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Celebrity Adoptions


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Why do governments make these types of 'exceptions'...money of course. Everybody knows that! I certainly hope that the child will be well loved and have a good life with them. I wonder if it would be at all possible for a celebrity to participate in an open adoption relationship...and would the birth family be more likely to place with a high profile couple like Joele-Pitt because of their fame and fortune. Or would they feel vulnerable if the birth family knew who and wher the child was...like all the time. And can an unmarried couple even adopt in the States. Ummmmmmmmmmmm I wonder

Edited by HeidiK
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I would be concerned about a celebrity couple (married or unmarried) that has 4 children under the age of 6, as the Jolie-Pitt's do. That is a lot of young kiddos that need lots of attention. How can two movie actors that film on location for extended periods of time have the time to devote to all those kids???? :huh:

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How can two movie actors that film on location for extended periods of time have the time to devote to all those kids???? :huh:

Time, no.

Money, yes, to hire a nanny, baby nurse, maids, chauffeur, housekeeper, cook, etc etc ETC.

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Ms. Jolie's newest adoption plan is not without scandal, ala Madonna: officials are now saying that Vietnamese adoption law prohibits placement of Vietnamese children with unmarried couples, and some are arguing that special exceptions are being made for Jolie solely because of her star status.

What are your thoughts? Should Jolie be allowed to adopt there anyway (despite the fact that she and Pitt are obviously co-habitating), or should her adoption plans be held to the same standards applied to other, less high-profile adoptive parents?

I found some info on an international board and group and some from agencies,... "it looks as though a typical adoption case in Vietnam takes four months if the child is not known, and three if the child has already been determined. In this case, the child was determined some time ago, and they expect it to take up to the three months that is typical. As for it speeding through the channels so far - sure - she's already been established as an adoptive parent, much of her paperwork is already in order (unlike our dossier - trying to find all our records took months!)

The reports say adoption by a single parent who co-habitates is often frowned upon in Vietnam, but not out-and-out denied. Since Brad Pitt is not your average unknown, and since he's also donated millions to charity, he's probably not on the bad guy list. His renowned and incredible work in New Orleans, alone with his previous adoptions and charities."

It's a shame we can't see the good in these people, and be incredibly happy for the little boy who gets to live with such an apparent great family. Maybe their money doesn't make them more special, but what they do with it sure does.

I know Angelina was a little (ok...a lot) wacky back in the day, but I do believe she is genuine and truly passionate about being a mother and her family and beliefs. I believe adoption and her kids have changed her for the better. Seems people either love or hate her. Me and my mom always laugh and have fun debating her cause my mom can't stand her and I really like her (love is a little extrmeme :) )

Oh, and the kid she is adopting is an older child. I can't recall the exact age, but I think he was maybe like 5 or something. Don't hold me to that, it was in an article I read about the orphanage she was at where she identified the child. Sometimes they will expedite an adoption like this in some international countries.

Anyway...just my 2 cents...not worth much! :)

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Us magazine has an article about the adoption plan. What follows are quotes from the article.

"It's a Boy!"

Adoption officials confirm Brad and Angelina are bringing home a 4-year-old son from Vietnam.

"We would be very happy if a child here can be adopted," Nguyen Van Trung, director of the Tam Binh orphanage in Ho Chi Minh City, told a local Vietnamese newspaper.

"On March 1, Vu Duc Long, head of the Ministry of Justice for Vietnam, confirmed to Us that his agency received from Jolie-who just returned from a trip to the African nation of Chad to galvanize support for Sudanese refugees-an application via an American adoption agency to adopt a 4-year-old boy from the Tam Binh orphanage in Ho Chi Minh City. This is the second stage of a Vietnamese adoption. Jolie, as first reported by Us, filed the first set of paperwork to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services during a January 18-19 trip to Vietnam, according to an insider close to the adoption. 'The kid is normal, healthy, and very good-looking,' says the Vietnamese source, adding that Jolie-who sub\mitted the requisite paperwork as a single parent because Vietnamese law mandates that an unmarried couple can't adopt a child together--and Pitt, 43, have asked that the name of the boy be kept confidential. (He is about one year younger than Maddox, 5, who was born in neighboring Cambodia)

"As for how long until the newest memeber of the Brangelina posse can move into the couple's #3.5 million New Orleans mansion, the adoption procedure takes no more than four months, says Nguyen Cong Khanh, the depty head of the country's International Adoption Department. And the A-list actress won't be given any preferential treatment. '[Jolie] will have to follow preocedure like any other American,' Long tells Us. 'No priority will be given to them. They will be treated equally as any other people'. There may an added incentive to rush things along, 'She promised to give #2 million to the Tam Binh orphanage on the very day she receives the child,' the Vietnamese insider rtess Us. Of note: The actual adoption fee is only about $125." (Jolie's rep didn't respond to a request for comment; Pitt's rep had no comment.)

