Adopters - Adoption Information, Early Adopter

Who adopts? People of every race, ethnic heritage, marital status, religion, and income.

Every year, tens of thousands of people - people just like you and people very different from you - choose to adopt for a variety of reasons. There are thousands of reasons for choosing to adopt: Some people have simply always wanted to adopt for as long as they can remember. Maybe you (or a parent, spouse, or close friend) were adopted. Maybe you have an adopted sibling or your parents served as foster parents to children in need. Perhaps you knew a birthmother who placed her child for adoption. There are so many ways a child can become exposed to the idea of adoption, any one of which can influence a lifetime decision at a very early age.

Some people view adoption as the only responsible way to approach the issue of parenting a child on an already crowded Earth. They want to have the experience of raising a child without adding to the overpopulation burden weighing down our planet. For these people, fertility (or the lack thereof) never enters the equation. However, many people approach the issue of adoption only after they fail to conceive a genetically linked child, and there are quite a few agencies and foreign countries that include infertility as a prerequisite for infant adoption.

The largest group of adopters are relative adopters. A relative adopter can either be biologically related to the adopted child or be married to the child's parent (stepparent). An example of a biological connection is a grandparent, aunt, or uncle. Relative adoptions can often be simpler to accomplish, and they offer the benefit of keeping a child within the biological family circle.

Are there bad reasons to adopt? According to Roger Fenton, author of "Adopting a Child in Britain," the following are all bad reasons to adopt:

To Save Your Marriage
As a Companion, a Cure for Depression, or for Company in Your Old Age
As a Pension Plan
To Replace a Child Who Has Died
As a Companion for an Only Child
To Get a Servant or Extra Hand on the Farm
Because All Your Friends Have Babies
As a Fashion Accessory or Political Statement
To Carry on the Family Name
To Have a Successor in the Family Business
To Do a Needy Child a Favour

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