Opting for adoption as opposed to having biological children can be taxing, but ultimately, for some it is the best choice. You help a child and offer them a stable and loving home. We know that adopting can be a very fulfilling experience for the parents, but what does getting a real foreverhome mean for the children? This is a complex question and can be answered from many different viewpoints.
Having a foreverhome means having a warm and safe home to grow up in. Although birth parents can be involved in the life of the child, the home is where the child feels it truly belongs. On the other hand, for older children who have been in other foster homes for a long time, being placed in a permanent home for the first time might be a turbulent experience. While being placed in a foreverhome means that the hopes and dreams of a real family have finally been realized, this can instigate feelings of stress and doubt for children who’ve never been offered that security before. A lot of older children have been abused and neglected or moved from home to home. Each child will have a totally unique experience. If you are patient, in time the child will begin to understand that this home really is forever. They should acclamate to their new normal. At first it may be culture shock, even for things that should be able to count on naturally. Having a warm bed, food on the table, being listened to and understood and their feelings appreciated. For older children, this might be the first time they can really be a child, and behave like one. It’s also the first time they may not have to worry about survival and their basic needs. They truly feel safe for the first time, and a connection to an adult who really cares for them and their wellbeing.
All of these feelings are difficult to process, but when talking to adopted children, or reading their experiences, the most common thing you find them saying about their adoption into a foreverhome is that it saved their life.
