PARENTING THE ADOPTED

We are all born with a deep seated need to parent children.  This is not always the case, but for those of us who desire to have a child and cannot for whatever reason will in some cases opt to adopt a child.  Most people prefer to adopt an actual infant rather than an child who is older because of obvious reasons,but for those who adopt a child after the age of two, parenting can be a task.
The reason it is so hard to adopt a child after the age of two is because at this point, they retain memories and their behaviors have been affected by their surroundings.  With an infant, you are there from the beginning.  You get to make the memories that they can think back upon for years.  The behavior they learn is a direct result of their environment.  So if the child over two whom you are thinking of adopting has had a rough few years, it can have a detrimental effect on bonding and future behavioral issues.
Adopting a baby is by far the most ideal for most potential parents, but adopting an older child is a way to give a home to a child who needs one.  A baby will always be adopted, an older child has a much smaller chance of getting adopted and the chances get smaller and smaller the older they get.  While yes, it can be hard to raise an older adopted child, it can be extremely rewarding.  These kids tend to have a greater appreciation for the smaller things in life.  They are more concerned that their adoptive parents spend time with them more than than money.  You may have to shell out a few bucks for counselling later, but the reward and feeling you get when you earn the love of a child is worth any price paid.  Adoption can be expensive, but raising any child at all can be expensive.  If you are interested in becoming a parent and cannot do so on your own or you simply want to offer a child a home, consider adopting a child that is older.