If you are choosing to adopt a child as your own, you are positively changing more than one life in the process. Adoption, when handled with the correct care, is an opportunity for both the child and parents to fulfill a life they truly deserve.
There are many benefits of adopting a child, some you may not even realize.
What is adoption?
It is establishing a parent-child relationship, legally, with someone else’s child.
When you adopt, you are taking all responsibility for the child which include emotional and financial. There are many different types of adoptions including stepparent, relative, agency, or non-agency adoption. Adoptions can be open where the birth parents keep in touch with the parents and get updates on the child, or it can be closed where all information is kept confidential.
No matter what type of adoption you choose, there are so many positive effects for the child and the potential parents alike.
Watch The Video Version - Hear Kathy Minella Explain Adoption From a Legal Lens
The Benefits of Adoption According to a San Diego Family Law Attorney:
[this article has been updated for 2024 since it’s original publish date ]
Love:
Every child is entitled to a loving family for the entirety of life.
When you choose to adopt, you are choosing to emotionally bond yourself with love to a child and them to you, which has positive effects for both. The parental relationship provided by adoption will allow a child to thrive. A birth parent may not have the ability to provide the love a child needs.
Support:
Every child needs support through their life as well. Supporting a child is more than physical needs. An adoptive parent provides a child with emotional support through all of life’s ups and downs.
A child who is adopted is provided the ability to thrive in life.
Resources:
Children who are adopted typically do not have the right amount of resources in the current situation that they need. Birth parents will make a selfless decision to give up their child for adoption sometimes based on their lack of resources.
As an adoptive parent, you are providing the child with financial resources and support. Birth parents usually are not financially capable of such needed provision and you are allowing for a lifestyle that every child should have.
Education:
A child also deserves that chance for a great education and an opportunity to reach whatever goal they set. Not only does adopting a child give them a chance at an education, but the financial security and support will push the child to accomplish more. Plus, it can provide the birth parents the opportunity to finish their education
Social Relationships:
Life in the Foster care system can be difficult for children to grow socially, especially if the child moves from home to home frequently. A child who remains in foster care is less likely to develop long term relationships.
When you adopt, you give a child the ability to make stables relationships through a school setting or near their home. This will drastically help the child to make long term friendships which will positively impact the child.
Opportunities:
As for birth parents, putting a child up for adoption rather than other methods is saving a life. Not only does that child get to have opportunities, but you are allowing for those opportunities to be carried through by a better-equipped family.
It also can provide opportunities for a birth parent as they may be able to attend school and acquire an education.
Growth:
Parents who adopt receive an experience that continues to grow in positive ways not only for themselves but for the child as well. A child has the ability to grow in a family where they will be loved, supported, and most of all wanted.
A stable and supportive home environment provided through adoption can contribute to a child’s overall well-being and help them reach their full potential.
Traditions:
When an adopted child becomes a part of a family, parents can pass down traditions, spread culture and faith. Children should understand the heritage and family rites of passage. In an open adoption, the child can still have access to their birth family so they can learn where they came from as well as how they were raised.
Gratitude:
If a family adopts a child, they will have feelings of gratitude. People often find fulfillment from helping a child in need, especially those who are in seriously negative situations.
The child will also have gratitude especially if they are rescued from their current situation.
Experience:
Raising a child is an overall amazing experience that any person should be able to enjoy. Adoption makes that possible for every individual who desires to be a parent.
Legal Recognition and Security:
Adoption grants legal recognition to the parent-child relationship, providing security and stability for both the child and the adoptive parents. The adopted child gains the same legal rights as a biological child within the family.
Providing Sibling Relationships:
For families with biological children, adoption can provide siblings with the opportunity to form close relationships. Siblings, whether biological or adopted, often share unique and meaningful connections.
Encouraging Empathy and Compassion:
Adoptive families often cultivate empathy and compassion, as they navigate the complexities of adoption and address any challenges that may arise. This can contribute to a family culture of understanding and support.
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It’s important to note that while adoption brings many positive benefits, it also involves unique challenges, and the experience can vary for each family. Adoptive parents and children may encounter adjustment periods, and ongoing support and resources can be valuable in navigating the complexities of adoption.
If you are planning on bringing another loved one into the family, it can be a smooth process without hassle. Minella Law Group is swift and professional in handling the adoption legalities, we can assist you with your stepparent adoptions or independent adoptions.
Being primarily a law firm that handles divorce, it brings us so much joy to bring families together! Adoptions are the one area where we can celebrate the union and the joy brought to a child.
For more information or to schedule an appointment or call us at (619) 289-7948. We look forward to helping you with completing your family!