Russian anti-U.S. adoption bill advances, goes to Putin for signing

[Baz]

Russian anti-U.S. adoption bill advances, goes to Putin for signing - CNN.com

I'm admittedly 100% out of the loop on adoption paradigm.

Just out of curiosity - why would an American entity adopt a Russian baby instead of the American version?

Would the analogy be me importing an Australian Cattledog for adoption?

There are so many here that need homes.

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by Baz

Just out of curiosity - why would an American entity adopt a Russian baby instead of the American version?

My guess is that Russia has many more white babies to adopt than America has. Sad, if that's what drives the interest in Russian adoptions.

[azasadny]

It's far easier to adopt from some countries than here in the US, I've been told. My sister is Korean and my father and his ex-wife adopted her because it was much easier to adopt Korean babies than US born babies at the time.

[Jim Richards]

That's a less sinister angle than I had opined, Art. I hope it is just a difference in red-tape.

[flatbutt]

My friends have two Russian boys. Both adopted as infants at a fraction of the cost of a US adoption.

[motion]

Easy and white. I've seen them at the embassy in Moscow. Mostly lesbians. NTTAWWT.

[dafischer]

Why do some feel it necessary to insert race into this discussion?

[strupgolf]

I'm not sure why it costs so much to adopt a US baby. I've heard upwards of 30-75,000 dollars. Why and where are the costs? It should be a simple precedure.

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by dafischer

Why do some feel it necessary to insert race into this discussion?

Urban legend about ethnicity of majority of kids needing adoption? I just looked up the stats and was surprised the the order of ethnicity of kids that are available is Caucasian > Black > Hispanic. Totally surprised me.

[Hugh R]

Originally Posted by dafischer

Why do some feel it necessary to insert race into this discussion?

Uh, because its true. Are White couples wanting to adopt a white baby a racist thing?

[dafischer]

I don't think that race enters into the equation, as much as a sincere concern for what happens to young children in Russian orphanages (look that up). There was a segment on tonight's news about a couple who was ready to pick up their adopted daughter from Russia, but Putin scotched that deal. By the way, the 5 yr old had Spina Bifida, and was living in an orphanage. White, yes...but hardly the perfect healthy child. I think love came first here.
YMMV

[dafischer]

Hugh, that's my question as well.

[Hugh R]

OK,I guess I read your post wrong. Nevermind.

It sucks for the kids. I think Putin hosed them for political capital.

[slodave]

I'm not so sure, Hugh. Do you remember the story in the past year or two, where a couple (maybe just a mother), adopted a kid from Russia (few years old, not a baby), the kid turned out to be a handful and she put him on a plane with a note and sent him back to Moscow?

It is easier to adopt from other nations, that's for sure. My adoption in the early 70's inside the US was relatively easy at the time and done through private avenues. I understand it's not that easy anymore.

[Baz]

I have a white neighbor 2 doors down. He and his wife adopted 2 black kids. This was about 3 years ago. They are about 3 and 4 now.

Kids are too noisey - no matter what color they come in!

[PorscheGAL]

We looked at adoption for a while and decided against it but I can comment on the reasoning behind foreign adoptions:

Most children in foster care in America can not be adopted because their parents are not completely out of the picture. For instance, if the parents are in prison they do not lose parental rights. Those children can not be adopted.

There have also been instances where the adoption in America has gone through and then the birth parent, their family or a father who never knew he had a child comes forward and wants the child. The adoptive family has to hand over the child they have spent the last few years raising and loving. Fear of losing your child can affect whether or not you adopt domestically.

Foreign adoptions have their own trials and issues: It can be very expensive. Foreign governments change the rules whenever they want. Like Russia, for instance, there are probably thousands of families that have paid thousands of dollars to Russia to adopt. They are still waiting to be matched to a child. With this new law, they lose that money and they have no hope of getting a child.

[Jim Richards]

It sounds like the whole process, whether domestic or foreign, needs an overhaul.

[azasadny]

We know many people who have adopted Russian babies and many of them suffer from the effects of FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome), not all...but many. A former friend and his wife adopted a baby from Kazhikstan about 10 years ago because they thought since it's a Muslim country, the chances of getting a baby with FAS would be minimal. Not sure how that turned out...

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by azasadny

We know many people who have adopted Russian babies and many of them suffer from the effects of FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome), not all...but many. A former friend and his wife adopted a baby from Kazhikstan about 10 years ago because they thought since it's a Muslim country, the chances of getting a baby with FAS would be minimal. Not sure how that turned out...

I know three couples who adopted children from the former Soviet Union. They have all had significant challenges with their children.

One, a very good friend of mine, may have to institutionalize her son for his off the charts aggressive behavior. Her marriage has suffered greatly.

I know this information is anecdotal, but in the broader net of folks I know from my friends efforts to get help (which I worked with her on) for her son, there is much to be concerned about. They have also adopted a baby girl from China (years ago) who is tracking like you read about.

I don't know Putin's reason for the ban, but in my mind it is a chance to pause and reflect a bit.

[PorscheGAL]

The ban came about because of a couple high profile cases:

One was in NJ an adopted boy from Russia was left in a hot car all day by his adoptive father and died( the bill is named after this child).

The other was an adopted mother from Tennessee who sent her adopted son back to Russia unaccompanied because she said he had become violent, threatening to kill her and burn the house down. After a couple years of trying to get him help and nothing working, she set him back.