You Can Help on National Adoption Day

National Adoption Day. It sounds like a great thing, but what is it?

Wikipedia defines it this way: “A number of courts and communities in the U.S. come together to finalize thousands of adoptions of children from foster care. More than 300 events are held each year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving in November, in all 50 US states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to finalize the adoptions of children in foster care. In total, more than 40,000 children have been adopted from foster care on National Adoption Day.”

Most know by now that I have a passion for adoption and helping children who don’t have parents around to find forever families.

Thinking of adopting? Consider these helpful hints to aid you in your decision.

What about the pros and cons for adding a foster child to your family? There definitely are both. Let’s start with the “cautions” – to me that’s a better way to say “cons”.

Foster Care Cautions

Separation Issues: Statistics show that nearly 50% of children in foster care are reunited with their family eventually. This can be extremely sad on the part of the foster family who has been emotionally connected with the child.

Strain on the Family: Bringing a foster child into your home can result in a strain on your family. You may have to deal with behavioral problems and there could be a financial strain depending on the child’s needs. There may be issues of rivalries or children who are already in the home feeling ignored.

Foster Care Pros

• You’re giving a loving home to a child in need.
• The child may learn how to serve others.
• The child will learn that there are caring adults in the world.
• You’ll be helping the foster child learn about choices and consequences.
• The child will be able to feel secure about life and become stable.

It is my hope and prayer that all orphans and foster children find a forever home. I love National Adoption Day and what it stands for. For more info on ways to get involved, go to: www.nationaladoptionday.org

For a special and unique perspective on adoptions, I recommend the beautiful picture book You Were Always in My Heart by Steven Curtis Chapman and Mary Beth Chapman. This book is a wonderful resource for parents considering helping out an orphan or foster child, and it gives the child a sweet perspective on their adoptive parents’ love for them. God’s Love for You Bible Storybook is also a sweet book by World Vision® CEO Richard Stearns and his wife, Reneé, that presents the stories of children around the world, many of them orphans, and what life is like in their corner of the world.

Your Turn

How can you help with this year’s National Adoption Day? What books do you read to your kids about orphans, adoption, or fostering?