"Jolie publicly hinted at an impending adoption in December, telling Diane Sawyer that the biggest challenge was determining what country to adopt from. 'You know, now the questions are more when you have a mixed-race family, do you balance the races so there's another African person in the house for Z?' she said, referring to Ehiopia-born Zahara, 2. 'So there's another Asian person in the house for Madd? Shiloh has Brad and me that she can look at.'"

"But Jolie may have actually first become acquainted with her future son back in November, when she and Pitt visited the Tam Binh orphanage during Thanksgiving. 'The couple passed out toys to the orphans, who were very happy and responsive,' anemployee at the orphanage, who shared a meal with the pair, tells Us. Did they pay special attention to anyone in particular? 'They played with all the kids,' says the orphanage worker, but speculates that the boy Jolie is adopting may have met with his new mom during her January trip, at an off-site location."

"There's no question that Pitt and Jolie, who have always taken a very hands-on approach to parenting, will expertly handle their fourth child. 'Brad and Angelina are very down-to-earth people,' Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, the director of the acclaimed drama Babel, in which Pitt starred, recently told Us. 'It is great they are adopting more kids....They are doing what they need to do.' And the A-list couple's work never gets in the way of their family. Case in point: Pitt recently brought Shiloh to the New Orleans set of his new fantasy drama, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and toted her around the neighborhood on his shoulders to meet other local children. 'He does on all of his kids,' an eye-witness tells Us. 'He's great with them-patient and calm. He was made to be a dad, that's for sure'.

I'm not going to "proof" this, so I apologize in advance for any typos. B)

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Ms. Jolie's newest adoption plan is not without scandal, ala Madonna: officials are now saying that Vietnamese adoption law prohibits placement of Vietnamese children with unmarried couples, and some are arguing that special exceptions are being made for Jolie solely because of her star status.

What are your thoughts? Should Jolie be allowed to adopt there anyway (despite the fact that she and Pitt are obviously co-habitating), or should her adoption plans be held to the same standards applied to other, less high-profile adoptive parents?

Just my 2 cents;

I think that all adoptions should be on a level playing field to all. If there is one baby and 2 families interested, then the "star" couple should not be the one to automatically get that child. However, in this case how many families are waiting on a 4 year old child from Vietnam??? Or a seriously ill little girl from Ethiopia who could have died???? I happen to think Angelina Jolie is awesome and she does so much for children everywhere. IF there were other couple waiting for this little boy and she pushed her way past them....shame on her.....but thats probably not the case.

Bottomline, we should be happy that this little boy will grow up in a diversified home, with a roof over his head and plenty of food on his plate and a world of opportunities open to him. He will also have the best education at his fingertips so he can go back one day to his country and help if he chooses to.

I just think she gets picked on because people find her actions weird or different from others. Well, Viva La Differance, and good for her that she is trying to help children that otherwise might spend their entire lives in an orphanage until they turn 18(if they make it) and then are left to fend for themselves after that.

I personally think more about some of these celebrities who are hiring surrogates to have "their" children when there are so many children throughout the world who need loving homes. However, a couples decision on how they create their family is SO personal and should be.

Ok, I know my thoughts might not be shared by others, but I just had to speak my mind.

Sandi

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I think that all adoptions should be on a level playing field to all. If there is one baby and 2 families interested, then the "star" couple should not be the one to automatically get that child. However, in this case how many families are waiting on a 4 year old child from Vietnam??? Or a seriously ill little girl from Ethiopia who could have died???? I happen to think Angelina Jolie is awesome and she does so much for children everywhere. IF there were other couple waiting for this little boy and she pushed her way past them....shame on her.....but thats probably not the case.

Here is a little more from the article I quoted yesterday.

"Personally I prefer to stay on the right side of the law. I would never take a child away from a place where adoption is illegal" --Part of an interview with a French magazine in response to the "Madonna scandal.

I was very glad to read this article which outlined that Angelina Jolie had done the paperwork and had followed all the procedures. If she chooses to donate money to the orphanage, that's wonderful, too. I hope she supports children's causes state side, too. I have no knowledge as to whether she does or not.

