If you’re interested in adoption – whether it’s because you haven’t been able to conceive or because you simply have your heart set on adoption – you’re in good company. Many parents in Texas adopt, and while the process can be a journey, the rewards are difficult to overstate.
Adoption is a complex emotional and legal matter, which makes it important to know that you’re ready to take the next step and to have an experienced Round Rock family law attorney in your corner.
Adopting as a Single Person or as a Couple
In Texas, you can adopt a child on your own if you are single or adopt a child as a married couple. However, it’s important to note that if you are married, you and your spouse must adopt together – just as you would have a child together.
Parenting is an immense and infinitely rewarding challenge, and parenting on one’s own is more challenging. If you and your spouse are considering adoption, you’ll move forward through the process as a team and will accept the responsibilities of parenting together. If you’re proceeding on your own, you’ll need to factor in the complexities of being a single parent.
You’ve Given the Matter Considerable Thought
If you’re reading this, you’ve likely considered adoption and put some thought into what it will mean for you. This is the first step in the process, and it’s an important one. If taking on the immense responsibility of caring for a little one is something you can imagine yourself doing, you’re headed in the right direction.
If, on the other hand, you aren’t sure how you could possibly make adoption work for you, you likely need to do more soul-searching before making a decision this momentous.
You and Your Partner Are Solid
If you’re adopting as a married couple and you’re hoping that adoption will bring you closer, you’re almost certainly on the wrong track. Having a child – whether through adoption or by giving birth – is one of life’s most serious stressors, and your relationship should be solid going in. If all the following apply, you’re likely ready to proceed:
You and your partner are both enthusiastic about adoption.
You and your partner have cultivated a relationship that’s built on trust and open communication.
You and your partner are able to overcome stressors in your relationship without major setbacks.
You and your partner understand that adoption is a challenging process, and you’re both prepared to go the distance.
You Have Financial Stability
In order to adopt in Texas, you don’t have to be wealthy, but you do need the financial stability required to raise a child. During the adoption process, you’ll need to demonstrate that you have the resources to meet your child’s needs in relation to all the following:
Providing them with safe, comfortable shelter
Feeding them nutritious meals
Affording them educational opportunities
Providing them with extracurricular opportunities
If you are confident in your financial ability to provide for a child now and well into their future, you’re headed in the right direction for adoption.
You’ve Done the Legwork
Everyone’s adoption journey is unique. In Texas, many couples foster children – of all ages – before they adopt, but in other instances, parents adopt newborns and raise their adopted children from birth. Whichever path you choose, you can expect a complicated process that may come with unexpected twists and turns.
Educating yourself about the adoption process in Texas will leave you better situated to proceed – with the knowledge you need to make well-informed decisions and stay the course when you run into challenges.
Consider the basic requirements for adopting a child in Texas:
You must be at least 21 years old, financially stable, and have responsibility and maturity going for you.
You must complete the application process and, in so doing, must share personal information about your lifestyle and background.
You must provide references from both relatives and nonrelatives.
If you are married, you must provide proof; if you’re divorced, you’ll have to do the same.
You must submit to a comprehensive home study that involves interviewing everyone in your household.
You and all the adults in your household must submit to a background check involving criminal history as well as child abuse or neglect.
The more you know about the adoption process, the clearer you’ll be about whether or not you’re ready to proceed. One of the most reliable resources when it comes to the adoption process is a dedicated family law attorney with a wealth of experience successfully handling challenging adoption cases.
You’re Prepared Emotionally
Adopting a child is an emotional rollercoaster. There are highs and lows involved that are difficult to predict but that should be taken into consideration from the outset. With adoption, you’ll not only need to adapt to the responsibilities and outpouring of love, but will also have to recognize and empathize with your adoptive child’s experience and background.
Research finds that even children who are adopted as newborns experience an overall sense of loss in relation to losing their birth parents, and if your child is older, the loss can be far more pronounced.
As an adoptive parent, you’ll need to be sensitive to your child’s basic physical and emotional needs, but you’ll also need to address the additional grief component that is closely associated with adoption.
Taking the time to consider the full range of emotions involved can help you more accurately assess how well prepared you are to adopt and can help you better prepare for what’s to come.
