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We Are A Family! A Look Into The Klein’s Adoption Journey
According to The Children’s Information Gateway, there are over 391,000 children and youth in foster care and 38 percent were placed with relatives or kin.
At ASCI, we know that kinship care is full-time care. It represents the eternal value of family in keeping children safe, whole, and thriving. Further, as November is National Adoption Month, it is our duty to ensure that our adoptive families are not going unnoticed. We sat down with Mrs. Anna Klein who shared her journey from being a kinship caregiver to becoming an adoptive parent.
Anne told ASCI that she and her husband were already planning to foster a child, so when the opportunity arose to care for their nephew, the Kleins were more than willing to accept Maverick into their home.
“We were hoping our kids would be a little bit older before we did this, but it’s worked out perfectly. From the moment they brought him here, he was just a part of our family. He’s my son,” Klein shares.
Although the Kleins have cared for Maverick for most of his life, they still encourage him to have relationships with both maternal and paternal families. With the help of several family members, Maverick had everything he needed. From clothes and shoes to diapers and wipes, the Kleins had more than enough to properly care for him. In times of need, the Klein family, even their youngest children aged 13 to 5, pitch in as they can.
As a stay-at-home mom, Anne shares that all of Maverick’s biological grandparents take him on outings or babysit whenever she needs “mommy time.”
“The support I feel from that is amazing,” Anne shares.
The Kleins received a subsidy from ASCI as well as clothing vouchers from CYF and a card to buy Maverick formula and other supplies he needed which made adopting him much easier for Anne.
“The agencies certainly helped us monetarily and with the physical items,” she noted.
When speaking of National Adoption Day, Anne shares that they will get dressed up, go downtown to make his adoption official, and then celebrate at home with an intimate gathering of family and friends. She emphasizes that Maverick always was – and always will be – her son.
“He gets to look forward to all the things my other kids do. We’ll make sure he has a good education and he’s raised with good morals. He’ll be a kind and considerate person. Yeah, he’s ours forever.”
When asked about advice for adoptive parents, Anne wants everyone to know:
From the moment they come into your home, you treat them no different from your other children. You give them love. You nurture them. You give them safety and protection. You make sure that all their needs are met, that their tummy is full, their butts are clean, and that they have plenty of interaction with family.
Give them lots of love and hugs. Read books and have meals together. Do everything a family should do. This is no different. It might depend on the age because Maverick came to me as a baby. But I’d say the same even for older kids. Our plan is to eventually foster the ones that can’t quite get out of the system.
Just bring them in. Treat them like family. Treat them like a long-lost son or daughter and welcome them home. This is your forever home now. We will take care of you. We will love you and support you no matter what. That’s what I have to say.
The Kleins are more excited than ever to adopt 2-year-old Maverick on November 18, 2023 – National Adoption Day, because every child deserves a home!