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Angela R
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Okay, I'll try to answer your original question the best
I can.
For Nepal, single woman can adopt, but they must be between the ages of 35-55.
For Mexico, all adoptive parents, single or married, must be over age 25 to adopt (and adopting from Mexico is a VERY difficult process)
Columbia requires a-parents to be at least 25, and for Brazil they must be at least 21 (also a VERY difficult program to adopt through)
Many other countries in South America either don't allow for international adoption right now, or do not allow singles to adopt.
I've adopted internationally twice, done LOTS of research, and have found that most countires require adoptive parents to be 25, and only a few allow for 21 year olds to adopt. Also, many countries do not allow single people to adopt.
While technically the minimum age for domestic adoption is 18, I have never heard of any agency accepting someone under 21, and usually not under 25. Even on the off chance that an agency were to accept you, it would be incredibly unlikely that a woman would choose a single 18 year old to adopt her child, no matter how mature and financially stable you are. The only people I've ever heard of adopting at your age were adopting a family member.
My husband and I looked into adopting when I was 22, and found that it would be very difficult for us. We ended up waiting until I was 25, and we had been married 3 years to adopt, and even then our social worker said we were the youngest couple they ever worked with.
You may be very mature, responsible, and financially stable, but most people are just not going to consider a single 18 year old a good canidate for an adoptive parent.
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magic pointe shoes
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I spy special snowflake syndrome; you really didn't need to ask the same question three times. Financial stability is looked at over a period of *years* not months, not weeks. Live for you for a while, adopt a plant or a puppy. Then when a couple years have passed, come back and ask again. |
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Santa's Lil' Helper
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I will play devils advocate. Why would an eighteen year old pregnant unwed mother give her baby to another unwed eighteen year old? |
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aloha.girl59
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Legally, yes, I think you would be able to adopt. *Should* you? My opinion is no. You're too young. You say you have a lot of money...great. What about an education? You're only 18. Your ideas on marriage may change. I know you probably already know this, but your entire life changes when you have a child. Do you plan to adopt a child and then leave him or her with babysitters so that you can go out and have fun? Do you not want a social life?
Wait. GIve yourself some time to grow up a little. Then adopt. There will always, unfortunately, be thousands of children in foster care waiting for good homes. Adopt one or more of them when you're REALLY ready. |
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Just a Mom
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I do not know of anywhere that will allow an 18 year old to adopt. You have to be at least 21 in every situation that I am aware of.
And you are kind of annoying. You can ask the question as much as you want and still get the same answer. |
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anastasia beaverhausen-the real1
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in a nutshell? NO. you aren't old enough. |
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Heather Leigh
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It doesn't matter how much money you have. Unless you are an immediate relative, you will not be allowed to adopt until you are AT LEAST 21 years old.
Sorry, but no matter how many times you ask this question, the answer is still the same.
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Samantha
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International adoptions there is an age limit (25 to 30 years old)
I dont know about domestic adoptions though. I dont think theyd let u at your age. |
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Heather B
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Nope. You are not entitled to a child |
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Seff
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I don't know fore sure, but common sense dictates you may run into some difficulty because of your age. |
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Freckle Face
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21 yrs is the youngest i've ever heard of actually adopting.
As a more seasoned adoptive parent, I'll give you some free advice i wish someone would have told me:)
Many times (not always) there is a heartbroken woman suffering so that you can raise her child. This pain does not go away. Adoption comes with a loss to both the child and mother. Please make an informed decision and do some reading about adoption first. (the good, bad, and the ugly) Foster care kids are the children who really need parents, imho. best wishes. |
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Bijou
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Honestly you have your whole live ahead of you. Enjoy your success and your money. Most of all your Freedom.You'll have plenty of time to decide whether or not to adopt... |
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Serenity71
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You have a great job now, but what will happen when you have a child that needs you full time? How stable will you be financially if you have to cut back on working hours or have a child that screams because they want mum to play with them and they don't want to go to daycare.
You have to seriously look at those things, because this is another human life you're talking about. (Just because your the legal age to do something doesn't mean you have to do it.)
Being raised in a big family is different from being THE actual parent doing the raising of children and having sleepless nights and everything that goes with being a parent.
