Adopting Your Stepchild
Adopting Your Stepchild – How to Adopt your Stepchild – the reasons why and the important decision-making process is given below, involving all parties for a successful, happy adoption. (“Adopting Your Stepchild – Parents Club”)
If the parents of a child separate, some parents find a new partner and may even remarry when they feel ready to start a new life together. The child is then involved in this new family with their stepparent. The new member of the family may decide to adopt the child from their spouse’s previous marriage or relationship. This is usually beneficial for the whole family, as once again the child belongs to a proper family unit again and can feel safe and secure.
The stepparent develops a bond with the child as they play a significant role in their life, and the child’s well-being as they grow up. (“Adopting Your Stepchild – Todays Parenting”) There are prominent issues to consider to successfully adopt a stepchild.
When considering adopting your stepchild, you need to discuss it with your partner or spouse first. As it is their biological child, they should be involved in every step of the process of adoption and to support you if they feel comfortable in making this life-changing decision. They need to consider if it is in the best interest of the child to go ahead with this, as they must weigh up the circumstances of the current relationship against the old one. If it is considered to not be the best decision, you may need to discuss why and whether it can be resolved in any way. After some considerable time, this issue can be raised again at a more opportune moment.
If your spouse considers it a good decision for you to adopt the child and you are ready, you should then ask your stepchild how they feel about your decision, that is, if they are at an age where they understand the proposal you are making to them.
“Your stepchild needs to realize the importance of what it means to be adopted by you and to know what all the options to consider.” (“Adopting Your Stepchild – Todays Parenting”) Give them time to decide on their own. Answer any concerns they may have and let them know that the decision is theirs; should they not feel comfortable about being adopted let them know that you support their decision, and that you still love them and will always be there if they need you.
“Your stepchild should not feel pressured into accepting the decision, but allow them to get used to the idea, and they will come to you once they have made their mind up.” (“Adopting Your Stepchild – Todays Parenting”) They should not be placed in a demanding situation which requires them to give you an immediate reply.
Adopting your stepchild needs the consent of the biological parent. If the other biological parent is unable to make the decision, then the case must go to court for them to decide. If the other parent has abandoned the child, or is unfit to consent to the condition, the court can then offer the consent. However, if the other parent is deceased, submitting consent to a court is not necessary.
Adopting Siblings
Thinking of Adopting Siblings? “The process for adopting sibling children for parents who can love and care for them together in one stable loving environment.” (“Adoption Made Easy by Max Diamond – Issuu”)
If a child is adopted into a permanent home, it is very upsetting for them if they have siblings who are also up for adoption and get left behind. Often, new parents only want to adopt one child. If siblings are separated and they have grown up together in a children’s home, it can have a dramatic effect on the adopted child’s life.
If the child is old enough to understand what has occurred in being adopted, they would have mixed emotions. “They may be happy at going into a permanent home where they will have parents to love and care for them, but they are leaving behind their siblings who are still waiting for a family when they should be together, because they are family.” (“Adopting Siblings – Parents Club”)
Fortunately, there are potential families who wish to adopt siblings, so that the whole family can stay together. (“Adopting Siblings – Parents Club”) These parents show that they have lots of compassion and commitment in adopting all the children in one family, so that they have a loving, stable home. This proves to be a huge expense – there are the expensive adoption process fees, as well as the daily living expenses which an immediate expense increase with adopting a whole family of children. “Couples should be financially stable before they are approved for adopting siblings.” (“Adopting Siblings – Parents Club”)
One of the countries that have sibling groups up for adoption is Colombia. They are usually to be found to be living in one of the small or large orphanages and some of the foster homes. Most of these children have come from families in poverty and poor backgrounds, abandoned by their parents who have lost all parental rights.
The siblings stay together to give each other comfort and the strength they need in these orphanages and the foster homes. If the siblings are separated, this could have damaging effects which last long term. A child that is adopted without their siblings will also feel anxiety at the separation. Sibling adoption is permitted in Colombia. Parents wishing to adopt must meet the requirements which are laid down by the Colombian adoption department, before being allowed to take home their whole family of adopted children.
The adopting parents first need to find out the history behind why the children were abandoned. If parental rights were not terminated, it can cause a be disappointing and heartbreaking to find out that later, if the birth parents, then decide that they would like their children back.
This would devastate both the children that have been adopted and their adoptive parents, as then a battle would ensue in court for custody which can be a long-drawn-out process.
In most cases, unfortunately, the court decides that the children would be best returned to their birth parents, although it may not always be in the best interest of the children. All the adoptive parents can do is allow the children to return to their birth parents, with all their hopes and prayer that the children will be loved and cared for in a loving and healthy environment.
“For those interested in sibling adoption, contact an adoption agency for consultation, or use the Internet and browse for information.” (“Adopting Siblings – Todays Parenting”) The internet is a reliable source of information on how to adopt, including sibling adoption and you can also read stories about parents who have successfully adopted siblings. (“Should I Adopt Siblings? | The Medical Questions”) “You can collate vital information before deciding that adopting siblings is right for you as a couple.” (“Adopting Siblings – Parents Club”)
Best Wishes, Coyalita
See Tomorrow: “Adopting A Special Needs Child”
Just use your name and valid email address – I will never sell or share your email address with anyone. Never. You may unsubscribe anytime. I hate spam just as much as you do.