You’re Committed to the Process
It can’t be emphasized enough that adoption is rarely a straightforward process. If you’re preparing to adopt, you – or you and your spouse if you’re adopting as a married couple – need to be prepared for what’s to come and fully committed to the process.
You are going to face obstacles, and to stay on track, you’ll need to put your shoulder into it. This means cultivating all the following:
Patience
Determination
Commitment
Flexibility
Adoption takes time, and in the process, you’ll need to open your home to outsiders, will need to loosen your need for privacy, and will need to rearrange your schedule to accommodate requirements. If these are all things you are willing to do for the sake of adoption, you are on the right track.
You’re Reasonably Healthy
While you don’t have to be in tiptop shape to adopt a child, you do need to be healthy enough to care and provide for them. Children are active and tend to be risk magnets, and to parent effectively, you need to be healthy enough to keep up.
If you have any health concerns that could interfere with your ability to parent, it’s important to address them ahead of time with your medical provider. Learning to manage your condition in the context of parenting will help you take another step forward in preparation of adoption.
You Have the Support You Need
Whether you adopt a child or give birth to a child, you don’t parent in a vacuum, and the more support you have, the better prepared you’ll be to handle everything that’s going to be coming your way. Support can come from unexpected places that start with family members and close friends and can extend to trusted coworkers, neighbors, and beyond.
The stronger your support system – and the more support you have in relation to your decision to adopt – the better prepared you’ll be to move steadily forward with the adoption process.
Your House Is Child Friendly
When you adopt a child, you provide them with a family and a home, and that home needs to be a child friendly, safe, and nurturing environment. When the adoption professional conducts your home study, they’re not simply looking for an extra bedroom but are, instead, trying to establish that the child you adopt can thrive in your home.
As such, the home study will take all the following into consideration:
The community in which your home is located
The space your home provides
The safety measures that are in place
The location of your home and any attendant safety concerns, such as being located near a busy road
Your home’s yard
The proximity of your home to parks and other kid-friendly locations
If you’ve carefully considered your home in relation to welcoming a new child into your family and have taken the steps necessary to get it ready for a child, it’s a clear sign that you are well on your way to adoption preparedness.
You Recognize that Your Life Will Change Drastically, and You Can’t Wait
You’ll know you’re ready to adopt when you accept that your life will change in ways that you can’t even imagine and that, while it isn’t going to be easy, it is going to be worth it. If you have taken a personal inventory, accept all the challenges and unknowns that come with adopting a child, and you can’t wait to get started, you’re ready to adopt.
These challenges include but are not limited to all the following:
You’re going to have far less time to yourself.
You’re going to be responsible for a vulnerable child’s safety, health, happiness, and overall well-being all day, every day.
You may not sleep through the night for a long time to come.
You’re going to be desperately busy, and your own interests and hobbies will likely be put on hold for the foreseeable future.
Your house may never again be as clean as you’d like it to be.
If you're ready to take all this and more on, you have your answer – you’re ready to begin the adoption process.
FAQ
The questions you have about adoption may be included in the questions family law attorneys answer most frequently.
Do I have to be married to adopt?
No, in Texas you don’t have to be married to adopt, but if you are married, you and your spouse will need to adopt together. If you do adopt on your own, it means becoming a single parent, and you’ll need to be up for that, which includes having the necessary support.
I’m terrified about the home study. What can I do?
It’s only natural to be concerned about a comprehensive study that involves strangers investigating the inner workings of your home and your personal life, but it’s important to remember why they’re there. Their goal is to ensure that you can provide an adopted child with a safe, loving home that fosters their growth and development.
They are not looking for perfection. A home that reflects a happy and healthy lifestyle – with a bit of everyday chaos thrown in for good measure – fits the bill nicely.
How long does the adoption process take?
While there is no way of knowing how long it will take to adopt a child, there is an average timeline that can help you plan accordingly. While the adoption process typically takes at least 9 months, it sometimes stretches well beyond the 18-month mark.
Turn to an Experienced Round Rock Family Law Attorney for the Guidance You Need
Brett Pritchard at The Law Office of Brett H. Pritchard in Round Rock, Texas, is a trusted family law attorney who channels the full force of his legal skill and insight in pursuit of advantageous outcomes for his valued clients who want to adopt.
We’re here for you, too, so please don’t hesitate to contact or call us at 254-781-4222 to schedule your free consultation and learn more today.