In finalizing an adoption, most new adoptive parents are likely not anticipating the worst or else they would not have completed the adoption process. In cases of infant adoption, an adopted child of this age will not be strongly opinionated about where he or she came from or feel the pain of being abandoned by his or her mother and father.
Especially if children have never lived with their birth mother and/or father (common in cases of infant adoption where a birth mother cedes parental rights immediately after birth as per an agreement with prospective adoptive parents), they will have no conscious memory of their biological parents.
Infant adopted children will only have immediate needs for affection, food, sleep, and other elements of their care they could not hope to provide for themselves, for which intending adopters must be prepared. In instances like this, the adoption process is not much different from the childbirth process.
Another obvious point is that infant adoption is not the only form of domestic adoption. For older children, notably children of school age, the change of scenery is another important thing to contemplate. On top of acclimating to a new family, an adopted child will need to get used to a new town or city, start in a new school and make new friends, all of which may be frightening for him or her. Transitions are seldom easy for adults, let along young people. A parent’s guidance and support will be essential for a successful adjustment.
It should be emphasized that adoptive parents do not have to go through the adoption process and the following years alone. For those who are comfortable with the setup, there are numerous live support groups and online forums designed to discuss the joys and sorrows of adoption. Additionally, there are books, videos, Web sites, and plenty of other informational resources on infant adoption and adoption of older children.
