I can give people advice about waiting children, but it really isn’t worth much. I can tell you that everyone who answered my questions is an advocate of adopting waiting children. In fact, many of them answered my questions for the soul reason that they hoped it would help people make the decision to adopt a waiting child. Don’t listen to my advice, listen to theirs. They had the following words of advice to give:

“Review records carefully and don't hesitate to ask questions whoever they are uncertain or find red flag areas they may feel uncomfortable about before making a decision.” – B

“Open yourself to the possibility, but also be honest with yourself about whether you can handle the worst case scenario. … For example, currently we are waiting for a little girl who has some developmental delays. The worse case scenario is that she could have a limited intellect. If for me as a parent it was crucial that my children go to college, then adopting this little girl could be devastating for both of us…” – A

“The second piece of advice I would give to perspective parents is to research the opportunities and resources in your community for the type of child you are considering before you go forward in the process. For example, if you are considering a child with a cleft, find out where you will get the medical care this child needs and whether your insurance will cover it, are there speech/ language therapist nearby and accessible to you?” – A

“Do it. You will never regret it. There are no guarantees in life and if you feel drawn to adopting a waiting child you should.” - L

“Accept them for who they are now and that their disability or limitations may always be a part of who they are. If you are able to do that then the waiting child is for you.” – K

“Don't be afraid to take the chance on a waiting child. The benefits greatly out-weigh the risks. Also, don't be afraid to adopt a child who is a little bit older.” – J

Thank you to the women who responded to my request. B, A, J, K and L gave me insight to share that I could never have provided.

If you would like to comment, but not on this site, please e-mail me at adoptkoreablog@adoptionmail.com.