Take a few days to rest. You'll be physically and emotionally exhausted by the time you finish the adoption. You may even find yourself going through a post adoption depression. All of it is normal; you just need time to adjust to your new life. Don't be surprised if your child also experiences some sort of depression, or acts out in any way. Children, whether they were in an orphanage or in foster care, can still feel a loss for their former life. It may be grieving the loss of a favorite caretaker or just being in unfamiliar surroundings with a new routine. Your child will need your love and support to work through this period of adjustment.

To help ease the transition, try to learn as much as possible about your child's life while he/she was in the orphanage/foster care. By keeping a consistent routine, you will minimize the amount of stress your child will experience while trying to adjust to a new environment.

Although you may be anxious to introduce your child to all of your family and friends, try to keep visitors to a minimum at first. Not only will you avoid over stimulating your child, but you'll also help the bonding process between you and your child. Bonding with your child can take many forms. For some people it happens quickly, and for others it may happen only in bursts. It really depends on the situation and the child. Usually, children bond to one new parent at a time. Give yourself, and the child, time to adjust to one another. However, if it has been several weeks and you feel that there is something wrong, do not hesitate to call in a specialist.

Early intervention is key to helping your child through any developmental or health problems. Most physicians recommend that your child receive a full evaluation within the first 2 weeks of arriving home. If it's possible, we strongly advise you to see a pediatrician who is familiar with children who have been adopted internationally. He/she will be more aware of the diseases the child may have been exposed to and the physician will also know what a typical delay is for an internationally adopted child. Besides a pediatrician, your child may need some other type of help such as an occupational therapist or a developmental therapist. Also, don't forget that support groups can be especially helpful as well.

Unfortunately, just because you have your child and the adoption is finalized, it does not mean that the paperwork is finished. You still need to consider the following:

• Post Placement Reports - Many countries require post placement reports as a way of making sure that the children are doing well in their new homes. Your agency can tell you what is expected for your country's program. It is important to submit your reports on time. Your compliance with the country's regulations directly affects the future of adoption from that country.
• Citizenship - Fortunately, the Child Citizenship Act of 2000 went into effect on February 27, 2001. Now, all children adopted overseas by a U.S. citizen are granted immediate citizenship once they enter the U.S. as lawful permanent residents. However, a certificate of citizenship is not automatically issued. If you would like written proof, then you have two choices:
  1. Apply for the Certificate of Citizenship on Behalf of an Adopted Child with the INS (http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/); or
     
  2. Apply for a U.S. passport for your child (http://www.travel.state.gov/passport_services.html).
• Social Security Card - Since your child was not born in the U.S., he/she does not have a Social Security number, and if you want to take advantage of the tax write off for a dependent child, he/she will need one. Therefore, you will have to apply for a Social Security card through the Social Security Administration at http://www.ssa.gov/.
• Readoption - Although you may not consider it necessary, we highly recommend that you readopt your child regardless of whether or not the adoption was finalized overseas. By readopting in the U.S., you are reinforcing a child's legal protection. For example, if you should lose your child's original birth certificate, it would be extremely difficult to replace it. However, if you readopt, the birth certificate will then be on file with the state registrar's office.

For more information regarding readoption check out an excellent website: http://www.readoptiononline.com/.