Parents Open Up About Their Experience Adopting Teenagers | Today 

Isa_Bella i read this right as it came to that point in the video

@@MaddiHenderson same it was so weird

Maddi Henderson SAME wtf

@@MaddiHenderson OMG SAME WTH

Isa_Bella brought a tear to my eye hits home I was adopted and went though the same thing it’s good what people can do to change a child’s life forever xx

“Priceless” children want to feel like they belong and feel the genuine love.

That was powerful

@@AnaisAzuli very powerful

f u for making me cry again

Nompilo Mazibuko ❤️

Sure ya did.

same we went to ncf together, super cool guy

👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽😊

@@wazawana7939 whys it so hard to believe one person out of hundreds of thousands who's seen this video has met him lmao

@@tabbycat3610 because it's simple, they just want attention so they make up a lie.

Wishing you both all the happiness✌🏼✌🏼

God bless u

May your joy and love grow always..I am blessed to read your post..we all are.

@@soleilm3866 Thank you all. 🙏

thanks for doing them a huge service as well as your community. Im excited to adopt a kid someday if life plays out how i want

Fran C what college does she teach at?? That is so great ❤️❤️❤️

University of Florida

Wow!!!!! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

Wow@Fran

Awesome

I never really cared about giving birth or changing diapers. My husband and I do not like small kids but we really want a family. I think adopting an older child is our calling.

@@asdfghjkl-oo7lv you should! It will be hard but if just keeping trying you will feel so proud and accomplished and really truly make a difference in the childs/ teens life. I have no doubt I would have turned into a homeless drugged out prostitute just just my older sister, but she was six years older than me and had already run away when my twin and I had had been taken into foster care for the second time. my adopted mother is everything to me, she adopted me at 25, as single mother, with a 2 and 3 year old at time, being with her made me realize I had never truly known a good, healthy and wholesome love, ever. she taught me how love and feel loved and taught me everything on how to live and become a responsible adult. I'm now 24 married to my teenage sweet heart going on six years (been together for eight) and we now have three beautiful children, aged 5 months, 2 and 3 years old, I have nice home and a beautiful life because she made the tough decision to just love me when no one else did. She helped me break the cycle with my own children, and they have never felt anything but love, care and support from me, having been taught by my mother.

Sorry for spelling mistakes, mimosas at a wonderful family bbq. Lol

@@jaheje7079 thank you 😻

Of course, my heart swells with love for you for even considering adopting a teen, even though I've never met you. You could truly make a difference and that makes feel so hopeful that another child might be given the same chance I was given, so thank you!

So beautiful! Is she doing good?

@@sofiad8128 she's doing wonderful! she is now in her last year of uni and is really happy with her boyfriend ;) ofcourse sometimes things are really hard but she is really strong and stays super positive, i don't know how she does it :)

That's amazing! Congratulations! God bless you and your family ❤

You are lucky. You were much wanted.

Keili Johnson congratulations xxx

It’s been a year since this commented was posted but I hope you’re still happy with your new family!

how are you??

shylashes 🖤🖤🖤🖤thank you for considering! I was in the system five years before someone adopted me when I was 9

thank you for the love. hope you can adopt soon.

hahahaha planted seed

shylashes Lauren is the adopted girls name, Joselyn is the mom.

Shannon Knox i think she still was directing it towards her

I would love to adopt a teen. Wouldn't have to go through the whole toddler and child phase that is way more tedious and expensive.

I want to but I live alone and everyone tells me it's a bad idea to adopt a teen, especially a male, for safety concerns.

@@terrirnbsn3596 You should speak to an adoption specialist rather than listening to people who are unqualified to advise you on the subject.

Amen. One thing I’m looking forward too in my 30’s is adopting is much rather adopt than birth my own. I’d love to adopt siblings if I could and the older kids in general.

@@terrirnbsn3596 you do have to be careful.. everyone is different. A friend of mine I adopted a little girl who's Mom is in prison for constantly setting fires and it turned out the little girl is a pyromaniac and they can't even keep a lighter or match anywhere near the house, otherwise she tries to set fires.. another person I know adopted a young boy who steals from her and then runs away from home. They are both in long-term therapy but still have many challenges to face.

We also need more foster parents

Yeah I'm 13 but I want all adopted kids. There are so many kids that need help!

Same, I'm a little older but I've wanted to adopt a lot of kids and have a few biological for a few years now. I could make a big positive difference in someone's life.

Same I want to adopt from Africa

Same but I don't want bio kids im going to foster and then adopt

Yeah the girl is so pretty

@@AKIRA-we4hd u can call Boys pretty too

emily she never said you couldn’t

Sri Widiani Lauren goes to my school, she is in my gym class but she is a grade lower then me, she is very kind and athletic :)

so nice :)

Vamos hacer eso

Ok!! 😭

Theyre

lucy lu imma correct it now! 😊

Hearing you refer to something as simple as food as a “treat” makes me realize the things we take for granted.

glad you got out of that situation 😊 food should not be a treat, it’s a basic necessity

thank... you... for telling....us....your....story.....

@@cirese2570 :) of course

@@dh1432 My life was hellish growing up but as a child it was always my wish that I would be adopted by someone else. But I do find it strange that in America parental rights can be taken away and the kids immediately put up for adoption so easily. Though I guess it makes sense in a way since I have heard really bad things about the American fostering system. In New Zealand and Australia much more emphasis is put on the fostering system and cancelling someone's parental rights pretty much only happens when they are a physical danger to the child.

Hi Luna Moon, may God bless you with a family in whatever form that looks like ❤ God loves you and will always protect you!

