Atherton’s Adopting a Waiting Child

There is a need in China for parents of special need children. Some estimate there to be close to 1,000,000 orphans in China, and roughly 98% have a special need.
We are Stan, Missy, Bear (5), and Gwen (2) Atherton and we cannot WAIT to add an eagerly awaited 5th member to our family. 

We get asked about our adoption plans a lot - which is great! I love talking Adoption. Here’s some FAQ:


Q: Are you adopting a baby?
A: No. We are hoping to adopt a “Waiting” child.
As mentioned above, there are an estimated 600,000 to 1,00,000 orphans in China. 98% “have a disability” of some kind. Nothing is certain, but we will likely be referred a 4 or 5 year old with a special need of some kind.


Q: Will you be adopting a girl?
A: We’re not sure! Everyone remembers about 10 years back where thousands of healthy baby girls were being found abandoned. The need has now changed to parents open to adopting a child with special needs of either gender.


Q: Why China?
A: There are many reasons: The sheer amount of orphans. The fact that at 14 they "age out" of the system. I could go on, but, the programs in different countries are different, the requirements different, the needs are different. The point is, find the program that's right for your family, and adopt OR find a way to support people adopting. There is a huge need!
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Overall, we will be anticipating a child younger than Barrett, boy or girl! We should have a general idea of their medical needs, but there may be surprises. The children awaiting adoption are likely to be delayed due to institutionalization and have attachment or growth issues.

Follow us on Facebook to stay up to date on our process: https://www.facebook.com/AthertonFamilyAdopts/