Why adopt an older kid?
We often only hear about the challenges directly related to adopting older kids. Teenagers come with attitudes, not because of what they’ve been through… but because they are teenagers. Parents are faced with uncertainty knowing these kids have lived a life years before them with different experiences from their own. However, when you adopt a teen you know exactly what you’re getting. All of the kids in agency care have experienced some form of abuse or neglect. Oftentimes younger kids won’t show their abuse until they’re 15 or 16 years old. There’s no surprise with teenagers. They need strong support systems to help them work through their hurt. It will never be easy, but by doing so you are changing a life.
When you adopt an older child you are investing in a future. They need someone to help them apply for college, support them through high school graduation and be the push they need to be productive members of society. You may have missed the first word and the first step, but you can be there when they get their driver’s license and walk across the stage at graduation. A forever family could give a teen grandparents and extended family they’ve never had before and show what a loving and dependable family looks like. #AdoptOlderKids