Pros and Cons of Adopting a Baby

Most people who want to adopt usually go for infant adoption. It's not all that unusual. Infant adoption really is a good choice. Sure, it can be a bit expensive. However, this doesn't change the fact that adopting a baby has lots of benefits.

Advantages of Adopting a Baby

Perhaps the biggest advantage of adopting a child while he is still a baby is that you get to be a huge influence in his life. He doesn't have to be marred by the scars of his or her past.

Cases of child abandonment are fairly common in this less-than-perfect world of ours, and this can leave the deepest of scars. Older children who are still up for adoption usually have these emotional scars and these can manifest in their personalities (e.g. they turn rebellious or cold) whereas infants probably won't have these scars at all.

Infants don't remember their birthparents and they're not going to know they have been abandoned or given up by their real parents if you don't tell them. You could even act like you're his real parent until the day you decide to tell him about the truth or until he becomes suspicious. It's the perfect setup. You could give your child a chance at an unblemished childhood, untainted by the pain of abandonment.

Disadvantages of Adopting a Baby

Nothing can really be perfect, though. Babies grow into adulthood and a day of reckoning is certain to come - that day when you're going to have to tell him that he's adopted. It would be hard - emotional - like a scene snatched from one of those overly dramatic soap operas. Unfortunately, too, you can never be sure about the outcome. You can't be sure if he'll accept it like a mature adult would or if he'd take it immaturely and do something irrational and even dangerous.

There's also the home study. The social worker will have to pry into your private life to know every detail that would be significant to the adoption. You will have to fit certain criteria. Married people will probably find it easier to adopt a baby than single people. Also, you'll have to be married for three years before you can adopt. The social workers will also be checking your capacity to raise a child - your family background, your educational background and even your work.

There's also the cost of adopting a baby. Infant adoptions don't come free, you know. The cost can range from $7,000 to $30,000 dollars! Yes, it can cost that much. The actual cost depends on the type of adoption you prefer - domestic or international. International adoption naturally costs more than domestic adoption.

Types of Adoption as They Concern Adopting a Baby

In domestic adoption, the child you will adopt would have to come from your own country. What's good about this type of adoption is that you and the baby's parents have more or less a similar background. The baby might even grow up looking a bit like you. In other words, domestic adoption would be a lot easier in the matter of adjustment.

Furthermore, if ever the child wants to search for his biological parents in the future, it would be easier. You might also have more information about the child's background - his parents and their health issues, their educational attainment and other information that you might deem useful.

International adoption, on the other hand, is a type of adoption wherein the child will have to come from another country. This type of adoption is more favorable for altruists who simply want to help other children.

Perhaps the biggest difficulty in this type of adoption would be the lack of background information. There would also be the tough questions like, "Why is my skin dark and yours light?" or "How come I don't look like you mama/papa?"

One important thing to remember when faced with the challenges of adopting a baby is that it will all be worth it in the end. Raising a child is a wonderful priceless experience that you wouldn't want to trade for anything in this world.