How much time will you be able to take off work during and after the adoption? Many people do not think about this issue before they decide to adopt a child, but you will need to take some time off to go through the adoption process and help the child adjust to his new home. It is very difficult to adopt a child without taking at least some time off from work.

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Under the FMLA, employers with over 50 employees must allow you to take up to 12 weeks off from work to adopt your child. (Not every employer is covered under FMLA, so be sure to research whether your employer is covered.) The FMLA does not require your employer to pay you for this time, but some employers voluntarily pay the equivalent of maternity leave while you are away to adopt a child. See Family Leave: you are entitled to it! for more on this topic.

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If you adopt an older child, he is going to need some time to adjust to his new environment. You cannot take a child out of an orphanage who speaks a different language, drop him into a day care setting or after-school program the next week, and expect him to adjust well. It is frightening to leave behind everything you have ever known and move to another home and, for international adoptions, another country. Your child will need lots of love from you as he adjusts to his new life. The first few weeks are crucial for bonding with your child.

If your child has special needs, such as a history of neglect or abuse, it is doubly important to spend the first few weeks bonding with your child. He needs to see that you are different from the adults who have been in his life in the past. You need to establish that he can count on you to be there for him.

If you adopt a newborn, he will need you just as much as any new baby needs his mother. Also, from a practical standpoint, most daycares will not accept babies who are younger than six weeks old. Newborns have a very limited immune system, so it is not safe to leave a newborn in a group setting during the first few weeks of life.

Related Topics:

• Newborn Adoption: How to Bond



• How to Help an Abused Child Feel Safe

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