Do you agree that people like Mary Louis Parker are adopting abroad because it is too hard in the USA?

Question

A married couple I know is looking into a Russian adoption because they have tried three years in the USA and they are tired of the red tape and interviews.

Answer 1

Yes I do.  My friends adopted a baby from Russia a couple of years ago.  It was much easier than waiting for a baby in the US.

Answer 2

I think that for a lot of the celebs it is not because it is hard for them to adopt in the US - it is because it is impossible.  Why?  Because of past drug use and life-style problems.  First, they would not pass home studies and second, no parent in their right mind would choose a narcissistic, celebrity hog as an adoptive parent.  The child will be raised by a nanny anyway.

I am sure that Ms. Parker will be looking for a great photo op.  Maybe Madge, Angie, and Mary L. can have a play date with their latest fashion purchases.

For normal people like us, the process is grueling for domestic and international.  I have friends who adopted from China - there was nothing easy about it.  I have other friends who adopted in the US, and it went relatively smoothly.

Answer 3

Yes and i don't blame her. I would love to adopt someday and i will go out of the USA to do so; Like you said there is too much red-tape.

Answer 4

Some people adopt abroad because there are things in their background that prevent them from adopting here.  It's harder for an American couple adopting here to hide felony convictions, mental illness, hidden health problems or problem family members. Not impossible though.  This is NOT to imply that any people with these problems would be bad parents, but they most certainly would not be approved in a home study.  

Angelina Jolie could not adopt in the US because she was a known former (yeah, right) heroin user.  She probably paid adoption officials in foreign countries to ignore that.

Answer 5

Self-centered people will do anything, including skirting the law, to get what they want, how and when they want it.

It could be because they don't want to wait, or they can't or won't play by the rules, or because they want to appear "cool" or "normal". Exactly the wrong sort of person to be a parent.

Answer 6

Nothing about foreign adoption is easy or quick. Let's just get that out in the open right away. The attraction to it is that if you make it through the approval process, there is usually a time line you can follow....6 months, 12 months, etc. In some programs you can even choose your child. In some they choose for you. But, the difference is that once you come home with that child, you will never be contacted by that childs birth parents for any reason. In the US they have some time to change their minds. By the time you get done with a foreign adoption, no one is changing their minds. That child is yours forever.

Answer 7

Some of them are, some of them aren't.

Some people(like Angie Jolie) adopt abroad because they realize than while yes, there are kids in the US that need good homes, kids in Africa/China/etc... are in a lot worse condition and are starving to death daily because of the horrid conditions that they are forced to live in.

Answer 8

Its A LOT more expensive to adopt internationally, but the waiting period is much shorter for an infant. The process is not difficult or as invassive as people may think. I am currently going through the process to adopt try and adopt some kids in foster care. (not sure whom yet)

Answer 9

I don't know about Mary Louis Parker...but I know that my husband and I adopted our son from Guatemala because THAT IS WHERE HE WAS!  I wouldn't change kids for the world.  My past history is squeaky clean and I have nothing against domestic adoption.  Kids are kids no matter where they come from.  They all need love and security.  Those who complain about WHERE people adopt from should quit complaining and start HELPING these kids in some manner. And there are lots of ways of helping other than adoption.  But my guess is, many of the complainers simply want to condemn others and then go about their lives without another thought to the homeless children in America or any other country.  

Well, I've said enough about that.  Domestic adoptions DO have alot of red tape.  But international adoptions are time consuming and detailed as well.

Answer 10

ahhhh u peeps don't noe a thingg about adoption....

Answer 11

I think they do it because adopting internationally gets them more attention, though in some cases, it is simply because they are passionate about helping children from third world countries.

International adoption actually involves more money and red tape than domestic adoption. More money because of travel expenses and more red tape because you must first get approved as an adoptive parent in the child's country of origin and then go through the approval process in the United States.  

If the child enters the United states in a state other than that of the adoptive parents, than both the state where the child first enters the U.S. can demand that parents go through the approval process in the state of entry in addition to getting approval in their state of residence.  This rarely happens, but they can exercise that option.

If you are trying to adopt a baby, than you may be able to get your child sooner if you adopt internationally than if you adopt domestically, but you will have to go through more red tape and it will cost you more money.

Answer 12

I do agree.

Most people are more than willing to go through the interviews and other screening, but the problem is that there aren't enough babies to go around.

Answer 13

Adopting internationally is a long and difficult process. You have to meet the US requirements and the requirements from the country from which you are adopting. I think adopting in the US would be easier. The reason I am choosing international adoption is because I don't trust the US court system. I have heard of too many cases where the biological parents come and want the child. The court always rules in favor of the biological parents regardless of the age of the child or disruption to the child's life. I would never adopt in the US until the court system here starts showing fairness to parents that adopt children. With International adoption you never have to worry about the biological parents suing you for custody of the child you have been raising for the past 5 years.

Answer 14

I think that is part of the reason. The other part might be that the birth mother can't take her baby back if you adopt from another country whereas in the USA the mother can take the baby back or the father if he never contested to the adoption can take the baby back and you don't get your money back.  Plus most people in the USA want babies and it takes a long time to get a baby in the USA.

Answer 15

Unfortunately, it is probably more a political statement and photo opportunity.  If it weren't, they wouldn't bring a camera crew with them.  They want the media to point out what great people they are for taking these children out of the life of poverty and squalor that they were in.  Apparently, the media only finds it convenient to point out he poverty in America in election years.

I am not sure what the process that they have to go through is like.  As American citizens bringing children back to the US, I would hope (but not expect) that they have to go through the same process that we all had to go through.

OK.  Stepping off of my soap box now.