"ADOPTION" - THE FORGOTTEN OPTIONDuring the 1950s and 60s, the "adoption option" was viewed as a noble and fulfilling way to remedy four separate circumstances through one action: 1) The needs of the birth mother; 2) The needs of the couple longing to adopt; 3) The needs of the unborn infant, longing to live; and 4) The needs of the foster child, longing for a family. Adoption is a win-win-win-win situation for the birth mother, for the childless couple, for the unborn child, and for the foster child. The "ADOPTION OPTION" Is Good For The Birth Mother . . . Choosing "adoption" gives the birth mother the opportunity to mature before taking on adult responsibilities of child rearing. Recognizing her limitations, she sacrificially makes the decision to give her child a chance - that makes her a pretty special "mom." Young, unmarried women who choose adoption for their babies are: a) more likely to complete high school; b) less likely to live in poverty; c) less likely to receive public assistance; and d) less likely to have repeat unwed pregnancies. The "ADOPTION OPTION" Is Good For The Unborn Baby and/or Foster Child . . . An unborn baby is given the chance to live and a foster child is moved out of the foster care system into a solid family. 90% of adopted children live in a two-parent family. 62% of children living with unmarried mothers are living below the poverty level while only 2% of adopted children are living below the poverty line. The "ADOPTION OPTION" Is Good For The Adoptive Parents . . . Fulfills the dream of millions of childless, infertile couples to become parents, giving them the opportunity to nurture a child and build a solid family. And, adoption provides compassionate couples the opportunity to love and care for the many "special needs" and/or foster children in our society. The "ADOPTION OPTION" Is Good For Society . . The two-parent family has been at the very heart of our society and contributes to the strength and continuing prosperity of our culture. Families, which are built on a solid foundation of love and commitment, have a positive influence on the moral condition of society. The rise in single parent families is one of the root causes of family disintegration in our nation today and has had a devastating effect on our nation. Adoption addresses that problem by placing children into solid, two-parent homes. Adoption is one of Gods special ways for childless couples to build a family and for unloved children to have a family. Adoption encourages society to value human life, while abortion encourages society to devalue human life. ADOPTION STATS . . . 1) Fewer than 53,000 non-relative adoptions now occur annually in the U.S., down from 90,000 in 1970. 2) About 470,000 children are in foster care, a startling increase from 276,000 in 1986. Less than 40,000 of those in foster care are free for adoption. In addition, 40% of the children in foster care remain in the system for two or more years. 3) There are 2.4 million infertile couples seeking a child to adopt, but only 25,000 infants are available for adoption each year. In a country where 1.5 million babies are aborted annually and the teenage pregnancy rate is the highest of any industrial nation, the idea of adoption needs to be dusted off and its social usefulness and value re-explored. - [Joan Beck, Kansas City Star, 7/16/91] 4) Estimates suggest that for every child available to be adopted, at least 10 potential parents are waiting. REASONS FOR DECLINE IN ADOPTION . . .. 1) Abortion has become common and legal, commonly advocated as the final solution to an unwanted pregnancy. Many family planning clinics do not include adoption as a positive alternative to abortion. 2) Adoption is often portrayed as being a more traumatic experience than abortion, causing lifelong guilt and remorse for the birth mother. 40 years ago, 85% of women in "crisis pregnancies" gave their babies up for adoption. In recent years, that figure has dropped to less than 5%. 3) Unmarried mothers no longer face the social stigma they once did - going to school pregnant and/or with a baby is accepted today by our society. 4) Misconceptions about adoption have grown, including those that adoptive children turn out to be problem children. However, a federally funded, four-year study concluded that most adopted teens are "thriving," with no signs adoption has had "a negative effect on their identity development, mental health or well-being." The truth is that no family is perfect - there are no guarantees of happiness whether a child is adopted or not. 5) Many infertile couples experience years of red tape, waiting lists, and disappointments in the hope of adopting an infant or a child in the foster care system. 6) Adoptions are very expensive for the adoptive couples and the pro-life organizations that provide adoption assistance are drastically underfunded. WHAT CAN YOU DO? Being pro-life is more than simply being against abortion. It also means being for children, for families, and for adoption. Volunteer your time and financial resources to help crisis pregnancy centers in their efforts to stop abortion and promote adoption. Observe "SANCTITY OF LIFE" SUNDAY, January 17, 1999. Details next week - see Family Watch #3. |