[cbw]

Hi everyone!
I'm new here. My husband & I have two biological sons and are planning on starting the adoption process for a daughter (probably from China) in the next year.

I'd love to hear about anyone's experiences having both biological and adopted kids (of different races)

My questions:
1. Do agencies or countries have restrictions regarding familes that have biological kids (i.e. asking them to adopt older or special needs kids, etc.)?

2. I loved reading The Lost Daughters of China. Can anyone recommend any books (informational and/or memoir) about familes with both biological and adopted kids?

Thanks for your help,
cbw

[sak9645]

Agencies generally do NOT care if you have children (bio or adopted) in the home. They SOMETIMES do not allow you to adopt out of birth order -- meaning that you have to adopt a child who is younger than the youngest child already in residence. And they SOMETIMES do not want you to adopt another child until the youngest child already in residence is at least a year old. Of course, they ALWAYS want to be sure that you will have enough money to support an additional child.

MOST countries do not care if you have other children (bio or adopted) in the home when you adopt. SOME have rules regarding the total number of children you may have; for example, China says that you can have no more than four children already at home, if you want to adopt from that country. In the early days of China adoption, the country limited people who already had children to adopting children with minor special needs; however, it no longer has this rule.

Some countries have unusual rules regarding children. As an example, Nepal won't allow you to adopt a boy if you already have a son, and won't allow you to adopt a girl if you already have a daughter; if you have children of both genders, you cannot adopt from Nepal. A few countries require proof of infertility if a couple wishes to adopt, but this is no longer common.

Sharon

[DET62]

I can't comment on blending families with bio and adopted kids, except to say be cognizant of not focusing too much on the newly adopted child and ignoring the needs of the ones there. I just adopted a little boy from Kaz and I fight the urge to just focus on him.

I have neighbors returning from China today with their baby. They were in the adoption process for 3 years. I don't know how they did it. I have heard the wait is now at least 2 years or more.

I am a member of several yahoo groups for adoption and you might want to look on there - there's a group for just about anything!

If you look into Uzbekistan, I have heard good things about adopting from there - it's speedy, one trip, easy dossier, etc.

Good luck!
Dee

[intladoptionblog]

Many of the bloggers here Adoption Blogs: What's New have bio and adopted kids and write about their families.
Check out Erin's, Transracial/Transcultural Adoption Blog and Mary's, Ethiopia Adoption Blog, for starters. There's a lot of info there.