One of the comments I get the most when people hear about my family is, "I don't envy you when all of those kids are teenagers!" Now we will never have all of our kids teenagers at once, but since our kids are pretty close in age, we will teenagers in our house for a long time once our Mercy turns 13 next year and officially brings us into the realm of "parenting teenagers".

Teenagers have a bad reputation. Many parents "dread" having teenagers. It is the time period of parenting that it talked about being "survived" instead of enjoyed. Teenagers are often depicted (sometimes accurately so) as moody, direspectful and highly challenging to parent.

So if parents in general dread those teenage years, it is not hard to understand why very few adoptive parents choose to adopt teenagers. If it is challenging to parent a teenager that you have raised from infancy, than surely parenting a teenager that you are just meeting and do not have any history with or any trust, bonding or attachment with, is going to be even more challenging.

Like all children though, while there are definite challenges involved with adopting teenagers, there are also many benefits. There is also an incredibly large need for adoptive parents willing to adopt teenagers.


I do not have any personal experience with adopting teenagers myself (it has not been a practical option for us since I am only 30 years old) but I know many adoptive families who have adopted wonderful teenagers, and those kids have attached beautifully to their new families and are true blessings to their parents and other family members.

So what are some of the benefits of adopting teenagers?

For one, teenagers are more independent than younger children and are not as reliant on their parents as younger children are for many things. Teenagers often have busy schedules with school, sports, friends, jobs, etc. Teenagers are able to enjoy many activities and hobbies that their parents enjoy, and there are many unique opportunities parents can find for strengthening bonds.

Many teenagers have a true desire to be adopted, which can also be a benefit. Teens who "age out" of the foster system or of orphanage care often face very bleak futures, and most teens are very aware of that.

For older adoptive parents, whose age may make it very difficult for them to adopt a baby or young child, adopting a teenager can be a wonderful option.

Adopting a teenager is certainly not right for every family, but there is a huge need for more adoptive parents willing to open their hearts and homes to teens. There are sure to be challenges, but there are sure to be many rewards as well.


Adoption ABC-s - Teenagers

Teenagers need and want to be adopted

*If you have not yet participated, make sure you visit this post and enter the fun giveaway for National Adoption Month thanks to Curls.

* Photo from Liquid Library