Why are so many people adopting children from other countries when there are so many in the USA who need homes

Question

Is it because the laws are more lenient abrod ?
Or do they want to imitate Angelina Jolie and Mia Farrow ?

I know.There is this little boy who goes to school with my son,who is in an open adoption.He has 2 mothers.

Answer 1

I am a future adoptive mom of a child from China, and I can assure you that our motives have nothing to do with more lenient laws (not true) nor is it my intent to imitate Mia Farrow or Angelina Jolie.

Adoption has to be something that is in your heart, and where you adopt from also has to be something in your heart. I was first led to adoption as a teenager when I watched a documentary on the orphan girls in China. I knew at that moment that I wanted to adopt from China some day. It was just something that God put into my heart, and where I feel he is leading me.

The idea of adopting remained in my heart and mind, even as we have had two biological children and are now awaiting our third. We just have to wait to meet the requirements of China (which include a rule that both parents be atleast 30, and I am another year away from that now). We have spent that time learning about China, the history and culture and anything else that we can. China, and especially the orphans there, have a very special place in my heart.

Is there some reason that we, as Americans, think our children are more entitled to a loving home than children elsewhere? Because I believe that ALL children are deserving of such. And, while I do feel badly for the children here they "have it much better than children elsewhere". Some might not agree with that statement, but it is my personal opinion.

I often want to ask people who pose this question as you have, why they do not adopt some of the many waiting children here in the USA? How many have you, as the asker, or any of the people who have answered with responses that indicate us adoptive parents should only adopt domestically, adopted yourselves? Have you had biological children when there are so many children in the world already waiting? I am not asking with the intention of getting responses, I just think it is a valid question that would make one think. As I said above, choosing to adopt and choosing where to adopt from must be in your heart.

Adopting abroad is very complicated. You have to meet the requirements of not only your state (as you would in a domestic adoption) but also this country in order to get a Visa to bring the child here, and the country you are adopting from. It is definitely not an easier route to adopt abroad.

What have Angelina Jolie or Mia Farrow done that people feel they need to criticize them? They have chosen to grow their families in a nontraditional way, but they have done an honorable thing. Other celebrities have adopted, also, yet they do not get the public criticism that these two women have. Why?

Edited to add:

Having read the responses, I can not believe the ignorance of some of the replies. It is like these people are making things up. As long as people believe that adoptive parents are going to other countries and "buying" babies because it is easier or we can choose the sex, etc. then these stereotypes will persist. You CAN choose the sex of a baby adopting in the United STates. You can also, in some countries, choose the sex of a child you adopt (SOME-not all). And you are less likely to get a newborn adopting internationally, BTW-I think 6 months is about the youngest they come home (give or take a couple of months depending on the country and circumstances, and most often LUCK).

As someone else pointed out, there are not the incredible number of newborns waiting to be adopted here in the United States. To "get" a newborn, you have to go through private adoption which can take years and cost much more than international adoption. You also risk the chance of the birth parents backing out, or coming back later, etc. The chances of that happening with an international adoption are almost non-existant.

Most of the children in foster care in this country are not legally free for adoption yet. Those that are, are most likely older, have a lot of emotional issues (due to the abuse and/or neglect that they were removed from their homes as a result of), part of a sibling group.

And the majority are black. Do you know that there is a major outcry against white people adopting black children, even though black people are not adopting them? And why does color matter, if you want to give a child a loving home? THOSE are the questions that everyone should be asking.

Please, people...do your research before posting such nonsense. I do not intend to be rude, but some of the answers are just so completely untrue that it is unbelievable. Spreading such propoganda just hurts children-whether they are from the US, China or Mars-they deserve a home!

Answer 2

There was a singer named Josephine Baker, from the early 1900's after her career had faltered she bought a home in France and began to adopt children from all over the world. She wanted a rainbow family. Josephine Baker was black. It made a media sensation then also. I believe that somewhere Angelina Jolie has adopted that idea of a rainbow family based on whatever Epiphany she had at time she decided to adopt her first child. I believe she was touched by the sorrowfulness of the orphanages in the particular country she was shooting a movie in and her heart moved her to take one of the children. It must have been a joy and blessing she did it several more times. I agree that perhaps Ms. Jolie could consider american children but the kids come with so much baggage from crazy parents that they are fairly ruined. Until you understand the whole concept of american children in foster care your comments are without merit. There are thousands of loving children in foster care but the courts can not always release these children because the parents still have parental control. Some of the children are so psychologically damaged they will have to have care until they are 18 and released into society. I would have loved to adopt and took the classes but the stories about the kids led me abandon the idea. I didn't think I had the patience or perseverance required to work through the trauma these children have endured. Not to say all but a good 80 percent and this is why they are in foster care now. I say if they want to adopt from other countries they may know what I know and I am just a regular person. I don't know about Madonna and the real reasons but at least one child on this earth has got a home for what ever reason. Alot of the stars pay people to have babies for them at least Ms Jolie and Madonna didn't.

Answer 3

I hate it when people say this! I agree with the other poster that American orphans are much, much better off compared with orphans in a foreign country. The conditions in some countries are not good at all and being an orphan there is NOT a good thing. These children have a more urgent need, sometimes it is literally a life or death situation for them to find a home. You can't say that for kids here. Why crap on anyone who would open their heart and home to ANY child?? There is no shortage of people looking to adopt our "lovely American kids". The bigger question is why should it matter what the childs nationality is in order to adopt. The child that you were meant to have may very well be from another country and you would never know it with a Closed Mind. Do what's in your heart!

