Adoption is a process
whereby a person assumes the “parenting” for another and, in so doing,
permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from the original parent
or parents. Unlike guardianship or other systems designed for the care of the
young, adoption is intended to effect a permanent change in status and as such
requires societal recognition, either through legal or religious sanction. Of
course, the child is entitled to basic necessities of life in the form of food,
clothing, shelter, education and affection according to the Nigerian Child’s
Rights Act 2003. Child adoption has not been gaining so much attention
especially in Africa as it ought to due to common reasons such as poverty,
ignorance, abuse tendencies amongst others. Rather, more homes are being built
for the motherless children as well as the less privileged. Some believe that
only couples who are not yet able to produce biological off-springs as a result
of one problem or the other are the only ones fit for the position of adopting
a child. It should not be so because child adoption itself is a choice. Couples
who have children can also decide to add more to their family size by adopting.
Nowadays, adults are
becoming more violent. They maltreat and abuse that child they once had pity on
with a promise to the authorities or the relatives of such a child to love and
care for him or her. Some women display preferential treatments in favour of
their biological children at the expense of the adopted one(s) using the
adopted one to pamper the “legitimate child”. As an individual, it would be
better for you to stay out of their lives than to bring them into your
home/family and treat them like slaves. It is better for those vulnerable kids
to grow up with other children like themselves in places like the monastery,
motherless homes or other facilities provided by the government for child welfare,
better still their biological parents (if they must) rather than being brought
to a home where they would lack love, care, freedom of expression and good self
esteem just because of the ugly circumstances surrounding their childhood.
Women must learn to be nice to every child they come in contact with because
they have been created to care and bear with children whatever burden they may
be carrying. Most of these children out there, grow up to become someone great
in life because of the difficulties they went through while growing up, turned
around to make them better persons in the society.
When you adopt a child, the
entire future of that child is being put in your hands and you automatically
become responsible to the outcome of the child because it is what you teach him
or her that he or she will grow with. So, tell me, how can there be a positive
result when you make a child feel less of a human? It is better for you to stay
away from child adoption than to adopt with a plan to abuse the child later.
Things to be considered when going for a child adoption are:
·
Are you financially capable of caring for the
child?
·
Does your spouse/family agree with the plan?
·
Is the child in question willing to stay with
you?
·
The age bracket of the child you are willing
to adopt…
·
Are the genetic make up of the child
important?
·
Will you be able to handle a child with
special needs?
·
Can you tolerate the child’s weaknesses with
patience and love without an explosion of aggression and anger?
Child adoption is not by
force but by choice only for those with a godly heart. Help train a child today
and secure a future for tomorrow. Remember that your own child will soon be
away from home and just like you treated other children, he/she will be
treated.
