13 Reasons to Foster or Adopt a Teen

As of October 2022, there are 12,710 children in Georgia’s foster care system. There is a special need for the more “hard to place” children, this includes our teens. The desire and an open heart to support children and families are among the most important criteria for becoming a Foster or Adoptive Resource Parent. The ability to act as a positive role model, parent, mentor, and constant support to children while their families rebuild or grow a new forever family is the foundation of Resource Parenting.

Below are 13 humorous and heartfelt reasons to foster or adopt a teen that came from the Facebook community.

1. Older teens want a family, and they are old enough to understand what that means.

2. Toddlers are tyrants.

3. Teens can tell you what they're thinking and feeling so you can actually help...there is no guessing like there is with infants.

4. Every child needs love.

5. There aren’t a gazillion toys on Christmas that you need to assemble, put batteries in—then pray the batteries die so the toys stop making noise!

6. The best thing about adopting our daughter when she was 17 was knowing that we didn't just choose her—she also chose us.

7. Adopting teens is tough, there’s no easy way to put it. But watching them walk into adulthood is a marvelous reward.

8. Immediate shopping partner!

9. Our 15-year-old daughter is our in-house fashion police, and she teaches my husband and me slang. When she has her friends over and we use terms she's taught us correctly — while wearing outfits she's approved—it gives her a sense of pride.

10. Teens really appreciate the small things—family dinners, movie nights with Jiffy Pop, one-on-one attention.

11. There are so many teens in foster care who lose hope that they will be adopted just because they are older. We can give them hope again.

12. Teens are able to vocalize their wants, needs, feelings, and fears and, one of the best parts—they are already potty trained!

13. For me, the best feeling is knowing that I'm able to be a constant in his life and that when the world is crazy and he needs a soft place to land, my husband and I will always be there for him.

*Need more reasons? Today there are more than 21,000 teens in foster care who are waiting for the love, hope, and stability that a family would provide.

By: AdoptUSkids

Data: Ga DHS/DFCS 10/2023