Five Signs You Are Ready to Start the Adoption Process

Adoption can be an exciting and rewarding experience — but it’s also a big commitment that requires plenty of time, energy and patience. How do you know when you’re truly ready to begin the adoption process?
There are several factors to take into consideration as you determine if and when adoption is right for you. If you have been considering adoption, here are five signs you’re ready to take the leap:

1. You have fully accepted and moved on from infertility. Infertility can be a difficult situation to accept, and it is normal for couples to experience a period of grief and loss. Before beginning your adoption journey, it is important that you and your spouse have both moved through the grief process and have fully embraced the decision to adopt. Try talking with an infertility or marriage counselor to help you through this process and ensure you are both ready to fully commit to adoption.

2. You know you can love a child that’s not biologically yours. Adoption can be an amazing way to realize your dreams of becoming a parent and sharing your life with a child — but it will not satisfy dreams of being pregnant or giving birth. Before you pursue adoption, you have to be certain that you are ready to love and accept an adopted child as your own, regardless of where he or she came from biologically.

3. You have the resources to care for a child. You will need to prepare an adoption budget to cover adoption agency fees, medical costs, legal expenses and more, and ensure you have the financial stability to raise a child and support a growing family. It’s also important that you are mentally and emotionally prepared to care for a child and have the time and energy to dedicate to parenthood.

4. You understand and are ready to commit to the process. The adoption process can be long and, at times, difficult. Completing a home study, waiting for a match and meeting prospective birth parents can be overwhelming — but these should be seen as exciting steps to becoming a family. If you are considering adoption, do your research and reach out to an adoption professional for more information. Make sure you are comfortable with the process as you begin your adoption journey.

5. You know that it will all be worth it. Adoption has its challenges and frustrations. You will experience many ups and downs throughout the adoption process, but know that in the end, you will get to start your next rewarding journey as a parent — and that makes it all worth it.

Please read the following to learn more about the three requirements of getting started with adoption.