International adoptions

@maximax8 (31043)
United Kingdom
January 11, 2009 7:17am CST
I was reading a magazine and read about a couple that adopted a twelve month old girl from China and a couple that adopted a disabled three year old boy from Russia. For both couples it took ages to get approved as adoptive parents. The had to fill many forms, get medicals, get character references and police reports. They had to have social workers make reports about their homes. To get pregnant is so much quicker and easier for ladies that can do that. It seems a shame to me that the adoption process is very complicated and takes on average one to two years. I would love to adopt a little girl from China because so many are unwanted. She would be aged 1 to 5. What do you think of international adoptions? If you were to adopt which country would you choose? If so would you adopt a boy or a girl and what sort of age?
2 people like this
12 responses
@Frederick42 (2043)
• Canada
12 Jan 09
International adoptions are avery difficult process. I would not go for international adoptions. It would eb far better to adopt a child from our own country. However, I feel that within the next generation, international adoption rules migth relax and then these adoptions will be easier.
1 person likes this
@bombshell (11256)
• Germany
11 Jan 09
if i were adopt a child it will be a girl and fresh born so that she will grow up and treat me like her real mom .
1 person likes this
@checapricorn (16060)
• United States
16 Jan 09
[i]Hi maxima, Maybe they also want to protect the kid since we heard a lot of scary storied that kids are abused and maltreated! SO, I understand if that is how complicated the process is! I will love to adopt a girl if ever I can afford and I prefer from the Philippines since we have also a lot of kids in the orphanage! AT least I can be a great help even in a little way![/i]
@Galena (9110)
11 Jan 09
it does make me wonder why people don't adopt in their own countries. yes, it's very sad, all these orphanages abroad, and the poverty. but there's children here that need loving families too. and I do believe that charity should begin at home. how must it feel as a child waiting for adoption to see that so many people are going to all that trouble to adopt abroad, while they need a home and a family. they must feel like they're not exotic or interesting enough.
@maximax8 (31043)
• United Kingdom
11 Jan 09
I know that people see programs about orphanages in places like China and they so desperately want to give one of the precious little girls a home. I am very keen on traveling so adopting an Asian baby greatly appeals to me. I would be able to bring her up with an understanding of two cultures. I would happily adopt a little girl from my own country but most unwanted children in my home country were aborted. In the 1960s there were lots of children available for adoption in my home country. Catholic families in my home country often adopt sibling groups like I taught a little boy and he had an older brother and younger sister.
@aseretdd (13730)
• Philippines
11 Jan 09
This discussion reminded me of the 7 year old korean girl adopted by a dutch couple when she was just a baby... they returned like returned her to an orphanage after year because they said she cannot adopt well with them... and because of this... there was a clamour for stricter adoption rules... so i really cannot blame countries when their international adoption process takes a lot of time... since the life of the child is at stake here... If i will be given a chance to adopt... i will just choose one from my country... because there are a lot of kids here who are in need of a loving family...
@maximax8 (31043)
• United Kingdom
11 Jan 09
I don't know how the Dutch couple could have emotionally dealt with sending their 7 year old adopted daughter back to Korea. That must have been confusing because she had been with them for one year. I would like to see all adopted children be in loving and caring homes. It is a shame that approval takes so long because I know lots of people that would make excellent adoptive parents. You live in a country where there are plenty of children that need adopting however I would choose from overseas because my home country doesn't have many.
@kerriannc (4279)
• Jamaica
11 Jan 09
What do you think of International Adoptions? I think that persons should adopt within his/her country because there are alot of children in everyone country that need assistance. Now persons should remember that this child that he/she seek to adopt will be uprooting from the culture which he/she is used to. Hence the many methods that need to take place. One doesn't want to send a child to a pedophile. So I am not against those papers work you have listed. I am planning to adopt because I cannot have and I prefer to take children from my country which is Jamaica. I would want both a boy and a girl at the age of 2 yrs.
@maximax8 (31043)
• United Kingdom
11 Jan 09
It is lucky that your country has children to adopt. I am sure in places like some of the European countries abortion is allowed and few unwanted children are born unlike in the 1960s in my home country. China has the one child policy so that might be the reason why there are so many little girls awaiting an adoptive home. If couples were allowed to adopt one of these girls as well as have a baby biologically then the could stay in China. Yes, I am keen that the babies and children do not go to a pedophile. Such a person should be in jail in my opinion. I hope adopted children all go to loving homes.
@Trace86 (5030)
• United States
12 Jan 09
My sister's husband's cousin is in China right now picking up her new daughter from the orphanage. They had a baby shower last year for her and then ran into a delay. I think the girl is 4 or 5 now. I think it is wonderful if you have your heart set on a baby. However, there are so many unwanted children here that could use a loving and safe home too. I would be worried about the language and cultural barriers too. I want a little girl so bad myself and am not sure what lengths I would go to in order to get one if my husband agreed.
@ronaldinu (12422)
• Malta
16 Jan 09
I do have a difficulty about international adoption. Alhough I do admire your interest and of other couples who want to adopt out of love, I am more in favour of adopting in your same country. The reason is that you are plucking a plant from its environment and replanting it in another country. You are taking the child not only from his relatives if he or she has any but even from his culture, religion, traditions, his own place.
• Philippines
12 Jan 09
[i][b]If I didn't get pregnant last year I would have opted for an adoption this year or next year. Well, I did get pregnant and I'm happy with my bundle of joy. I think international adoption is really complicated, with all the papers and stuff. Of course, there's the issue of differences, not that it matters much to me but I'm sure it'll matter to our lives as Mom and child. But if I'll be given the opportunity to adopt from another country, I think I'll choose Sweden. I don't know but I have this affinity for Swede people I really can't explain it (good that you didn't ask for an explanation ). I would probably adopt a cute baby boy (a cuddly 1 year old so I'll be past the scary infancy stage ) so he'll be using my Dad's name. [/b][/i]
@bamakelly (5191)
• United States
12 Jan 09
I think that it is a very admirable thing for couple to want to adopti a child. Yes. I can imagine that waiting is a hard thing to do for people that seriously want a child. International adopting is a nice thing to do. We still have plenty of children in the U.S. that need a good family. If I were to adopt from a country I might pick a place like Asia or India. Doesn't at all matter what gender of the child. I don't think age would matter too much either but if I needed to choose I would probably want a toddler.
@BlueGoblin (1829)
• United States
12 Jan 09
Forcing a child to live in an ugly British culture is a far worse than living in poverty in China. You think you live in a superior country because you have ipods and get fat on fish and chips. Who says that is a better life? I'd rather live in China than talk in a stupid English accent.
@BlueGoblin (1829)
• United States
12 Jan 09
The real reason people adopt children from over seas is because they were not allowed to adopt kids here. They are not fit parents. Did you know many of those children adopted from other countries are abused here in the US? It is true. Russia filed complaints about it. Children are not puppies so stop treating them like one. "Which country would you choose?" is prime example of what I'm talking about. That's almost like saying white lab or chocolate lab? I hope you get hit by a moving vehicle before you are allowed to adopt a child.