Common Misconceptions About Adoption In Texas

Years of movies and TV shows about adoption have built a sort of mythology around them. For many people, their idea of how an adoption goes is based on fiction more than it is based on reality. A common misconceptions about adoption and the adoptive families are just anybody with enough money to pay for adoption. Another, birth mothers are selfish for giving their child up for adoption. Some also believe that adoptions should be kept secret from the child entirely. Adoption Choices of Texas wants you to be able to separate the facts from fantasy.

If you need help with adoption now, you can call us at 945-444-0333, text us at 945-444-0333, or email us here.

Learning about the Common Misconceptions About Adoption In Texas

Myth: Adoptive Families Can be Anyone

While any family can apply to be an adoptive family, they may not be applicable to adopt a child. How? Because every adoptive family in Texas must pass a home study if they want to adopt.

A home study is an in-depth process performed by a home study organization or state agency that makes sure families are prepared to adopt. The simplest qualifications are that parents must be older than 21, able to provide financially for their child and are healthy enough to parent. The family must also respect the child’s religious affiliation if they have one.

To determine this, each member of the household is interviewed individually and together to see if they would make a good fit. Another factor is if the person has committed a felony or certain misdemeanors. To be even more sure the family is prepared, the home study is also updated every year to confirm they still meet the requirements.

As you can see, adoptive families must jump through a few hoops if the want to adopt. With this process, we can make sure that any adoptive family you place your child with will be a happy and healthy environment for them.

Myth: Choosing Adoption for my Baby is Selfish

If you’re considering adoption, we understand it’s easy to let stereotypes of selfish birth mothers get to you. However, we want you to know that this stereotype is anything but the truth. Adoption Choices of Texas has years of experience giving unwanted pregnancy options to mothers. What we see time and time again is that mothers like you only want the best for their child.

This is also implied by the phrase “giving your baby up for adoption.” But adoption isn’t giving up at all! Adoptive families are thrilled at the chance to raise a child. We currently have more adoptive families than we have mothers looking to put babies up for adoption.

There are a thousand and one reasons why you might not be ready to raise a child. You’re the only one who really knows whether you can raise a child. If you can’t, then why not let someone who is prepared and looking for the opportunity?

Myth: Adopted Children Shouldn’t Know Birth Parents

This is another myth perpetuated by movies and tv shows. There’s always a plot line about an adopted child going out looking for their mysterious birth family.

In reality, we recommend open adoptions for most mothers. Why? An open adoption means that the adoptive family and birth family can agree on certain terms for the two of them to stay in touch. You may be able to video call your child and you might even be able to visit. While the adoptive family will always remain the legal parents, it doesn’t mean you can’t see your child growing up happy and healthy. Plus, we see that adopted children who get love from adoptive and birth parents feel comfortable with their status as an adoptive child.

Myth: I Can’t Afford Pregnancy, so I Can’t Afford Adoption

You might have gotten this one from well-meaning friends or family. Pregnancy is unfortunately very expensive. However, when working with our adoption agencies in San Antonio and across Texas, you’ll receive financial help to make sure all of your expenses are paid. For some mothers, it just means helping them pay for maternity pants. For others, it can mean transportation, housing, healthcare, and more. We refuse to let any pregnant mother spend time worrying about her next meal when she should be trying to relax.

Unplanned Pregnancy Help at Adoption Choices of Texas

Now you can see that some of the misconceptions around adoptions don’t quite match the reality. Stereotypes and assumptions can make people have a slightly incorrect idea of what adoptions actually look like. Adoptive families are thoroughly vetted to make sure they are ready to raise a child. Birth mothers who choose adoption aren’t selfish, but instead are making the best decision for them and their child. When you work with Adoption Choices of Texas, pregnancy costs will be no problem either. Want to bust some more adoption myths? You can call or contact Adoption Choices of Texas today!

As an expectant woman or birth parent, to learn more about adoption, contact Adoption Choices of Texas. You can call us at 945-444-0333, text us at 945-444-0333, or email us here. If you are hoping to adopt, please visit us here. We look forward to helping you through your adoption journey!

Meet the author: Joshua Boulet is an aspiring journalist and writer with a particular fondness for research and social sciences. He loves music, writing, reading, video games and most art, and anything creative he can get his hands on. Boulet believes that there’s too much good stuff out there and not enough time to see it all. He grew up on video games: the classic Sonic the Hedgehog games, Mario Kart, Marvel Ultimate Alliance, and Legend of Zelda. The music of rhythm games led him to an interest in that, and the investigative journalism of Jason Schreier inspired him to discover the importance of journalism as an industry. That interest in developers’ lives led him to an interest in social justice and how the world could maybe be made into a better place. “All this to say, there is certainly a line I can draw between me obsessively playing Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and me interviewing my sociology professor about how to read academic articles. Those surprising through lines fascinate me all the same. At my best, I’m a person who gets to be constantly fascinated by the lives and work of other people.”