Luna Moon must you join the group of padawans

Where do you live? I will be your mama. Are you coming home to Alabama for the holidays this year? ♡

@@trishasaha3578 Im in Africa i can adopt you

@@trishasaha3578I may not be like your parents, but i will try, will love you and be your besr friend

Moni Pl 😭❤️

oki cools I want to adopt ! It seems to take years ? Unless I’m wrong , I would adopt an older child for sure

@@himynameiswhat3966 It varies depending on the situation. It can be as little as a few months.

When I’m old enough I plan on adopting an older child. I’m 16-18 rn. And when I’m financially stable. After college maybe

I would like to adopt older kids or teens.

Ive been looking for this comment because i know i wasnt the only one who heard iy

Hello, I'm a 13 year old girl who's getting hit and abused by her parents. I am mentally going through a lot.I just want to get adopted and end all of this.Please let me know if i can get any kind of help.

how many have YOU adopted???? Yeah, that's what I thought. 🙄

Stuey Griffith not everyone is called to adopt. Everyone has a different path in life.

@@hayleymarse2853 thanks, Yoda.... 🙄

Stuey Griffith no problem 😂😂

Lana Joy you absolutely can. I was just saying that not everyone is able to adopt but they can always support those who do choose to do so and the children still in the adoption system

malia x same🥺

Adopting a child at all is amazing, I will never take away from anyone just because they know what they can or can’t handle. Adopting a older child is far from easy, & yes some are difficult. Unless you’ve gone through how hard it is to be a foster parent, you don’t really get to talk on it.

My husband and I just finished our home study so we can adopt from foster care. We're very excited for this new chapter in our lives. I did and do kinda want to adopt a sibling group 12 and under but I'm starting to open up to the idea of a teenager. It's been on my mind that I didn't want this big person that had a lot of anger or resentment (I know young kids can feel this way too)taking it out on me and my husband. We want a family bond and I don't want someone who may leave us in a few years as soon as they become of age. I know that may sound selfish but I want to adopt a person who can always come home to us even after they've moved out and still think of as mom and dad and not just those people I lived with when I was in high school. I know every person and situation is different but these are the thoughts that I have. I would love to provide a loving home for a teenager who we could do stuff with, take on vacation, get involved in whatever they're interested in, teach new things to them. I'm trying to keep an open mind.

Hello, I'm a 13 year old girl who's getting hit and abused by her parents. I am mentally going through a lot.I just want to get adopted and end all of this.Please let me know if i can get any kind of help.

@@dhbuddy4064 hey! Contact with specific public body or child support servicies of your country and ask for help. I hope everything goes well! If you do something let me know how it goes❣ If you want any kind of help contact with me, don't hesitate💞💞

@@dhbuddy4064 I'm so sorry!! Is there any adult in your life that you trust that you can get help from? Like a teacher or school counselor for example or a mom or dad of one of your friends?

Both are gorgeous

Her sweet little voice, reflects her sweet little soul 😢😢😢 And Nelson smiles, and then his face just lights up like a flower breaking open from its blossom 🌺

And the daughter reminds me of Ariana Grande for some reason

Tee Bee omg yes!!! Ari and Colin!

I think he looks ex’s toy like Cade Foehner

She seems like a gem

God works in mysterious ways for His Glory! 💕 Be blessed! 💕

Weren’t you lucky ❤️

Brielle Imana loving caring homes can change a child older or not , it’s sad they don’t get adopted more often , you’re right ! And I would love to adopt older as well

@Jessie Jay That's why I plan on possibly adopting older children after my biological kids are teens. That way the adopted kids have added support of adoptive older siblings who they can confide in if they're not sure how mom or dad would react to something yet because we're all still getting to know each other.

❤️💜💕

@Michelle Rivera shes 7 years older than me. She ran away from foster care when we were first taken away. She was around 12. I guess she just survived. Shes been back in our lives since I turned 18. I'm now 24.

❤️

Hello, I'm a 13 year old girl who's getting hit and abused by her parents. I am mentally going through a lot.I just want to get adopted and end all of this.Please let me know if i can get any kind of help.

Please adopt me😭😭😭😭

Bailey Wenger Herrera Me too

❤️💕💜

4:24 lmao true 😂

😎😎😎

Fr tho he hadda show the belt 😂😂

As soon as I saw that I was just 😂

😭, kids like you are the reason the arkhouses are so important. But they need a step beyond and put people in place to teach you kids to check the oil, change a tire, change a house plug, cook a meal, sort laundry cause with that comes bonds and family is what you make of it. We have nine and four others that call us Mom n Dad cause we've let em get up on their feet two of them their own parents wouldn't help them and the other two grew up in the system our kids told them my parents will be yours and they brought them home. The one just moved out last July, our other adopted brought him to us, he's going to school and working back home in Florida after staying with us for nearly two years. My husband taught him how to work on cars so that's what he's going to school for, 😊. I don't think we've ever had an empty room since we've been married, bless the LORD for such lessons.

No one is ever to old to deserve to be part of a family ♥️

There is adult adoption! You can go to Probate Court and apply for a petition for adult adoption.

TheChristopherBlake1 he said “weird” not “wired”

CMB this clip made me think of that movie too!

ditto

Hello, I'm a 13 year old girl who's getting hit and abused by her parents. I am mentally going through a lot.I just want to get adopted and end all of this.Please let me know if i can get any kind of help.

Sharon Cato Their race is completely irrelevant to the video.

unlocked this comment made me laugh haha 😂

I really didn't the line was the purple line 😂😢

@@laurenjoliee Oh my God, you're so pretty🌟

Okay, so what? They were not in the Olympics. It was a junior high school volleyball match.

@@mikewrasman5103 chill mike it's a joke

You're right,, cause my blood family is full of malignant narcissists and I'm still healing after 7 years and no contact.

@@honeyspoonbeewrangler4550 wow I hope it gets better.