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Deciding To Take Your Baby Home…

After thinking about your pregnancy and talking it over with the father of the baby and your family, you may have come to the decision to raise the baby. Adoption STAR calls this a “parenting plan.” However it is only a plan once you truly ask yourself some challenging questions and implement the necessary steps to successfully provide your baby with the home he or she deserves.

Think carefully about all your choices and make your decision based on what’s best for you, your baby and your family.

• Am I ready to help a child feel wanted and loved 24 hours a day for at least the next 18 years?
• Am I ready emotionally and financially to become a parent?
• Is the baby’s father ready emotionally and financially to become a parent? Will he be there for me and the baby?
• Can I talk about my feelings and other important things with the father of the child, my partner, family, and friends? Will I have their support?
• Am I ready to accept full responsibility for parenting and do it alone, if it becomes necessary?
• Will I have enough money to support myself and a child?
• Am I mature enough to not harm the child physically or emotionally? (I won’t tease, humiliate, slap, hit, or threaten my child no matter what happens, no matter how frustrated I get.)
• Am I ready to seek whatever counseling I need to become a better parent?
• Am I ready to give up my social life with my friends to take care of my baby?
• Am I ready to put my school or career plans on hold? How can I continue my education? Can I get a job?

If you have decided to take home your baby then you must be committed to the idea of “good parenting.” Our aim is to empower you to be the best parent possible for your child, whether you are married or single.

Sometimes, individuals do not have role models for good parenting. This needs to be changed. By improving your parenting skills and cooperating with the other parent, you can be a good role model. Parenting skills can be taught. If you feel you are in need of parenting support and skills training, there are several resources in your community. Feel free to contact Adoption STAR for referrals and resources that can assist you with your parenting plan.

Financial issues are also important. You must determine if you will receive financial support from the other parent of the child. Sometimes this is difficult especially if the other parent (usually the father) does not acknowledge paternity or is unwilling or unable to provide such support. But no matter how much financial child support is collected, there is often a constant complaint that non-custodial parents are not paying enough. Whether you are successful at receiving child support or not, you are obligated to support your child. When you bring a child into the world, you owe that child support ~ emotional as well as financial. There are resources in your community to assist you in exploring what resources may be available to you and your child.