[sregis]

RQ is reporting some pretty important details re new restrictions, etc:

» The Big Meeting - ChinaAdoptTalk.com

[stillhoping]

It makes me sad and scared! We will be ok this time - we were dtc 11/16/06. But we may not be able to have second child as my husband just turned 47.

And I feel so bad for singles! Its just by chance I ended up married or I would be adopting as a single too.

Maybe I need to start checking into the Vietnam or Taiwan programs for number 2. Of course - now they may get even more applicants - and maybe China will then speed up.

Does anyone know that if/when the US signs/ratifies/whatever the right term is - the Hague thing - if that will open up more countries?

[Lissa]

Hague will not effect the restrictions China imposes. China was easy to adopt to Hague as they pretty much already ran via Hague requirements. That's why they were so popular with the international adoption community. Honest and dependable.

Looks like I'm out...Lydia will likely be an only now.
Stings pretty hard if it's true. And I have a feeling it's true...

[specialk4b]

*trying not to overreact* those rules would probably put us out of the running for #2 from China.

I guess we'll have to wait and see. *sigh*

[stillhoping]

I didn't figure Hague would affect China - but I thought I read somewhere that the reason it was so hard to adopt from Brazil was because we hadn't yet sign/ratified/whatever the Hague. I was thinking/hoping it might open up other possibilities for people.

[smbcpc]

I wonder how strict these rules will be. This change will mean that a lot of people will not be eligible to adopt a child and it is truly sad. We are thinking a little bit ahead and hoping that we will be able to adopt another child in the future.

I am not sure how many people fall into the "anxiety" category but I imagine that more than a few. Many couples struggled with infertility prior to adopting and as a result.... with anxiety, depression etc. How can they expect adoptive parents to have no history of anxiety or depression? I'm perplexed.

[prechrswife]

If this is accurate, we won't qualify for China again either. We meet most of the requirements, but that $80,000 net asset thing will take us out.

[erinp]

Oh wow. We definitely need to get our dossier in. I had Post partum depression but am no longer on medication, obviously. I hope they don't hold it against me. And my husband and I have only been married 4 years - May of 2002. I guess by the time the new laws come into play though it will be just barely 5 years. (2nd marriage)

[Couchkat]

If the rules are strict, most families will not qualify. I guess we'll just have to see how it all works out.

[amyfk]

We recently adopted from Russia and in the back of my mind I have been thinking about adopting a second from China perhaps in the future. I have heard so many good things about the Chinese adoption system and about the children from China. We too would be knocked out of the running. Although it is mild and I go regularly to a therapist, I have generalized anxiety disorder. I also dont see myself as having a "mental disease." I would think if China makes the rules too restrictive, most folks would be out of the running(but I guess that's what they want--to knock down the amounts of folks who qualify as demand is currently more than the supply of adoptable children).

Amy K, NJ

[KarenInCa]

reposted below

[KarenInCa]

I'm probably in the minority here with my opinion, but China has less paper ready children, and if that's the case, CCAA should be picky.
I can see the logic. They want to ensure that these children will be in stable, emotionally and physically capible, long term and committed families. Otherwise, why should they consider letting the children leave China? Until now, anyone with enough documented income could come to China and take the children as their own. Sure there were guidelines but people did not respect those guidelines. "Singles" are adopting from China, and taking their same-sex partners with them to get the child, and being fairly obvious about it. It happened when we were there, so Im sure it happens often. I'm sure that's also insulting to China, that the people being handed their children are not respecting the rules. People that are not cancer free or have clinical depression have gone to different doctors for their medical "exam" than the doctor that knows their history. I know that sometimes this has been unveiled and exposed to the agencies or possibly CCAA via blog entries or other possible ways. and I'm sure all of these things are extremely insulting to a country that culturally takes pride in the words "honor and respect".

With the amount of applicants vs the amount of paper ready children, they are obviously not concerned if every foreign adult seeking a child is happy, they want China's children to be happy. Why should they lose a child of China if they are going to go into (what China possibly assumes) a similar situation? CCAAs first priority is to the children. Being that, as a culture, they value family (married mother and father) prosperity and good health, from China's view point it seems futile to take the children out of China, even if they are going to be in SWIs, if it means sacraficing any of these values. Ultimately, why should they care if it takes prospective parents out of the picture? Their goal is not to make you and I happy, but to find the best overall situation for a child that will be taken out of China.

[Lissa]

Karen,

You're not in the minority here, we all understand. No one is upset with China...but at the same time it's understandable to be upset. Many people here have been waiting a long time, many have been planning on second children and those plans have been disrupted for many. It's normal to be upset. But I think all of us agree we respect China and want what's best for her children.

[pgruodis]

I strongly disagree with you Karen ...I don't subscribe to your cultural relativism.
I live in a modern society and my beliefs have been molded by the hard-work and struggle of those before me.
Gay parents can do a great job, Cancer isn't always a death-sentence, and depression runs a huge spectrum.
I, and everyone here have every right to voice their sadness and anger. History has clearly taught us that "playing by the rules" is not always the right way.

[KarenInCa]

If you are going to strongly disagree, then please do not interpret my words incorrectly. I NEVER said that gay parents can not do a good job. I also never said that cancer is a death sentence.
What I said was that China has always had guidelines about who should adopt from China. CCAA does not allow gay couples to adopt from China. Right or wrong, it is the rule. They also insist that someone must be cancer free for 5 years before submitting a dossier. But I have seen some that knowingly and willingly thumb their noses at China's requests. People before us (and probably now) have publicly gone around these rules. They are not rules that are set to upset us, they are rules that are set because those in charge in China BELIEVE that they are worth having.
You may not agree with the rules, but we don't make the rules. If we cannot respect the guidelines, why adopt from the very country setting them??
I don't agree with all the guidelines for my own personal reasons either, mainly because of my weight. But if my BMI is above 40 at the time we decide to get another child, you bet Im going to be dieting frantically.