| The most commonly made mistake people make | | | | your personal adoption plan; so that you are |
| when adopting a child involves choosing the | | | | not limited by the limitations of a specific |
| wrong adoption professionals to assist them | | | | adoption agency or adoption attorney. Your |
| with their journey. The wrong adoption | | | | adoption plan should indicate the baby you |
| professionals can lead you in the wrong | | | | would like to adopt; what kind of risks you |
| direction, cause you to spend thousands | | | | are willing to take, the level of openness |
| needlessly, and even lead you to an adoption | | | | you are comfortable with between your family |
| situation that is outside what you really | | | | and the birth mother, among other things. |
| wanted. There are many wonderful adoption | | | | Create your adoption plan prior to choosing |
| professionals and agencies who work very hard | | | | an adoption professional to work with, so |
| to help families successfully adopt a baby or | | | | that you can determine whether or not the |
| child. There are also many, however, that | | | | agency or professional is willing to work |
| don't quite give you the "full picture" of | | | | within your plan and help you find a suitable |
| their services. What would you say if you | | | | match. You will want to consider the fact |
| knew an adoption agency only successfully | | | | that each adoption professional you consider |
| located 20 birth mothers a year; but had 200 | | | | hiring has a lot to gain financially by |
| families waiting to adopt a child? Chances | | | | having you sign up for their adoption program |
| are, you would want to look for an agency | | | | - even if their program is not the best fit |
| that limits the number of families on the | | | | for you. That is why it is so important for |
| waiting list to a more reasonable number in | | | | you to seek knowledge and define your goals |
| comparison to the number of adoptions they | | | | before you spend large sums of money. When a |
| handle each year otherwise you can expect to | | | | family looking to adopt a child signs up with |
| wait years needlessly to adopt. Many adoption | | | | the wrong adoption professional, there is a |
| agencies and professionals do not spend much | | | | strong possibility that the family will spend |
| time getting their name out there to mothers | | | | years on a waiting list, without a child. In |
| who may be looking to put their babies up for | | | | some cases, families feel they are judged for |
| adoption. In other words, they hang a sign | | | | having limits to the type of adoption |
| outside their shop and hope the mothers find | | | | situation they feel comfortable with- and are |
| them. This is not a problem as long as it is | | | | pushed into accepting high risk adoption |
| clearly explained to potential clients. With | | | | situations. It's important that you find an |
| that knowledge, hopeful adoptive parents can | | | | adoption professional who knows your personal |
| do a couple of things to react to the | | | | adoption goals, and is not only supportive of |
| situation and expedite their adoption. They | | | | them; but will help you successfully adopt a |
| can hire an adoption agency that does provide | | | | child in a reasonable time frame. |
| outreach services, they can continue to work | | | | |
| with the agency but conduct their own search | | | | Cindy Simonson is a respected adoption |
| for a birth mother or they can hire a | | | | professional and writes about child adoption |
| professional whose sole purpose is to help | | | | at For the past thirteen years she has been |
| locate a birth mother. There are more options | | | | helping people successfully adopt the child |
| available to the family looking to adopt a | | | | of their dreams. Cindy also offers a free |
| child than most people think. It's up to you | | | | audio course "The ten secrets you must know |
| to do some research in order to find an | | | | in order to adopt a child from the U.S. |
| adoption professional that will work within | | | | |