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Adoption statistics may surprise you.
Adoption data pipe, nearly 199 million Americans have an adopted family member.
They claim that over 113,000 children get adopted every year.Adoption can be a big stepfor a family.
More so if the parents already have children of their own.
Its not just about the parents and the adoptee, then.
One teenager sharedher storyof how she felt neglected by her parents with the Internet.
The teens parents decided to adopt another teenage girl.
Wondering whether she was just being too sensitive, she decided to check with other netizens.
Ablended familyconsisting of both adopted and biological children can be a bit more difficult to manage.
Before beginning the adoption process, parents should considersome things.
Like the age order of the kids.
Children usually look up to parents for guidance on how to react.
If parents set the right tone, the children are more likely to respond positively.
The existing children should also be familiar with the adoption process.
Parents should let their kids express their opinions about adoption.
After all, theyre members of the family, too.
Experts also advise normalizing any feelings the children may have throughout the whole process.
When the kids get involved in the process, they might warm up to the idea more easily.
They may also write letters or draw pictures for the new family member.
Involving them in meetings with the prospective adoptee can also help them foster a better connection.
The next piece of advice is perhaps one that these parents failed to consider avoiding favoritism.
No child should get preferential treatment, not the adoptee and not the biological children.
Whether its about chores, doling out praise, or discipline, rules should apply to all kids equally.
That way, parents can avoid one of the kids building resentment against the other.
Finally, even when adopting, parents should expect the children to have a normal sibling relationship.
And that includes occasional bouts of rivalry.
If theyre adopted at infancy these types of blended families can almost have no differences when compared withbiological families.
And while that is why most families adopt babies or toddlers, many teenagers need homes, too.
Adoption UKreports that families with adopted children aged 13 to 25 say theyre at a crisis point.
Experts explain that its because many adopted people have experienced trauma in early childhood.
Some feel a loss of identity due to separation from their biological parents at such a young age.
They may make it very challenging to support them while they test the waters of your commitment to them.
Adopting ateenagergives them that place to go to for advice, reassurance, and acceptance.
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