You’re a single, well-educated, successful and independent woman. You’ve given up looking for Mr. Right, or maybe Mr. Right wasn’t so right, and you’ve moved on. Perhaps you’re not particularly interested in a life partner. However, the one thing you know is that you could give a child a happy, loving, comfortable home.
Single women who choose to adopt children rather than use anonymous (or perhaps not-so-anonymous) sperm donors, however, are often surprised to find that attitudes about adoption by single women aren’t as evolved as they thought. Even family and friends may believe that it’s selfish for a single woman to adopt a child because she wants to be a mother. Some adoption agencies — as well as birth mothers — who are giving their babies up for adoption may harbor those beliefs as well.
It’s not unreasonable to make sure that a single adoptive mother has a support system in place to help her when she has questions and to care for the child while she’s at work. Adoption agencies will also want some assurance that any adoptive parent has the financial resources to care for a child. They will also look at a multitude of qualities, like character, which make people good parents.
Generally, single women have an easier time adopting a child from another country than from in the U.S. — particularly if they want a young child. However, that doesn’t mean that domestic adoption isn’t an option.
If you’re considering adopting or fostering a child, regardless of whether you’re doing it alone or as a couple, a family law attorney with experience in the adoption process here in Missouri can provide guidance and help make the process go as smoothly as possible.
