On behalf of Jacquelyn S. Gonz, Attorney at Law LLC posted in child custody on Thursday, October 24, 2019.

Throughout the United States, numerous people want to have children but struggle with fertility. Meanwhile, countless others opt to raise kids whose parents are absent, live elsewhere or are unable to meet the needs of their children.

Regardless of whether it is your heart’s desire to have a diverse family, are blending your family with that of a significant other or want to support a biological relative, adopting a child is a serious responsibility. And while you cannot identify all the potential challenges associated with adoption, there is no way to anticipate the joy doing so could bring.

As a potential adoptive parent, you should do your best to make an informed decision. Before beginning the process, you would be wise to consider whether adopting a child would be an appropriate choice for you at this time.

How can you decide whether you should adopt a child?

In many cases, the decision to adopt entails much more than your desire to have a child. As you move forward with the adoption process, you must commit to adequately providing for and loving a child as your own.

Some of the questions you should ask yourself include:

• How would you feel about raising a child whose ethnicity or race is different than yours?
• To what extent are you comfortable with a biological family’s inclusion in the child’s life?
• Would your financial situation allow you to provide for the needs of a child?

In addition to thinking about these things for yourself, speaking with those closest to you will help you gain other perspectives. And whether your friends and family support you or discourage you from choosing adoption at this time, they may be invaluable in directing you to make a choice that is in the best interests of a child.