Adoption is not something you come into lightly. It takes a lot of deliberation. It will require a substantial (and lifelong) commitment. Thus, you need to really determine for yourself whether you and your spouse are ready for adoption.

Here are some things you need to consider:
– Readiness to be parents. Parenthood is one of life’s ultimate challenges. Are you ready for its ups and downs? Are you ready to give up a lot of things to meet the demands of becoming a parent? Are you committed to diaper changes, the terrible twos (and often, up to the terrible teens), foregoing that purchase or that holiday? Remember, this is a permanent relationship. Deciding to adopt requires careful introspection so that you examine your reasons for wanting to adopt and finally making the choice for adoption for the right reasons.
– Commitment and desire to be parents by adoption. A number of couples come into adoption after they have exhausted all their options to have a biological child. Couples who turn to adoption should first have been able to resolve their feelings and moved on from infertility together. There is loss and grief involved in infertility. Each spouse must be emotionally ready and come into acceptance and commitment to being parents by adoptions. This means that both you and your spouse are ready to love and give of yourself and make sacrifices for a person. If one spouse is not ready for adoption, it is better to wait and allow the spouse to grieve and deal with his or her issues.
– Consensus between the couple with regards to adoption plans. Are you and your spouse in agreement about how the adoption would go, whether to have a domestic infant adoption or to adopt internationally? The journey to adoption will lead to a series of choices and the couple should be in unity with their adoption plan.
– Financial readiness. Are you still paying off your mortgage? Do you still have other debts you are paying off? How are your income, expense and savings levels? Are you financially stable enough to not only afford the expenses related to the adoption, as well as the financial responsibility of providing for the needs of a child? You do not have to be rich to adopt, but it is wise to carefully consider your financial situation (including future prospects). The cost of providing for a child from infancy till the time he reaches 18 years of age is estimated at around $250,000. Can your finances make room for expenses related to a child – diapers, formula, clothes, and ideally, savings for his college education?
– Existence of a support mechanism. Do you have a strong and stable relationship with your spouse? Having a partner in facing the challenges of parenthood certainly makes it more manageable. However, you can still adopt and be a good parent even if you plan to do it solo. However, you do need the presence of loved ones and friends you can count on when you get laid up in the hospital or when you need someone to watch over your child in a pinch.
– Home environment. Is your home ready for a child? Do you have enough space to accommodate a nursery and eventually, providing your child with his room? Does the house come with space for your child to run and play?
– Physical readiness. Do you have a physical ailment that can make it difficult to take care of a child? Although parenthood is not limited to those who are physical well and do not have any disabilities, your physical condition will make sleepless nights, carrying the baby and all other physical demands of parenthood easier. Also, if you have a serious illness that will considerably shorten your life expectancy; you need to think about whether it is wise to risk the possibility of leaving a young child an orphan. Make sure you have a plan in place for your child should you not be able to provide for him or her.

About A Act of Love Adoptions

A Act of Love Adoptions is an organization that has been committed for over twenty years towards helping both parents wanting to adopt and birth parents with an unplanned pregnancy who have chosen adoption for their child. A Act of Love will help you assess your readiness to parent and, if you are not, provide you with guidance and counseling to help you explore and prepare for adoption. Call today to schedule a meeting: Birthparents call 1-800-835-6360 and Adoptive Parents call 1-888-767-7740. The professional and experienced staff looks forward to assisting you with your adoption needs.