Age Difference B/W Parent and Adopted Child

I would think a your age and nationality wouldn't have much to do with you adopting a child, unless family are against the idea of their child, being adopted by someone who is black or mixed. But with saying that since your planning on adopting an older child or through foster care. That may not be a issue.

I'm 15 years older than my son, who was 14 at the time of placement. I also look young for my age.I think at first I overcompensated by acting more serious, so that I would be taken seriously. I was also careful with boundaries in order to be seen as a mom. For example, I started wearing old lady pajamas, switched to a more modest swimsuit, said things that I thought moms should say, etc. But in reality, I may as well be 100. Your child will not see you as a peer. For kids in high school, there's a pretty clear divide between "in high school/just graduated" vs. "old". There have been some uncomfortable moments over the years. Just last weekend, two people in a row made the assumption that we were a couple. Funny to me, but awkward for him. This has happened only a handful of times over the last 5 years so twice in a row was a record. I must have been dressed young.Also some of his friends have made comments to him about me. I don't know if older moms have teenage boys looking at them like that, they probably do too!Finally...meeting us, it's clear that we're not biologically related but when small talk with strangers comes around to "how old are your kids", there are always followup questions when I say his age. If it's someone who's likely to meet him, I explain. Otherwise, I say, "I'm older than I look" or just let them assume that I had a child very young. It doesn't bother me, but I could see how it would bother some people.Other than that, no real issues with establishing authority related to my age. It works in our favor that we have some overlapping interests in movies/music/etc. and I like to do stupid fun stuff too. However, nothing will make you feel older than when your teenager does something stupid and teenagery and you flip out just like your mom did. In the first year, I probably called my mom 20 times to apologize for driving her crazy. Consider yourself warned!

This!! When I started saying things my mother used to say, I almost choked! But it made perfect sense!

I am 20-22 years older than my first three kids. Just last week (and I am 40 this week) my oldest son and I were assumed to be a couple, and WORSE, that the baby, was "ours". After THAT conversation we both needed therapy ;)

Ha! That is crazy... I am 15 years older than my daughter. I am 28 (and a single mom)..my daughter is almost 13.. She has been here over 4 years!! I also have 3 other adopted sons- ages 5, and 3 now. Also have 5 foster kiddos too- 9, 8, 6, 3, 1. So.. age does not really matter :)

I'm only 16 yrs older than my oldest son. When he was a teenager, we'd get mistaken for siblings a lot, but it was never anything but just funny. I never had an issue with him accepting my authority because of my age (other normal teenage reasons, but never my age). I did have an issue with a few (truly, just a few) other parents treating me condescendingly or awkwardly because of my youth. On the whole, it's not been an issue. Mostly I just get a lot of undeserved compliments-- "You look too young to be his mom!" he he. "Why, thank you." :eyebrows: :p