What do you consider a PAP?

Show all answers

Post your answer

sizesmith	I consider someone wanting a child, going through the legal processes of trying to adopt, find a child to adopt, and going through home studies, social workers and other strangers in their homes, my entire life opened up by people who look to see if I have a criminal background (I don't), to see how my finances are, to measure how big my bedrooms are, and more! I look at pregnant women, and wish it were me. To me, I'm working harder than some people going through pregnancy themselves (and I went through a hard, hard life threatening pregnancy with my oldest son). It's as if the process of adopting is like pregnancy and labor. Except instead, when the baby gets here, until the adoption is finalized, is the labor, because you hold that beautiful life in your hands, and wonder, are they coming back????? However, it's all worth it!!!! and, now I am a PAP again, going through the processes. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

cmc	I think once you are actively pursuing adoption you are a PAP - meaning once you sign up and start the paperwork with an agency or lawyer. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

CP	I consider someone to be a PAP (Prospective Adoptive Parent) if they are actively pursing an adoption that is not yet finalized. These would include; someone who is caring for a child with the intent to adopt, someone who is working with an agency to adopt. Everyone else is just someone considering adoption. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

sk8ermom	When they have a completed homestudy. Then they are ready to adopt and officially waiting. You don't need to be with an agency or have found a birthmother yet. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Gaia Raain	I've never really thought about this before, but I guess I'd define a PAP as someone who has started the process. Or at least, someone who is beyond the "thinking about it" stage and is now committed to adopting sometime in the near future. I didn't consider myself a PAP until we had completed the process and were waiting for a placement...but again, I've never thought about it before. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

anastasia beaverhausen-the real1	actively looking to adopt. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

wholelottacats	I'd say once you are homestudy ready, you are a PAP. Before you've got an approved homestudy, you simply just don't know if you are going to be approved to adopt. I think it requires that you be actively involved in the process of adopting. Asking questions, looking into agencies, doing research - like you said, that is someone who is open to adoption, but not actively in the process, and not a PAP. (wondering about the need for the distinction?) Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Andraya	Anyone actively pursuing adoption. Actively being the key word. Looking at agency websites or asking questions here is hardly active in my mind, working with an agency toward the goal of adoption is, IMHO. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Possum	Someone who is caring for a child with the intention of adoption that child? YES someone working with an agency to adopt a child? YES Someone who has decided that they would like to adopt but havent yet started the process? NO - (I think you need to start the process by actually talking to adoption agencies or the foster care people - kind of that step where things are getting more serious) Someone who just considers adoption as a possibility? NO Someone who has just as far ans asking who to adopt on Y/A, but never actually thought about the many couple issues with adoption? NO - not really - as some are just teenagers really. Anyway - that's my take. To me - a PAP (pre-adoptive parent) is one that is taking serious steps to look into adopting a child - they know that that is the step they want to take - with money and enthusiasm in hand - but sadly with so much miss-information under their belt. (certainly the one's just starting out) Some - of course - educate themselves widely - read well - and look at adoption from all sides. Others just fly into it - bull at a gate style - just wanting that baby NOW - damnit - and thinking that their adoptive child won't have ANY problems - so they don't need to look into any of that stuff - because surely bad stuff rarely ever happens. A very interesting blog post on just this issue was written today - over at 'Harlow's Monkey' - a Korean adoptee who has also worked in a few adoption agencies over the years - about how so many PAPs don't really listen well in their pre-adoption lessons - yet so many are faced with problems down the track - that they just didn't believe could happen to them. PAPs NEED to have their eyes and ears wide open. Adoption is NOT about normal parenting. It's NOT about what it would be like to parent your own bio child. Adoptees are completely different from your gene pool - in most cases. It's better to go in with your eyes and ears WIDE open. http://harlowmonkey.typepad.com/harlows_monkey/2008/06/the-learning-cu.html Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No