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It's weird cause I've always admired Angelina Jolie and her growing family, but when Madonna adopted her son I was very turned off. I read all the news and articles and just thought she was doing it for show and I kind of still do. I did read some about Malawi and adoptions there. You can adopt from that country if you have lived there for a year. If you haven't or can't you must send in a petition to have a judge waive this wait. I have read that it would be common for that wait to be waived in many situations if it was applied for. So, I'm still not loving her all too much, but it seems as though she didn't necessarily break the law and if people wanted to invest the time could probably do the same and also have it waived. If only we had the money and people to do the work for us. ha ha ha Anyway, in light of this conversation...I found that interesting.

Jenny

"Personally I prefer to stay on the right side of the law. I would never take a child away from a place where adoption is illegal" --Part of an interview with a French magazine in response to the "Madonna scandal.
Edited by LOVINGBOO
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I read an article this weekend about Queen Latifah adopting domestically through the foster care system. She said she understood that people adopted internationally because in the US birthparents have 3 years to change their minds, but she felt like there were plenty of kids at home that needed a second chance too. I applaud her efforts, however, I am a little worried about the statement that parental rights are not terminated for THREE YEARS. What state is she adopting from? I hope this doesn't discourage other adoptive parents from seeking domestic adoptions.

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Go Queen Latifah! I love it when people make the choice to go Domestic. I think at times our society would prefer to help internationally then domestically.

I was surprised when Idol decided to raise money for poverty, and they picked the US as part of that. I was trilled, especially when so much focus is always on Africa we forget the US has the same problems……

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Wow that is so great! Especially since she's adopting from the Foster Care System!!!! WHOO HOO QUEEN!!!!! I just love her!!! :D

Jenny

I read an article this weekend about Queen Latifah adopting domestically through the foster care system. She said she understood that people adopted internationally because in the US birthparents have 3 years to change their minds, but she felt like there were plenty of kids at home that needed a second chance too. I applaud her efforts, however, I am a little worried about the statement that parental rights are not terminated for THREE YEARS. What state is she adopting from? I hope this doesn't discourage other adoptive parents from seeking domestic adoptions.
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Just thought I'd share here what our media expert in NJ said elsewhere about Latifah's allegation that domestic adoption allows three years for birthparents to reclaim their children:

What Latifah was probably refering to is New Jersey's byzantine child welfare system, which is notoriously and frustratingly difficult to deal with.

That being said, it was the reporter's job to challenge such a blatantly incorrect statement. You would be right to send letters to the editor seeking an opportunity to enlighten USA Today's 2 million readers...

Thanks, John!

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Angelina brings home a toddler......New Son Pax

Since her previous adoptions have been that of infants I can't help but hope that she is educated and prepared for bringing home a three year old who will now be living in a world very unlike the one he came from.

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One can only hope that the entire family has been through some counseling (and that Baby Shiloh and Zahara have gotten plenty of parental attention, prior to having to so quickly share their parents' focus with yet another arrival.) I'm amazed that the Vietnamese officials were so willing to sidestep their own laws about not placing children with unmarried couples, to send a child home with one half of an unmarried couple. I know marriage offers no guarantees, but if Jolie & Pitt truly plan to raise children together permanently, I wish they'd make their union official--regardless of the gay marriage issue.

I'd like to think that Brad and Angelina also have learned enough Vietnamese to communicate with Pax in his native language. It bugs me that people are so quick to adopt children expecting the kids to fit into their world, rather than making any genuine effort to fit themselves into the child's world.

I hope the Vietnamese officials who are so quick to assure the press this time that they already confirmed Pax's birthfamily cannot be found really did make an honest effort beforehand (if you recall, there was a fair amount of debate whether African orphanage officials rubber-stamped Zahara's "orphan" status in order to get the adoption done, without truly confirming first that the birthmom didn't intend to return for her.)

I'm glad Angelina took Maddox along; I think that was important for the adjustment of both boys.

Finally, I was saddened to read that the first thing they did was dress Pax in new clothes; it reminds me of adoptee/poet Penny Callan Partridge, our key note speaker at Camp Abrazo in Charlotte years ago, lamenting the fact that the first thing international adopters do is to strip their new Chinese babies of the only things that are familiar to them, in order to dress them in Gap clothes and slather them with American skin products, all so foreign at a time when children most need the comfort of that which smells and feels and sounds and looks familiar.

