Why everyone should do a homestudy

A homestudy is an integral part of the adoption process.  Though it does include a visit to the home, the homestudy really is a much more complex process of criminal background checks, employment verification, personal references, medical exams, interviews and pre-adoption education.  It's a collection of information that allows a social worker to determine, to the best of his or her ability, the stability of our relationships, our fitness to be parents and our preparedness for parenting a child who was adopted. 

After the frustration of infertility and the lack of control in the adoption process, many prospective adoptive parents vent their frustration on the homestudy process.  It isn't uncommon to hear the lament, "Why do so many good people who would be great parents have to jump through so many hoops when other people don't have any prerequisites to have kids?" or the more direct, "I know people who should have to go through a homestudy to see if they would be allowed to parent."

I think everyone should go through the process of a homestudy, whether they are looking to adopt or ready to start their family biologically.  Not for what it tells someone else, but for what it tells you about yourself.  It isn't about someone else telling you you are ready to parent, but rather putting yourself in the best mindset to parent. 

Through the process of interviews and autobiographies, it gave me an opportunity to put my life in perspective, especially my relationships with others.  With all the coming and going that is part of life, it's easy to forget to appreciate the things you love about your spouse, your family, your work and your life.  Having a reason to reflect on those things lets you reassess all of the other activities in life and makes you really appreciate what you have.  It helps you reaffirm the choices you've made in life and maybe even point out a few that you would have changed.

This reevaluation and perspective can only make people better parents and strong families, either biological or adoptive.