Older Child Adoption

Take a parenting class. First-time parents may be understandably nervous or have no idea how to care for a toddler. Unfortunately, unless you live in a larger metropolitan area, the only child-care classes available may be for expectant pregnant parents and many expectant adoptive parents may not feel comfortable in that environment. The majority of the information covered in these classes involves childbirth, hospital stays, and procedures. We certainly had no desire or plans to subject ourselves to one of these classes, but we bit the bullet prior to an impending adoption of a newborn. (If you think you don’t know how to take care of a toddler, just try to imagine what is required for an infant!) I was relieved when we arrived to find that we were not the only adoptive couple there.

Another option is to take a child-care course for child-care providers. Check with your local Red Cross or technical colleges to see what type of classes they offer. In addition to child-care classes, you should take an infant or child CPR class.

One of the hospitals in our area has started offering classes for adoptive parents. They are for newborn/infant care and are by special request. These classes were not available six months ago. If your adoption is taking longer than anticipated, check back with your area agencies to find out what is currently available.

If the classes you need are not available, try requesting that they add the type of program you need. Our hospital was very open to the possibility of providing toddler care classes. I also suggested that they advertise their adoption classes with local adoption agencies, attorneys, pediatricians, and other special-interest groups.