Living the Dream: Surviving the Challenges of Adoption

Adoption is never easy. Many potential adoptive parents are stopped in their tracks by the legal, financial, health, and emotional challenges they face along the way. The challenges do not end when all the legal and bureaucratic processes are over: there will be more issues to address and resolve while the adopted child is growing up.

Still, many adoptive parents and adopted children end up living their dream lives after the “rough edges” are smoothed. Help is necessary to level these rough edges and to have a successful adoption. Staying composed and focused is essential. You will need legal assistance from an adoption lawyer or agency, but you can also greatly benefit from having a counselor to guide you through this emotional, nerve-wracking process. After a successful adoption, a counselor can help you cope with the ensuing challenges of parenting and adjustment.

Finding the Right People to Help You

The process starts with making several decisions. According to Path 2 Parenthood“You first need to understand the adoption process from the legal, as well as emotional, standpoint.” There are facts you need to know in order to fine-tune your expectations. There are also questions you want answered, such as: “Who does what? Who will tell you what you can and can’t do? How do you talk to the birth parents? Will you feel the same about a child joining your family through adoption as one born to you?”

Finding the right experts or agency to assist you is critical for most successful adoptions. They can help you get through the initial assessment to become a legal adopter, understand the process, and be better prepared for all the upcoming challenges. Help from the right social worker can be priceless. Adoption can also be very emotional, and a private counselor can assist you in sorting out and resolving the emotional issues that crop up during the process.

“Forewarned Is Forearmed”—Do Your Research

Adoption is a complex legal process. Many prospective adopters may be put off by all the technical aspects and adoption laws. It starts with the dissolution of the parental rights of the birth parents and ends with the “finalization of adoption in court, making you your child’s permanent, legal parents.” The legal aspects are a major hurdle to leap before you can bring home that lovable child you want to call “daughter” or “son.” It is valuable to do your research on the turbulent roller coaster ride you are about to experience.

Adopting a child who was taken from their biological parents can be daunting. It is a joyous occasion for some children, but others, especially the older ones, may be sulky and resent you. Understanding your would-be adopted child’s story can help you know them better. You can seek help from professional counselors to help them understand what’s happening and to guide and raise them well.

Working Well with Your Assigned Social Worker

Part of the adoption process is having a social worker assigned to you. Though their goal is to guide you to succeed, things can go awry when you don’t see matters in the same way. If you think the worker is there to report your inadequacies, you may conceal some vital information.

Rather than fighting the system or being afraid of your social worker, be honest and open with them. If you share your innermost worries and fears, they can help you assess the matter objectively and advise you on how to address your concerns. Do not fear them and don’t hide information, because that can complicate the process. If you need someone else to guide you through, seek the help of a private counselor.

Surviving Adoption with a Counselor

Adoption is an emotional thing; from the first moment you toy with the idea until you raise the child to become a well-adjusted adult. There are countless choices to be made after you decide you will adopt a child. The process can stir up many feelings, both negative and positive, that overwhelm you. A supportive circle of family and friends is important, but you may also need the help of an experienced counselor contracted with Carolina Counseling Services  Pittsboro, NC.

Staying focused and emotionally healthy is necessary to succeed in adoption. Investing in a counselor before and after the adoption can help you weather the challenges and enjoy your new life/role as a parent to a child who needs you. Don’t be hard on yourself. Be patient and work through issues with an independent therapist contracted with Carolina Counseling Services  Pittsboro. Call CCS now for your first appointment.

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