Answer 4

I used to feel upset that families went outside our country to adopt. However, after going thru a US adoption, I need to say that I now understand some of the reasons for going abroad.

First, our governmnent is not as supportive to adoptive families as it should be. Adoption fees (if using an agency) are higher than they need to be in my opinion. I just tell myself that I hope that by having the higher fees and requirements, that it helps to protect some children from being adopted by abusive individuals and that it serves as a "safety net" for that reason. While there is a $10,000 income tax credit for adoptive parents, you can't use it until after the adoption is finalized - which occurs AFTER you pay all of your fees.

Also, there is the risk that the biological parents could change their mind at the time the baby is born. If that occurs, the adoptive family loses all of the monies paid thus far and must start over most of the process. When adopting from another country, the children are usually already available for adoption, which means that the adoptive families are almost "guaranteed" a child.

Lastly, I think that some people choose to adopt from abroad because they worry that the biological family will come back later and try to "find" the child. By adopting from another country, this fear tends to be eliminated.

The reality is that if my husband & I could afford to adopt again, we would "consider" international adoption as much as we would consider US adoption. I guess what we came to realize during the adoption process is that ALL children need loving homes & families - regardless of where they were born.

Answer 5

Hi, I am adopting a 51/2 yr old little girl from the state of NJ who has lived in 10 foster homes and is mentally and physically abused. She will need therapy for a very long time. Most foster parents only foster because the get alot of money for the kids. My daughter will be 75% white and 25% hispanic . I also am adopting a little girl from China, she is costing me about $30 thousand dollars, but will be a healthy infant..I have been waiting 2 yrs for her, China takes a very long time. My daughter from NJ will only be 6 monthes from strart to finnish. The problem is there are no white healthy infants for adoption, mostly black or real sick kids. To be blunt most black families have enough kids and don't want to adopt- and people look at you strange when a white woman has a black infant or child, but and asian child has a different allure. I feel if a woman already has a few kids she had to give up to foster care then she should just STOP having them, Maybe some of they wealthy sports stars could pitch in and help adopt a few kids, why is it the white people are made to feel crappy if they don't want a black child? Can someone answer that?

Answer 6

No, I don't think many people are trying ti "imitate" anyone, although there are adoptive parents who adopt overseas for the wrong reason. Some may like the attention, or the credit for "saving" a poor little orphan. That makes my skin c-r-a-w-l ! What do you think that child feels having to be the little saved kid? Do they then "owe" the adoptive parents for "saving" them?

The ONLY reason anyone should adopt is because they want to parent, love, raise and commit to a child! Period. Nothing back..No fame. No attention. No praise.

And there is a HUGE misconception that there are all these babies in the U. S. that are just waiting in foster care. NOT SO !! There are no infants waiting in foster care at all (except for a tiny number who have catastrophic illnesses such as being born with no brain, severely MR, etc. -- Bless their hearts : (

The children in foster care who sit day after day wondering if someone will ever love them, protect them, take care of them -- are school age or older. Some of them may be a part of a sibling group of 3 - 4 with one being a younger toddler or child. But there simply are no babies in the U. S. that don't have 100 adoptive parents hoping to parent them!!

Answer 7

Unfortunately its not only easier to adopt overseas it also cheaper....even flying and staying twice for two weeks at a time. Our family tried for five years in the USA to adopt a child, they have money, good stable home, no kids (unable), great jobs that is secure and very religious they are the best people I know but the laws were so hard and they were not considered good people, but they could be state parents (hold them in there house til they get adopted or find there family, come from abusive home, turn 18) that type of thing. But they wanted a child to be theirs, not having to worry about someone coming and taking the child away....anyways, in Russia it was easier and they were able to see the mom and visit with the baby until the baby was able to come home. It really made them happy. Its just sad they had to wait so long because they are very good people.

Answer 8

It is a much easier process to adopt and a time line. With domestic adoption you never know when you will be picked. You can be picked today or wait numerous years. Many families don't want to have to deal with birth families. Also in general fore gin babies are healthier i.e. drug free than in the u.s. This is a totally generalization and not always true. When adopting international you get a child within 6-18 months and you don't have to worry about the birth mom changing her mind at the last minute.
My husband and I started adoption in another country and they stopped for a little while then a wonderful and interesting situation came up and we got chosen and our son is the best thing ever and we talk with his birth mom and father a couple of times a year and he sees them once a year on his birthday.

Answer 9

Adoptive parents have little to no rights in America. Older adoptable children aren't removed from abusive or neglective homes until that are irreversibly damaged, emotionally and /or physically. With infant adoption, most domestic adoptive parents experience at least one or more birthparent that changes their mind once the baby is born. In international adoption, there is a lot of red tape, paperwork and expense, but you know the outcome-you will have a child. I have both a domestically adopted son and an internationally adopted daughter. I wouldn't trade either of them. Both experiences were different but my son's adoption was more emotionally difficult. Adoption is a wonderful and loving choice no matter how you go about it.

Answer 10

I think mostly because it has become a fad in hollywood to adopt a foreign child because it " looks good." and since everyone wants to feel like a movie star everyone else is out trying to adopt foreign kids too. Which IS good, they need homes too. But foreign adoption IS very exspensive, but more often then not it is faster than going through the whole adoption process in America because we stress on the child's placement and happiness more and all the paperwork and such. So to answer your questions I think it's because the laws are more lenient ( usually) AND because they want to imitate Angelina and all the other famous ppl who are trying to " look good".