It’s no secret that the hubs and I are in the process of trying to adopt a special needs child. We have jumped through several hurdles, all of which have resembled hoops of fire. Inevitably, I singed my eyebrows. (A major reason why I refuse to light the barbeque, but I digress…)
We have explained our reasons, defended our beliefs, and ignored all the naysayers. We have wrestled our doubts, questioned ourselves and examined our very souls, searching for an answer.
We have comforted our children, held their hands, smoothed their qualms.
We are ready.
The adoption asshats people don’t agree.
Yesterday we had yet another meeting with our adoption case workers. We read through our formal assessments and giggled like the immature adults Boo and I are. When I read that he wrote “T is the joy of my life” I just about collapsed into fits of sniggering. When he read that I wrote “our main source of miscommunication is his tendency to believe I am a mind reader” he had to dig that burr out from between his ass cheeks. It was a quality marital bonding moment.
The assessment was glowing and it was truly a wonder to realize just how loved and appreciated we are by our family, our friends and our community. If you believed the hype these folks spewed to the adoption twits, you’d think we have secret super powers, ready to solve the world’s problems.
I felt warm and fuzzy. Without any alcoholic beverages.
The social worker assigned to our case wrote that she approved of Boo and my application to adopt and she felt that we would be “wonderful parents to a special needs child.” Sounds great, right?
Wrong.
Apparently, she believes my children aren’t so wonderful. She questions their dedication to the adoption and labelled one of them ambivalent. After spending a grand total of 21 minutes with the child. And not calling to speak to any adult that actually knew the kiddie, like say the teacher or the pediatrician. Instead, she recommended our application be put on hold until she felt that the children were more excited and ready to become adoptive siblings.
So instead of moving forward with the child matching as planned, we are stuck in limbo, waiting for the adoption asshats to do what they should have done in the first place and speak to the professionals involved with our chitlens. If that does not convince them my children are ready to adopt then they will have to be formally assessed by a head shrinker.
(I need to start being nice to them just in case. I wouldn’t want the shrink to find out I make them eat stale cheerios for supper and force them to drink out of the toilet bowl.)
I am frustrated and a tad annoyed. I knew in advance that they were questioning my children’s readiness for the adoption and to be honest, I appreciate the protectiveness they are showing my children. But they don’t know my kids and have shown no interest in actually having a valid conversation with either of them.
I was warned beforehand of the monumental mountain of bureacratic stupidity we would be facing. But I naively thought that somehow it wouldn’t apply to us. (Yah, I’m still trying to remove that KICK ME sign someone taped between my shoulder blades.)
I should have known the meeting was going to go badly when I first walked into the building and encountered a good friend who works in the social work industry. She took one look at me and rushed to my husband and told him to keep a muzzle on me. It was a comforting moment.
In the end, the twits walked away smarting from the verbal smack down I administered. My husband was unable to wrestle me down and muzzle me; subsequently when we left the building he looked down at me appreciatively and told me he was awed by how scary I can be while speaking so quietly. (It is a gift.)
So I will continue in this holding pattern, and try to be content knowing that we WERE approved, just put on hold.
While they try to figure out if my children are going to be standing over the new kid’s bed with a knife and an empty look in their eyes, in the middle of the night.








J.
That’s bullshit hon.
Jana
The great thing about children is that for the most part, they easily adapt to changes. I doubt if we assessed our children before the birth of a child if an older sibling was ready, that they would be. It’s not like we can keep a baby in utero until that time. As a parent we ease, guide and help our children with a growing family. It doesn’t seem right for that the adoption would be held up on this account! Hopefully they will see their insanity for what it is.
problem girl
That’s …… insane. I’m seriously shocked by this. I hope this ends up being just a tiny little snag that is quickly smoothed over. I’ll be thinking of you guys.
jacquie
You guys are amazing to put yourselves under the microscope you have.
I admit I had to look up the meaning of ambivalent (insert red face here)
-uncertain or unable to decide about what course to follow.
Are your children not around the ages of 9-11?? What kind of answers would they expect?? What kid at that age would give the “perfect” answers.
Asshats seems very fitting of this wonderful group that has been put to judge you! Terrible.
toyfoto
I would think a kid that’s not ambivalent about such a life change would be somewhat abnormal. No? I hope your holding pattern doesn’t last long.
Worker Mommy
I guess it is nice that they are taking the kids feelings in to consideration but certainly you’d think they would have been more thorough about doing so the first time. 21 minutes hardly qualifies.
Best of luck and hope the wait isn’t too long !
Nancy
That completely sucks. And you know, I was thinking what Toyfoto said — every child who goes through the process of getting a new sibling expresses some ambivalence. Even Mimi, who was thrilled to death when I was pregnant, expressed reservations about sharing her parents and her space with a new baby in the house.
If you are decent parents — which of course you are, as evidenced by the glowing reviews — you will of course help your kids AND the new one with the adjustment. Of course!
(want me to talk to those asshats?)
Fingers crossed for you.
flutter
Asshats. Does that mean they are going to come over and rip out your ovaries if your kids don’t do backflips if you were to become pregnant?
slouching mom
So wait — if you were having a baby next month, your kids would be unambivalent?
Yeah, right. Snort. toyfoto’s spot on; ambivalence is natural. Even appropriate.
Sheesh.
emmasometimes
There is always something…my sister in law is adopting a special needs baby from China. They have waited for almost two years now, with all the bureaucratic red-tape and all….they leave in three weeks to China. They are so excited!!
It’s frustrating, but this is a good journey, for you AND your kids.
(handing you my best invisible red-tape cutting scissors)
kat
So sorry T – I really am.
These people are dumber than a box of hammers. They have no clue that you are a super-mom! I will keep fingers crossed that the bureacratic asshats have a spark of common sense and rush your application thru.
King shocka Khan
Is that a ring in your nose…say it it so Joe…IS THAT A RING IN YOUR NOSE…
SAY IT AINT SO JOE!!!
King shocka Khan
metro mama
Oh, they suck. I’m sorry.
my float
Who ARE these people? Children are ambivalent about everything. Your kids are smart – they’ve had to face an enormous loss in their lives. Of course they’re going to be ambivalent about someone new – not only do they not know what this means for them, but they’re probably not sure about getting close to someone else who may leave them as well. That’s human nature.
The day your kids become robots is the day you’ll get the PROCEED stamped on your application by these morons. Do they actually even understand kids?? Hell on a stick, this made me mad. Morons.
Em
I’ve heard so many frustrating stories from wonderful families who wanted to adopt and just got screwed by the people and the rules. Kids need good homes and it seems they do what they can to avoid putting them there! I know they have to be careful and I appreciate all that…but seriously, you have a great family. Can they not see what a good home looks like?!?!
jennie
don’t kids that age act ambivilent about EVERYTHING?
Tiger Lamb Girl
It’s only power hungry asshats who apply for jobs like that. Bureaucrats are indeed asshats. I’d react much the same at the stupidity of some asshat coming to a conclusion about my children based on a 21 minute visit. That would have me seeing red.
Bethany
Ditto what everyone else said.
Mrs. Chicky
That sucks! I swear those types of people only wield their powers because they’re lacking in other areas. Like the in brains department.
moosh in indy.
What would happen if you got pregnant (hypothetical)? Would they not let you give birth until they felt your kids were ready?