When most prospective parents consider adoption, they often envision adopting a baby or relatively young child. The latter population isn’t at risk of aging out of foster care and not finding a forever family if someone doesn’t adopt them. Teens are.
Many prospective parents avoid adopting teens because they worry that they’re “damaged goods” or too close to reaching adulthood. Teens can benefit from having a family to call their own.
How teens benefit from being adopted
Many teens who find themselves available for adoption have experienced trauma or have suffered neglect or abandonment, which have left them with emotional despair. A teen who learns that someone wants them can help begin to heal a heartbroken teen’s emotional wounds. The showering of love that the adoptive parent provides a teen can help them rebuild their trust for others, which can change their perspective moving forward.
Parents also often avoid considering teens for adoption because they worry that there’s little opportunity to leave an impression on them. Teens are still looking for role models to guide them even if they seem resolute in their opinions about things.
How to make adopting a teen work for you
All adoptive parents must be flexible. They must commit to getting to know their child and weathering the ups and downs in emotions that they’re bound to experience. Adoptive parents must also be open to seeing the world from their child’s perspective and find ways to champion their opinions.
Many different steps go into facilitating an adoption. Learning more about those steps and working with an experienced advocate can help you move through the process with ease.