Welcome to a whole new world, little Pax. Here's wishing you a gentle landing.

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first thing international adopters do is to strip their new Chinese babies of the only things that are familiar to them, in order to dress them in Gap clothes and slather them with American skin products, all so foreign at a time when children most need the comfort of that which smells and feels and sounds and looks familiar.

I don't know if this common among all countries and orphanages, but it seems as though when my sister adopted her daughter two years ago and her son in January, that the officials asked the adoptive parents to leave the clothing that the child was wearing. They were also asked to bring 10 new outfits to leave with the orphanage. It seems as though it may be a situation of the orphanage administration not having enough extra clothing to allow the children to leave with "orphanage property". That is my guess. I'm hoping it's not a plot to rob these precious children of the comfort of their familiar smells and feels. I know that would never be the intention of my sister and her husband, who did learn basic phrases in Russian and have a friend who speaks Russian fluently come and talk and sing to their daughter to give her that comfort and familiar sound.

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Can I just add that having "the comfort of that which smells and feels and sounds and looks familiar" is not just important for children in international adoptions but also is important for children in domestic toddler age-on-up adoptions too.

When the decision was made to disrupt the adoption of our "son" after 11-1/2 months and he went to live with his true "forever family," we sent EVERYTHING with him -- clothes, towels, bedding, crib and mattress, carseat, toys, boppy pillow ... you name it, we sent it. And, I didn't send it freshly laundered either, which "A"'s new mom knew -- we both wanted him to feel as much "at home" as he could under the circumstances.

The same thing occurred when we took placement of our second daughter at 31 months. She had her blankie, her favorite bear and ball, her clothes, sandals, and sippy cup. Although they were definitely worn and in need of replacement, we didn't get rid of them for HER comfort ... and today they sit safely in her keepsake chest as part of her adoption story.

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Angel did not come from TX with many of her belongings. I begged her foster mother to send as much as possible and explained the reason for it. She was more in the mind set of a fresh start, and I think may have also been timid to send raggedy items. So Angel came to TN with a Hello Kitty backpack that held a few toys, clothes, blanket, and paperwork. If it didn't fit in the backpack it didn't make the journey.

I had our pantry filled with her favorite foods before she ever arrived. For a while Mickey, Makayla, and I were almost green after eating so much Mexican food, chicken nuggets, and mac-n-cheese. Those were Angel's favorite comfort foods.

You could see Angel's body relax when we would go into a Mexican eatery. The vibrant colors, handmade pottery, sounds, smells, and people were all so familiar to her.

Karen is so right in saying that children adopted as toddlers or older (in domestic adoption) are in need of just as many "familiar comforts" as children of international adoption. Mickey and I are grateful for all feelingblessed and bee have done to help us help Angel. :)

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It will definately be a told culture shock for this child to go from a poor life style to a rich one. And to do all that traveling that they do and all the people following them with cameras. There will not be anything familiar to this child that Angelina brings home. So hopefully the baby gets to bring a familiar toy, blanket, or something. It really will be a total life changing event for such a young child. It's hard for most adults to make that change from normal to mega super star and that is basically what is going to happen to this child.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Houston, we have a problem: Angelina Jolie's Adoption Hits a Snag.

Wasn't it just last week that orphanage officials were on the record as stating that they had completed their search to successfully verify that "Pax Thien" had no living parents and was truly an orphan, therefore eligible for adoption by the American actress?

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  • 2 weeks later...

If you didn't get your latest baby gift sent to Angelina and Brad yet, not to worry-- just hold it until summer, when she plans to bring home their next acquisition in the series: Brangelina Sets Sights on Chad for #5. :rolleyes:

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If you didn't get your latest baby gift sent to Angelina and Brad yet, not to worry-- just hold it until summer, when she plans to bring home their next acquisition in the series: Brangelina Sets Sights on Chad for #5. :rolleyes:

Can't she find a hobby other than adoption?

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Well, I guess you should at least be allowed to adopt them as close together as Mother Nature would allow you to reproduce them (which could biologically speaking be about every 10-11 months, right??? Nine months for the pregnancy, a month off to restart your cycle, then another 9 months of pregnancy....)

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Actually, there are no federal laws to prohibit folks from adopting multiple children simultaneously or one right after the other (after the other after the other)... :(

Abrazo doesn't permit clients to begin new adoptions until pending ones are completed, but that's only a policy we implemented, to ensure that children and parents have ample time to bond and adjust, before any more additions can be made to the family unit.

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