March 05, 2019

Prioritizing Your Spouse in Adoption

Adoption is a difficult journey — there is no denying that. It is an endless rollercoaster of emotions that joins two families who are both making remarkable choices. Although it’s a beautiful time, the adoption process can have a profound effect on your marriage. Welcoming a child into your home is an enormous shift in your daily lives and responsibilities, but prioritizing your relationship with your spouse is key to staying connected, grounded, and unified.

One of the major challenges couples face when navigating adoption is the financial undertaking that is required. If you and your partner have unresolved financial issues, now is the time to figure them out. It’s vital that you’re both on the same page and have ironed out all details — major and minor — before beginning your process.

In addition to finances, it’s important to tackle larger discussions around parenting as well. How was your partner raised? What are their core values in caring for and raising a child? What are their views on discipline, schooling, religion? Some couples get so consumed by the thought of starting a family that they forget to envision how their family will function as well.

There are many ways adopting is similar to having a biological child, but adoption also presents its own unique set of challenges. When the pressure starts to rise, take a deep breath and remember to enlist your relationship and spouse for support. Adoption is a mammoth task, but working together as a couple can give you a shared sense of accomplishment and will help you navigate the tough decisions down the road. It’s an incredible experience to share with one another, and the foundation you set for your relationship will be the foundation that grounds your family for years to come.