My husband and I are looking to adopt?

Bless you for wanting to adopt children who truly need homes. Since you want to adopt children in the age range of 5 to 10. I think you might want to wait until your current kids are at least 11 and 12. Unless you decide to adopt out of age order. Some have no problem with this, others do. Thats something you and your husband would have to talk about. If your kids are older they could have more say and even more involvement in welcoming their new brother or sister into their family.

Adopting once your kids are in college is also a possibility I went to school with a boy he was the youngest of 3 brothers and he said his parents were considering adopting once he left for College, don't know if they ever did since I have not seen this guy since graduation nearly 10 years ago.

We have our 2 little ones who are 3 and 2. We are wanting to adopt some kids from the foster care system. (I was a foster child) We are fully aware that they may be troubled and have some issues, but we are wanting to just give them the chance at a loving home where they can learn that family is a good thing. My concern is that my kids are so young. How it would effect them and I wonder if we should wait till they are older? So that we can discuss it as a family? Has anyone else been in this situation?

For the person who wonders if I want to relive my past, NO! It's about helping them. Giving them what I didn't have. Giving them a loving nurturing home. They deserve to be in a family just as much as the children I give birth too. Every child no matter their age deserve a home. Those that came from bad situations need to see that family is love. Life is not always filled with heartache and hurt. I have been there and I really think that I can help them to relate. I have done quite a bit of volunteer work in the local foster programs here. I see this light in the kids eyes. They have so much potential, and being bounced from home to home can hurt. If I can take the hurt away and give them a permanent home where they are wanted and loved then I will do it. They deserve it.

Honestly, I think that with two children under the age of 5, you've got your hands full. I would wait until your little ones were older and didn't need so much of your individual attention. An adopted child is going to need everything that your little ones do, and then some.

I want to do the same thing some day too. It takes a special heart to want to help that much. ; )

I've decided it is best for our family to wait. We are blessed with 3 kids. I've loved more but due to health problem I can't have anymore kids. After much prayer I want to wait until my kids are grown then adopt or foster.

Honestly, this may sound mean but like you said children in foster care deal with a lot of serious issues. I don't know if I would feel this sounds bad but fearful for my own kids. While I am sure there are some foster kids who just need love and a family others may need so much more we couldn't give it if we had our 3 here too.

Another thing is we homeschool our kids. Due to state law if we wanted to bring foster kids we could not homeschool them unless we adopted them. The homeschooling teacher has to be a parent or hired tutor.

My husband's parents adopted two kids. My husband was 19 at the time and his brother was 11. They adopted siblings ages 3 & 5. It worked out well since my husband was already older & out of the home. His 11yr old brother was older too.

You can learn more about the foster to adopt process by visiting Adopt US Kids. You can fill out an inquiry form to be contacted by a foster adoption advocate from your state. You can attend information workshops and seminars to learn more about the adoption process and the commitment and time required. Talking with an adoption representative or social worker will also help assess whether you have the financial and emotional means to consider adding another child to your household. There are also a number of books online (check out resources through adoption.com) about blending families and helping children adjust to the adoption process.

From the research I've done you shouldn't mess up the birth order of your children and you shouldn't artificially twin your children either. This can be very detrimental to them. Therefore, if you want to adopt older children, you probably should wait.

I would speak about this with a social worker who is used to working with people within the foster care system. I would bet its actually better because your children are younger, older children may be very resentful of a foster child and bully them but younger children might be more accepting.

Read this page:
http://familypreservation.blogspot.com/

Why do you want to adopt, you already have children of your own. Do you want to help those children, or do you want to re-live your past?

All I can say is that an adoptee, I wish you would wait until your own children are MUCH older....even college age. It's just not fair to your children, or the children you may adopt.

But you of all people know that ap's can't really "take away the hurt". The damage caused by abuse or being separated from your first family cannot be "fixed". To think it can be is dangerous to yourself, and to the kids. Adoption isn't magic.

Im glad you are considering older kids. They are the ones who truly need homes.

i am so glad someone asked this same question. my husband and I are looking into adopting we already have 2 children of our own but are wanting to bless some other children with a family and a home =) are you looking into adopting an older child or infant?

I think adoption is a wonderful way to add to your family. I to would also have concerns about going through the process now. I personally would wait until my children were older, and then adopt children younger then they are. It changes the whole family structure and like you said the children that become part of you family may come with some issues, and you would want your children to be a good example for them not only that you would want your children to be able to protect themselves if there is a problem until the children learn what is allowed and what is not allowed in your home. God Bless all of you in the growth of your family, when ever and however you choose to expand it.