| "You didn't grow under my heart, but inside of it," is a | | | | undergo physical examinations and psychological tests. |
| saying describes pretty well what parents of adopted | | | | Their financial solvency has to be proven and |
| children feel for their non-biological offspring. But the | | | | character testimony brought forward by employers or |
| decision to adopt a child is not an easy one. The most | | | | colleagues. Their criminal record is also checked. The |
| common question people who are thinking about | | | | list is seemingly endless. |
| adopting a child ask themselves is "Will I be able to | | | | When after all this paperwork the adoption has finally |
| love my adopted child as I love my own children?" If | | | | been approved nothing stands in the way between |
| you are considering adoption, you are probably asking | | | | the child and its new parents. The process though, |
| yourself similar questions. Just relax: Your doubts will | | | | between first contacting a church and the final |
| disappear gradually when you are together with your | | | | adoption, may take between 1,5 and 2 years. |
| adopted child for the first time. | | | | How does one deal with the doubts of one |
| The adoption of a child is in any case very different | | | | prospective parent? It is totally normal that one of the |
| from giving birth to one. Pregnant women spend 9 | | | | spouses harbours doubts with regard to the adoption |
| months, from conception to birth, in close physical | | | | of a child. Is it the right thing to do? What will my other |
| contact with their new baby. On the other hand, when | | | | children make of it? Are they going to accept the new |
| adopting a child they spend a lot of time dealing with | | | | child as their brother or sister, or are they going to |
| formalities, from filling out the first application to the long | | | | reject it? What is the rest of the family going to think |
| and difficult process of being approved by state | | | | of it? Will the child actually be better off with us? |
| agencies as a prospective parent. These formalities | | | | When these doubts surface, it is highly recommended |
| constitute many great obstacles and at times it seems | | | | to get in touch with other people who have already |
| that they will never be overcome. But one has to be | | | | adopted a child and who are therefore more |
| aware of one thing: At the end of this difficult path | | | | experienced. There are associations and clubs whose |
| there lies a completely new and probably better future | | | | members are all parents of adopted children and who |
| for the child to be adopted. | | | | can tell from first hand experience how to deal with |
| How does one go about an adoption? When a | | | | specific problems and situations. |
| married couple wants to adopt a child their first step | | | | Who can adopt children? As a general rule, parents |
| takes them to an organisation, usually a private one like | | | | have to be married and certifiably so, for at least three |
| the church, that specializes in bringing together orphans | | | | years. That doesn't mean that married couples have |
| with people who want to adopt a child. This | | | | to wait until they are married for three years. They |
| organization checks whether the couple is adequate | | | | can initiate adoption proceedings before that time, |
| for the adoption of a child and then turns the process | | | | since it takes, as mentioned earlier, 1,5 to 2 years for |
| over to state agencies. | | | | the adoption to come through. There are special |
| This is where all papers and documents are checked | | | | regulations for families with already three biological |
| and re-checked and a thorough background check of | | | | children or if the parents have already adopted two |
| both husband and wife is carried out. They will have to | | | | children previously. |