Preparing to Adopt - Education
by Kent Brand
One of the most crucial areas of adoption is adoption education. Just as educational preparation is important for teachers, doctors and attorneys, so learning about adoption issues is vital to the success of an adoption. The fact that HOPE for Children adoptive parents are so “well read” on this subject has led to continued success with their families.
Here are three tips on getting educated about adoption:
- Study with a humble and eager attitude. Learn to trust the experts who have many years of experience with adoption. Couples who think they “know it all” are the ones who often “get in over their heads” and end up in very challenging situations.
- As you read, underline key points and discuss later with your spouse. This will help make it “fun” and meaningful.
- Realize that books are written for different purposes. Some are written for reality and will scare you. Others are written for inspiration and will probably move your heart and make you cry. And then there are books that are full of wisdom and practical suggestions. Try to read a balance of all three.
In my opinion the “classic” book, Raising Adopted Children, by Lois Melina, is the best place to begin your adoption journey. Lois gives a great overview on preparation coupled with vision and reality.
If you decide to complete an orientation with HOPE for Children, we will also give you other educational tools to assist you not only with preparation, but also helpful resources for parenting “your child” post adoption.
Helpful Hint: Don’t get all of your information off of the Internet. Try the library and the bookstore.
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