Anyone have any experience with adoption?

[OS]

I have read some articles about the poor baby girls that get abandoned when they are born in China, so i was thinking in passing in a couple years i might adopt one. Is anyone here adopted, have adopted or close to the subject?

 

[RagingBITCH]

International adoptions aren't as simple as going down to the pound. They take lots of paperwork, money, and time to go through. People are on waiting lists for adoptions, and not just domestically.

 

[bdjohnson]

my cousin is Korean and was adopted. she turned out just fine.

 

Check with your employer, many companies offer adoption assistance (as long as the adoptee is not related)

They will typically pay for the majority of the cost and they'll probably even have an agency to send you to.

 

[Chaotic42]

I'm adopted. It was by blood relatives though.

 

[OS]

Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
International adoptions aren't as simple as going down to the pound. They take lots of paperwork, money, and time to go through. People are on waiting lists for adoptions, and not just domestically.

Yes i'm aware of the hurdles. Wait time runs around 6 months to 1 year, costs can approach 20k, and you need to fill out paperwork for various things like showing financially stability, owning an appropriate home, generally not being a freak, etc.

 

[bradruth]

I'm adopted. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have.

 

[OS]

Originally posted by: bradruth
I'm adopted. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have.

Did you have any sort of identity issues when growing up? Do you ever feel like your parents abandoned you and that you were bitter about it?

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: OS

Originally posted by: bradruth
I'm adopted. I'd be happy to answer any questions you have.

Did you have any sort of identity issues when growing up? Do you ever feel like your parents abandoned you and that you were bitter about it?

Not at all. I actually forget I'm adopted unless the topic comes up. I was born to teenage parents (both 15) and I've had a terrific life that I probably wouldn't have had if they'd kept me. If anything I feel that I owe them for having the strength to give me up.

 

[nboy22]

My friend's parents adopted a little chinese girl.. man that was a lot of work too. They signed papers and it took like probably 2-3 years for them to go down to china and pick the girl up.. That and it probably costed about $50,000 or so (this is only what I was told). Kinda funny though, every time I go over there, that girl comes up to me and wraps her arms around my legs and goes, "my bunny". Which is creepy, but funny at the same time. BTW, she's only starting to grasp the concept of words and talking.

 

[isekii]

it seems like it would be much better to just get a girl and bake one out.

 

[rocadelpunk]

i did stay at a holiday inn express last night..


sorry : P

cool that you're adopting,

 

[Stark]

Originally posted by: OS

Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
International adoptions aren't as simple as going down to the pound. They take lots of paperwork, money, and time to go through. People are on waiting lists for adoptions, and not just domestically.

Yes i'm aware of the hurdles. Wait time runs around 6 months to 1 year, costs can approach 20k, and you need to fill out paperwork for various things like showing financially stability, owning an appropriate home, generally not being a freak, etc.

bump.

My wife and I are looking at adoption from russia. the cost is upwards of 30k. Anyone else have any experience with domestic or international adoptions?

 

[MartyMcFly3]

My parents keep telling me im adopted. :shocked:

Kidding, but thats cool that you want to adopt. :thumbsup:

 

[Bryophyte]

I'm adopted. Found my birth parents in the last few years.

 

[waggy]

My in-laws have adopted 2 girls. and looking to adopt a boy they have in there care.

They are Foster parents. they didnt have to wait but then again the girls were 12 and 10. the boy is 7. so there is not a big list for those.

 

[welst10]

My coworker just adopted a boy from Taiwan. It took her 3 years. Waiting list, paper work, etc. Not a simple process. And she had no access to his pictures until after she adopted him. Good thing for her is that the boy turned out to be very cute.

 

[NutBucket]

My mom's friend just finished adopting a Chinese girl a few weeks ago. She's here now and all that jazz.

OS, why are you interested in adoption?

 

[jagec]

International adoption takes time and money, but I approve. Some friends of mine run a place down in Ecuador where they place kids for adoption.

My mom was adopted, too. Found her birth parent just a few years ago.

 

[compfreak999]

ack this is disgusting. in China cuase of the one child rule parents that give birth to girls dislike them and try to get rid of them. to me its morally wrong.

 

[desiplaya4life]

Originally posted by: nboy22
My friend's parents adopted a little chinese girl.. man that was a lot of work too. They signed papers and it took like probably 2-3 years for them to go down to china and pick the girl up.. That and it probably costed about $50,000 or so (this is only what I was told). Kinda funny though, every time I go over there, that girl comes up to me and wraps her arms around my legs and goes, "my bunny". Which is creepy, but funny at the same time. BTW, she's only starting to grasp the concept of words and talking.

aww how cute


yikes 50K:\ really that much demand for adopted children? i would not mind myself having an adopted child.... i wish you all the best bro if you decide to go with this option!

 

[azazyel]

If you are going to do it get a good lawyer before anything.

 

[AndrewR]

Originally posted by: OS
I have read some articles about the poor baby girls that get abandoned when they are born in China, so i was thinking in passing in a couple years i might adopt one. Is anyone here adopted, have adopted or close to the subject?

My wife and I are awaiting our referral from China so we can go get our little girl, probably in November. I could answer any specific questions you may have, but you may also want to take a look at our webpage (see my profile) which has some information that my wife put together.

You don't need a lawyer for the international adoption process (you generally do for domestic, as I understand it), but you do need a good adoption agency, which is the key to a successful and the least painful process. Being geographically close to the agency is not a factor (we're in Japan, if that tells you anything) so pick on reputation, not proximity. Though we only this one experience to base off of, we highly recommend our agency, Families Through International Adoption (FTIA), based out of Evansville, IN. They have an excellent reputation and have been fantastic in working with us given the difficulties of being overseas while trying to accomplish everything (incidentally, we don't get money or anything else for recommending anyone!). Their website is here.

 

[StageLeft]

I've heard it's a good bit easier with the internationals than the domestics. I can't remember who but somebody here recently has a link in their thread about it!

EDIT: Oh yeah it was AndrewR.

BTW, don't be scared of the money. People say it's expensive, but if your wife is working and takes a month off at the end of pregnancy and maybe 5-6 more when she has the baby, well that's half a year's pay too, so it's not like having your own baby is really any cheaper. Just take 6 months of your wife's pay and throw directly into an account. That would be the adoption money We would adopt if we couldn't have had children, and I'd urge anybody with conception problems to think about it seriously before they get too old after trying fruitlessly.

 

[desiplaya4life]

Originally posted by: AndrewR

Originally posted by: OS
I have read some articles about the poor baby girls that get abandoned when they are born in China, so i was thinking in passing in a couple years i might adopt one. Is anyone here adopted, have adopted or close to the subject?

My wife and I are awaiting our referral from China so we can go get our little girl, probably in November. I could answer any specific questions you may have, but you may also want to take a look at our webpage (see my profile) which has some information that my wife put together.

You don't need a lawyer for the international adoption process (you generally do for domestic, as I understand it), but you do need a good adoption agency, which is the key to a successful and the least painful process. Being geographically close to the agency is not a factor (we're in Japan, if that tells you anything) so pick on reputation, not proximity. Though we only this one experience to base off of, we highly recommend our agency, Families Through International Adoption (FTIA), based out of Evansville, IN. They have an excellent reputation and have been fantastic in working with us given the difficulties of being overseas while trying to accomplish everything (incidentally, we don't get money or anything else for recommending anyone!). Their website is here.

must be nice living in a high-tech city