In the middle of all the excitement, nervousness, and rushing to prepare for becoming adoptive parents, there is one aspect that can get pushed to the back burner, only to rear its difficult head on down the road. The emotional aspect. Without proper preparation and counseling prior to adoption, parents can find that there are so many things they were not ready for, nor ever expected.
A beautifully written description of adoption emotions can be found here, written by an adoptive mother who was quite unprepared for the experience. She details each emotion that she never saw coming, and sometimes felt guilty for feeling. They range from woeful bliss to ungratefulness to fear of a biological parent taking her child away.
Adoptive parents need a team of professionals who can prepare them mentally, legally, emotionally, and physically for what is to come. An adoption attorney is of utmost importance in making sure that all protections are in place for both the child and the parents. He or she can also address future planning needs, such as an estate plan or college funds. In working together, an adoption agent, adoptive parents, adoption attorney, and biological family can create a seamless, loving experience for all involved in a private adoption.
In cases where the child is currently in foster care under guardianship of the state, an attorney is almost always required to complete the process. Taking even just a few minutes to consult with an experienced adoption attorney can ease a mind of a thousand burning questions and scenarios.
Source: Adoptive Families, “Secret thoughts of an adoptive mother,” Jana Wolff, Accessed Mar. 6, 2018