“You don’t have to wait until you have it all together," Sam said. "Kids don’t want perfection. They just want to know they’re not alone.”

Adopted from foster care, Kia knew what it was like to wait for a family. So she ended the wait for her foster brother.

Adoption from foster care gave Ashlynne and her sister a family and a foundation.

Bryon shares his story about being adopted as a teen from foster care.

Jonathan shares his story about being adopted as a teen from foster care.

The process of becoming an adoptive family takes time, like it would for any blended family. So don’t panic if the bonding between siblings is less than ideal.

Adoptive parents may experience anxiety when unusual behavior appears in their adopted adolescent child. But it’s common. As long as the journey is more forward than backward, you’re moving in the right direction.

There are no guarantees when raising children, and I've learned to let go of some of my expectations and love my children no matter what.

While you may be drawn to fostering to love a child, please realize some kids aren’t ready to be loved—not by a stranger.

As a first-time adoptive parent, Dr. Kimberly Offutt had an idealistic vision of what “happily ever after” would look like. As a foster care worker, she knew the need was great for teens with trauma history, and she thought she was ready. But love, it turns out, does not undo a child’s deep wounds.