If you’re considering adoption, there are likely many things running through your mind. What will the adoption process be like? Which child will join our family? Will the child have a personality that does well in our family?
There are many things to think about. But while you are thinking of the various “what ifs,” it is also important to stay lighthearted and positive about your future as an adoptive parent. Adoption has many interesting and even surprising facts that you might not know about. For example, here are 6 fun facts about adoption:
#1: Adoption has been officially legal since the 1850s.
A new law in 1850 passed in Massachusetts that recognized adoption as a legal and social process.
Before that, adoptions were not legally recognized. Instead, children were sometimes sent to other families to be educated, train as an apprentice, or simply to live. This was usually because the family was unable to provide for the child.
Orphanages were also popular for parents who truly could not provide for their kids. Sometimes, sending a child to the orphanage was just a temporary solution for parents who needed to get back on their feet before taking their kids back home.
#2: Adoption in the United States gives more than 100,000 kids a loving home each year.
About 135,000 kids in the United States find forever homes each year through adoption. It is also estimated that more than 1.5 million adopted kids live in the United States. Adoption is a wonderful option that provides a number of children of all ages the chance to achieve their dreams and live a life that is full of rich experiences.
#3: National Adoption Day is observed the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
President Ronald Reagan first started National Adoption Week in 1984. But in 2000, National Adoption Day was formed by a coalition of national partners such as Children’s Action Network, Freddie Mac Foundation, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, and more. On this day every year, there are hundreds of events held around the country to help wrap up the final details for children waiting to be adopted from the foster care system. In 2020, National Adoption Day is Saturday, November 21st…tomorrow!
#4: Adopted children know their adoption stories.
Kids who grow up knowing their adoption story learn more about who they are from a young age. In past decades, adoption stories may have been kept quiet, or the children may have learned later in life that they were adopted.
But this is very uncommon nowadays. Instead, adoption professionals, birth parents, and adoptive families talk openly about the child and where they came from. Normalizing the adoption story allows the child to be proud of their story and their opportunity to be brought into a loving adoptive home.
#5: Closed adoptions are now rare.
Although not as common, closed adoptions do still exist. Instead, open adoptions are the new normal.
In fact, adoptive families and birth mothers often prefer having an open line of communication. The birth mother can decide on an open adoption or semi-open adoption, meaning they can keep in touch. This is beneficial for the kids and the parents, too.
#6: Celebrities have brought a greater awareness of adoption.
Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Hoda Kotb, Sandra Bullock, Madonna, and Meg Ryan are just some of the celebrities who have adopted children. Because of their experience in the public eye, adoption has become more mainstream and less stigmatized. Additionally, this has given more potential adoptive parents hope that there is a child out there waiting for them.
Lifetime Adoption: A Domestic Open Adoption Agency
We hope you enjoyed learning a few fun facts about adoption. You can find lots of information about the different types of adoption, public and private agencies, adoption and social workers, and more, including such facts as the average age of an adopted child, from the government’s Child Welfare Information Gateway.
Of course, Lifetime Adoption’s website is also a great resource!
If you are a woman facing an unexpected pregnancy and are considering finding a family that can give your child the life you want them to have, our caring team of adoption coordinators can help answer your questions.
Are you considering adoption to grow your family? We can answer your questions. Because Lifetime has over 35 years of experience and has been helping families grow through the miracle of adoption!
Contact Lifetime Adoption today for more information about domestic adoptions.
Founder of Lifetime Adoption, adoptive mom, adoption expert, and Certified Open Adoption Practitioner (C.O.A.P).
Since 1986, adoption expert Mardie Caldwell has been dedicated to bringing couples and birth parents together in order to fulfill their dreams.
“Many years ago, I was also searching for a child to adopt. We didn’t know where or how to get started. Through research, determination, and a prayer, our dream of a family became reality. I started with a plan, a notebook, assistance from a caring adoption consultant and a lot of hard work; this was my family I was building. We had a few heartaches along the way, but the pain of not having children was worse!
Within weeks we had three different birth mothers choose us. We were overwhelmed and delighted. Many unsettling events would take place before our adoption would be finalized, many months later. Little did I know that God was training and aligning me for the adoption work I now do today. It is my goal to share with our families the methods and plans which succeed and do not succeed. I believe adoption should be affordable and can be a wonderful “pregnancy” for the adoptive couple.
I have also been on both sides of infertility with the loss of seven pregnancies and then conceiving by new technology, giving birth to a healthy daughter. I have experienced first-hand the emotional pain of infertility and believe my experience allows me to serve your needs better.
It is my hope that for you, the prospective parents, your desire for a child will be fulfilled soon.”
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