Every child deserves a fulfilling, loving home. Nevertheless, there are a lot of possible situations where some children may not be able to experience what a loving home is. Amid this circumstance, some families yearn to have children and raise them accordingly to the type of family they want. Adoption then serves as a beneficial solution for both parents and children.
Adoption is defined as a legal process of transferring parental rights and responsibilities to adoptive parents. Although it has been seen as one simple act, adoption is a long process for everyone involved: the adoptive families, the adopted children, and the children’s birth families. Despite the long process, adopting is still a popular option for people to expand their families.
From a social perspective, people may perceive adoption as an act of generosity by the adoptive parents. Meanwhile, from the adopted children’s side, the adoption process may be perceived as a chance for them to grow in a better environment. These two common reasons may serve as the reasons why adoption remains favored.
Nevertheless, there is more to discover about the advantages of adoption or how it is related to overall enrichment from both sides of the adoptive families and the adopted children.
How adoption enriches the family
The process of starting a family is a challenging task for every couple. Whether the family is formed through a biological or legal adoption process, struggles are inevitable. However, every challenging situation is worth the complex work. For adoption, the long unique process offers the family some advantages.
Offers the chance to experience parenthood
Parenthood may be a desirable experience for some people. However, people may come from many different backgrounds and health situations that may have hindered them from having a child. In such situations, adoption serves as a solution to experiencing parenthood. Some various cases of adoptive parents include (A Child’s Hope, n.d.):
- The potential adoptive parents cannot produce a child on their own due to their inability to conceive.
- The potential adoptive parent does not already have any biological children and is open to having an adopted child as a part of their family.
- The prospective adoptive parents are a couple of the same gender who want to raise the child together.
Thus, during the adoption process, single adults and couples can share their lives with a child and enjoy the rewarding experience of parenthood.
Provides fulfillment
A family may acquire a greater sense of purpose through the adoption process. A sense of fulfillment may arise from their caretaker role by providing the children with a loving and safe environment. Through adoption, the family connection may improve as the family has to adapt and adjust to the addition of a new family member. By working together through difficult situations that may emerge, they strengthen their family relationship.
Benefits of adoption for children
The adoption process is supposed to be beneficial and gratifying for everyone involved. And the adopted children should ultimately have a sense of fulfillment as a result of the adoption process that may come from having a loving home and stability.
Provides a loving home
Adoption gives the children the opportunity to be a part of a family that has been wanting and preparing to provide them with a loving home. Not only a caring environment from the adoptive family, but the children may also receive love from their biological parents if the adoption process works well. A loving home may make the children feel like they are totally incorporated into the family.
Provides stability for better development
As children advance from one developmental level to another, they gain new cognitive abilities and psychosocial structures. In adoption, where each party has a healthy relationship with the other, the children will form a favorable impression (Neil, 2012). Consequently, the experience of being loved and cared for may improve their development.
Making adoption work
It is essential to ensure that adoption works so everyone may benefit from it. The following criteria, according to Siegel and Smith (2012), are crucial to developing effective open-adoption relationships:
Shared understanding of what open adoption is and is not
To ensure successful open adoption, both birth and adoptive parents must share a common understanding of what it entails and what it doesn’t. This includes establishing ground rules for ethical decision-making, prioritizing the child’s needs, clarifying each party’s roles and responsibilities, and comprehending the benefits, challenges, and complexities that may arise.
Foundational relationship qualities and values
Empathy, respect, honesty, trust, and a commitment to maintaining the connection are ideal for open relationship parties.
Ability to choose and shape open relationships on own term
Both sides must understand that the connection evolves, and they can navigate it collaboratively.
Collaborative communication
It is crucial to develop ‘collaborative communication’ by all parties in contact planning and conveying. This includes ensuring everyone is comfortable and honest in communicating and planning for connection.
In conclusion
Adoption is a beautiful way of enriching many lives by saving one child and brightening more people in adoptive families. This is why adoption remains favored despite its complexity. Some of the reasons behind adoption may be personal to the adoptive families. However, at the fundamental line, adoption’s core importance is building families.
If you would like to take your reading on adoption further, visit the Family Science Labs. The lab uses the research of the Institute for Life Management Science to produce courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other tools. Check out the Family Science Labs today.
Photo by olia danilevich on Pexels