6 Things to Consider While Checking Boxes on Your Adoption Application

Health concerns can come up with your child regardless of how s/he comes to you. Whether your child enters your family via adoption or biology, there are no guarantees for a perfect medical record nor can anyone predict what the future holds with their health and development.

If you’re wondering about whether to be open to adopting a child of a different race or nationality, it’s important to examine your lifestyle. Becoming a transracial family can be a complex decision. Take some time to evaluate how diverse your community, workplace and circle of friends are. Are you willing to provide opportunities for your child to embrace their culture and see others who look like him/her, and how easy would it be to provide such opportunities?

Depending on what you’re open to, people may not understand your fears with becoming a parent. You may have specific anxiety about drug exposure or trauma that other people in your support system don’t quite understand. Don’t feel like you have to share personal details about each situation with them, but try to reach out to find other people with commonalities. You’ll be glad to have other adoptive parents with similar experiences in your corner to consult along the way.

As parents, it’s important to commit to loving your child unconditionally, no matter how they come to you and what circumstances may arise from his or her familial history. Be willing to love your child unconditionally and put their needs – whatever they may be – above your own.

Before presenting to an expectant parent, consider the complexities of becoming a transracial family, research how specific drug exposures or trauma may impact a child’s learning abilities and look into the genetic effects of certain mental health diagnoses.