One of the many assumptions people make about adoption is that it’s always better to adopt younger children. However, that’s simply not true. When you open your heart to an older child, you have the chance to forge an extra special bond with someone who may have never dreamed they’d be chosen for adoption. While this decision may not be right for every family, countless parents have already experienced the unique joy of welcoming a new son or daughter into their home. If you’re considering adopting, here are some advantages of adopting an older child.
Know Their History:
In many cases, older children have more information about their birth parents and overall health history. This can be imperative to understanding any of the child’s past issues or emotional problems. If something’s wrong, you’ll be able to understand enough to help the child move on and overcome the issue, whatever it may be.
Have Shorter Wait Times:
It’s no secret that adoptions can take years. But with older children, the process is usually much quicker because there are so many older children waiting to be adopted. Not having to wait as long to adopt a child means that you’ll have more time with them and be a bigger influence on their life.
Understand Their Needs:
Many times in infant adoptions, parents find out several years down the road that the child has special needs. This can lead to the parent becoming resentful or, in extreme cases, unable or unwilling to provide the extra care for the child. But by adopting an older child, their needs will be made very clear to you by the adoption agency, and there won’t be any surprises down the road.
Share Your Interests:
One of the best parts of parenting is having the beautiful ability to share your interests with your child as they age and begin to understand more. As your child grows, you’ll be able to instill in them the passion and drive to become successful. The same goes for adopting an older child — you’ll be able to share your passions and help them discover theirs. Not only that, but adopting an older child means you’ll get to skip some of the less-than-glamorous aspects of parenting, like diaper changing, potty training, and more.
If you have any doubts about adopting a child of any age, here’s a heartwarming fact to keep in mind: According to the National Survey of Adoptive Parents (NSAP) from the U.S. Department of Health and Services, fully 90% of adopted children ages five and older have positive feelings about their adoption. Ultimately, adopting an older child is one of the most beautiful gifts you can give to another human being. It gives them a second chance at life, love, and family — and it does the same for you.
For more resources about adoption in America, contact Legacy Adoptions.
