Many times I hear prospective adoptive parents discussing how complicated the adoption process is. Yes, it takes time and focus to get through the home study paperwork and do the profile and manage your networking efforts. But I like to think of it as a time of preparation.
When you are a parent, there are so many things that take far more time and effort than you expect. For instance, the first day of school, children usually bring home a THICK pack of paperwork that must be done immediately and sent back the next day. You have to provide immunization records, emergency contacts, insurance information, physician names and numbers, allergies and medical conditions, not to mention all the forms you have to read and agree to, not agree to, or read again because you didn’t understand it the first time around! Even if your child went to the same school last year and all the information is the same, you still have to provide it all again.
There is a lot of paperwork in adoption but most of it has a purpose: to ensure that children are going to safe families who can provide a loving, stable, and secure home for them to grow and flourish in.
Some families get discouraged and consider giving up midway through. I encourage you to keep moving forward, focusing only on the next task.
It’s kind of like the old joke: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
If you look at the entire process, it can indeed be overwhelming, just like eating an entire elephant. But if you go step-by-step through each part of the process, it is manageable.
Set goals for yourself that are attainable, knowing that every step you take is one step closer to your child! (Remember, if you are just beginning Adoption For Life, start with the first three lessons.)