The fact that you demanded a response three times shows you need to look further and get more life experience before you take on the responsibility of raising a child through adoption. |
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sillynibs
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No |
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Jennifer L
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Single women can adopt through foster care and through domestic adoption. Some international programs allow singles to adopt, others do not. Some have age mininums (like 25-30) while others do not. The country in question makes the rules, as far as requirements for adoptive parents. You would have to look at the specific international program. |
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JahaRa
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You need to contact your local officials and find out what the rules are about adoption. It is different for each area. In my opinion you are too young to adopt a child. Wait until you are 26 or 27. |
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Annabelle
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Many agencies say you have to be between 25 and 45 though Im not sure why. Im pretty sure you could go through foster parent training though if you are interested in that route. If so call your local division of family services. |
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amandajfuller
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I believe that in most states you have to be at least 21 in intercountry adoptions and even older if you decide to adopt internationally. Check with hopeforfamiles.com and look at the info. A child is a blessing I have ever regretted. There are plenty of teen moms out there that have had their own children so I think being a mother should have no age restriction. Good luck in finding yourself a child to love. |
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goober
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To adopt internationally you usually have to be 25 years old...in China-30. |
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Maire
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I don't believe they would let you adopt a child at that age.
To the courts and people of that nature you are still just a child yourself.
I think the only way they would give someone your age custody of a child is if it were a family member or a close friend who you were extremely close with and that persons parents were in no condition to take care of them. But no, to my knowledge you wouldn't be aloud to adopt at this time. |
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zZMagikZz
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I would wait a while, 18 and a choice to have a child I would pick no. May I ask (not in any way trying to insult) how you have a lot of money at 18? Because, I may need to follow some of your advice on getting money you sound like your doing well for yourself. Does all your money come from wedding and events planning I don't know that much about jobs I didn't know they made a lot.
Good Day! |
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Felicita1
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So, why do you want to adopt rather than having a child of your own? You are young enough that age-related infertility is not a possibility (that begins at age 27). Nor likely have STD's made you infertile. So, why not have a child the usual way, a child who will be related to you?
I don't believe that one should wait until one's 30s to have a child. That is a man's biological clock and men can sire children until well into their senior years. A woman's biological clock is set such that her fertility is highest in her late teens and early-mid 20s. So, no, you should not wait until your 30s to have a baby. Financial security is relative.
You want to adopt internationally. Well, most "orphans" in other nations DO have families -- the families are just too poor to support them. Donating to international agencies that help families in other nations, that alleviate their poverty, is more ethical than plucking away their children.
Again, why not have a child of your own? |
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andreacs
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Well, first, excuse my english, im learning it.
Apparently you have all the things that you need to be able to adopt a child, money, stable job, experience...now, the questionable request is the stability that you say have.
you really should examine that and second is that you were raised with 7 siblings but it is really not the same experience, also an adopt child required sometimes psychological treatment, sometimes, and about your age that can be another factor, i wont judge you telling you that according to scientific investigation 18 years old is not the right age to have children, because also depend of the person's mature but what you have to be really sure is that decision involve a lot of time of thinking.
i really would like to know your final decision, and good luck :) |
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Kara
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go to collage first then maybe consider adopting again if ur so finacially stable then go get and education |
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r s
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I foster parented at 23 as a single foster mom (I have no biological children) most places would let you foster at 21 if you has been supporting yourself and have a job, etc....
I earned by MS Ed by the time I was 22....
My girls are now 17 and 14 and doing well....
my son that I adopted from public foster care is 16... I got him when I was 29 and he was almost 9... now he is doing about as well as anyone ever expected...
most states to foster the lowest age is 21 ... it depends on the agency but most want 21 or 25 years of age
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Christy
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The previous poster had a good reply about checking with your local officials. I just wanted to add that you should also check the laws of different countries you want to adopt from, as they will also have different requirements. Lutheran Social Services also does adoptions, maybe you should see if there is one near you that you could ask this question of (they are a national not-for-profit organization I believe). |
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Leigh
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You can legally adopt a child. Finding the child to adopt is another story. It can be very difficult to adopt when you find yourself competing with 6 million other people in this country waiting to adopt. My sister waited 12 years to adopt her child, and I am still waiting. You may have to deal with several "failed" adoptions (where the mother changes her mind-very traumatic). You may be passed over by potential birth mothers because you are young, because you are single, or for many other reasons. Internationally, you may be able to adopt, but many countries have MANY restrictions, including lots that will require two parents, a minimum of X number of years of marriage, a minimum income (l've seen lots that require a minimum net worth that is rather high).
I really am wondering why you would prefer to adopt (because I know how hard it is). Have you considered attempting to have one on your own through AI or other means? It certainly would be my choice, just for the ease of it (if it were possible, of course, which it's not). |
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Megan W
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yes you can! my sister did but its quite expensive |
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Kelly
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Sorry but i really don't know i just wanted to wish you the best of luck. There so many children out there that need a loving home but not many people that want to give that. |
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eharrah1
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Yes, you can adopt. Might want to go thru a private adoption lawyer though. Should be easier than going thru a state agency. Or, consider international. Don't think the rules are as strict. |
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blank
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Yes you can |
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