Adoption in Maine

[dropcap]S[/dropcap]enior Summer Clement was adopted 13 years ago at age four.

“I found out that I was adopted at five years old and I felt really happy that I found a family for life and  that someone actually wanted me,” she said reflecting back.

When Clement was first adopted she was nearly blind, but she never had glasses. She could barely recognize faces and felt alone in the world. She could hardly see the faces of her new parents, until  a few weeks later they found out that she needed glasses after a trip to the eye doctor.  

“I was so quiet before and wouldn’t talk much with people because I couldn’t see who I was talking to, but as soon as I got my glasses and went home I was a very talkative little girl, like I wouldn’t shut up at all.”

This was just one of the many positive changes in her life as a result of being adopted. She feels so lucky to have the family she has now.  

[quote]I actually do contact my birth mom I have her on Facebook and I see her and the rest of my family during parties or holidays, I don’t have a birth father anymore and I never meet him either, he died a year ago. I have five half siblings and I love them all.”[/quote]

Summer understands that it can be hard for adopted teens to balance their connections to their biological parents and their adopted family. Her advice to other teens who are adopted is to “be happy that you have a home and are not moving from family to family like I did before I got adopted.”

All adoptive parents at some point have to decide when the best time is to tell their children that they were adopted and what parts of that story to tell.Tina immigrated from India before a years ago and after her husband died. She was alone so she decided to return to India and adopt a child from a crowded orphanage. The girl she brought home was given everything the mother could afford, including a private school education. They were everything to each other. Then, when she was ready to leave to college, the girl heard from a friend that she was adopted.She was so angry that she stopped talking to her mother and her life fall apart. She began using drugs and moved away. Now both the mother and  daughter are alone.

While doing research on adoption,I found it is suggested that adoption parents plan when and how they will tell their adopted child. It is also suggested that they introduce the word adoption between the ages 2 and 4. I think this helps the child understand when they are told they are adopted.

According to Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System (AFCARS) , over 50,000 children were adopted within the United States in 2013.There are roughly 400,000 children in the US foster care system. While this number is higher than in 2012, there are still over 100,000 orphans currently waiting to be adopted in the U.S. foster care system.

Indigo Courtney was also adopted. When she was interviewed for Humans of Thornton Academy in her junior year she said, “Most kids who are adopted or kids that have been through foster homes go down a certain path and I can thank my parents for keeping me on a better path because they’re the ones that took me in, gave me an amazing home, brought me to an amazing school, and dealt with my learning disabilities…I broke the chain that my biological family went down with adoptions and early pregnancies and not being able to support themselves, and I’m lucky I’m here and I’m just so thankful for everything that I have been through because it made me who I am and I’m excited to experience the rest of my life.”