is it appropriate to bring gifts for foster parents/orphanage staff?

Will we need to redo immunizations when we return home with our child?

What type of food will my child eat?

Is he/she still in diapers?

How many clothes should I take for him/her?  How do I know what size to pack?

How can we deal with the trauma of removing a child from the only place they know/remember?

What kind of things should we buy in the birth country that will be of importance to our child later in life?

What are some of the cultural differences we will face in-country? How should we act in order to not offend? (some things, such as handshakes and hugging are not socially acceptable in other countries)

Should we parent our adopted child the same way we parent our birth child(ren)?

Questions/prayers to God:

Ask God to guide you throughout the adoption process.

Ask Him to lead you to the right adoption agency.

Ask God to lead you to the country where your baby has been/will be born.

Pray that God has his hand of protection over your child, even before you get your referral. 


subscribe-button
international-adoption This post is part of the 31 Days of {International} Adoption series. All posts from the series will be linked within the body of the introduction post, making posts in the series easy to find and access. You can read them in order, or look through the topics, find one that interests you, and go from there. 

I hope that, in addition to these posts, you will follow me on social media as well. I’ll tweet links to all 31 posts using the #write31days hashtag – you can find me on Twitter at twitter.com/HeidiSays. Please also connect with me on Facebook at facebook.com/HeidisHead and on Instagram at instagram.com/heidi.strawser/.  I’m happy to answer any questions you may have. You can connect with me here, on social media, or via e-mail. 

I’m so glad you found my blog. I pray that 31 Days of {International} Adoption will be a blessing to you! 

More from my site

  • Should YOU Adopt?Should YOU Adopt?
  • Adoption SurprisesAdoption Surprises
  • Is Race an Issue When Considering Adoption?Is Race an Issue When Considering Adoption?
  • Fostering Security in Your Adopted ChildFostering Security in Your Adopted Child
  • Questions Adopted Children AskQuestions Adopted Children Ask
Tweet
Share9
Share
Pin
9 Shares

Filed Under: #write31days, adoption Heidi Leave a Comment

Primary Sidebar

Ask Heidi About This Awesome OpportuniTEA!

Ask Heidi About This Awesome OpportuniTEA!

Subscribe to Heidi’s Head via E-mail

* indicates required

Search Heidi’s Head!

Save Money Like Heidi

Make Money Like Heidi

Ebates Coupons and Cash Back

Heidi Recommends . . .

Thanks for clicking on the links below. If you make a purchase, I will receive a small percentage.

Simple Meal Planning - Plan to Eat

Heidi is a Proud Member of . . .

Smiley360
USFamilyGuide.com
SoFab Badge

Heidi’s Latest Pins

Footer

BlogWithIntegrity.com

See our Privacy Policy

Latest Posts

  • Darren Criss Announces Christmas Tour to Stop at Hershey Theatre October 8, 2021
  • Pentatonix to Stop at GIANT Center on 2021 Christmas Tour September 27, 2021
  • Get your Dolphin Island DVD! August 2, 2021
  • Cirque Dreams Holidaze to Light up the Stage at Hershey Theatre July 12, 2021
  • Sipology’s 2021 Spring/Summer Catalog launches TODAY with 40 new products! February 22, 2021

Latest Comments

  • Heidi Strawser on PassPorter’s Walt Disney World
  • Wendy Muchisky on PassPorter’s Walt Disney World
  • Lauren on Same Kind of Different as Me – Coming to Theaters October 20
  • Christy V. on Jeremy Camp’s “The Answer” CD
  • mami2jcn on Same Kind of Different as Me – Coming to Theaters October 20
myfreecopyright.com registered & protected

malware removal and website security

Please do not copy or reproduce any of the content found on this blog without express written permission from the author. ©Heidi's Head

Copyright © 2022 · by Heidi's Head. All Rights Reserved. ·

© 2015 Pretty Happy WordPress Theme · By: Pretty Darn Cute Design

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings.

Heidi's Head
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.