Misconceptions About China Adoption
When most people think about the China adoption program, they pictures adorable little Chinese girls. The idea never occurs to most of them that there could be boys needing homes. Why? Let's look at the reasons. One Child Policy China's one child policy was introduced in 1978. It was created by the Chinese government to alleviate social, economic, and environmental problems in China. The Chinese government refers to it under the official name of the family planning policy. It officially restricts the number of children married couples can have to one (with a few exceptions). How has this affected the program? In Chinese culture, male children are valued above females (in general). Male children will carry on the family name and care for aging parents in the future. So it has been well known that many Chinese parents abandon their baby girls in favor of trying again for a boy. Of course, not all parents do this - some are quite happy with their sweet girls. But the majority of parents prize a boy. This accounts for the large number of baby Chinese girls abandoned in recent years, and why most Western familiesassume that only girls are up for adoption. But what happens when a family has a boy with a defect? Cleft lip, heart troubles, limb differences, spinal problems, ear or eye issues, or any number of minor or severe health problems (real or perceived)? These boys often get abandoned along with the girls, because many Chinese families want a healthy boy only, or feel societal/familial pressure to have a healthy boy. This is why there are equally as many little boys being abandoned as girls. And, given the Chinese cultural preference for males, the orphanages continue to offer more boys for adoption then girls, because they could not possibly understand why Westerners would prefer girls over boys. During our last adoption, there were 40 families in our agency's SN program. Only 3 (including us) wanted a boy. Yet the majority of children on the shared list are boys!! Many families see the SN program as a way to get a very young baby with minor needs. Since there are relatively few children matching that description compared to the number of families, you will be waiting a long time for such a match. If you are open to precious Chinese boys of any age, slightly older girls, or girls with more severe needs, there are literally HUNDREDS of children waiting for families! You might also be interested in: Still learning about the Waiting Child Program? With so many options out there, it's important to be well educated about the various programs available to you and your family. Find out why I Do Not Recommend The Traditional (Non Special Needs) Adoption Program Already home from China with your beautiful child? Share your adoption story with those still waiting! It will be a great encouragement to those who are in the middle of the adoption process now. Every family adopting from the special needs program should read this article by Love Without Boundaries' Amy Eldridge! Copyright 2010-2012
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