The Atlantic - October 2019

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This content was created by Atlantic Re:think, the branded content studio at The Atlantic, and made

possible by AdoptUSKids. It does not necessarily reflect the views of The Atlantic’s editorial staff.

What Adopting

A Teen

Taught Me

Teenagers in foster care

deserve families as much

as younger children do.

And bringing a teen into

your home can yield

surprising, joyful lessons—

just ask these parents.

WE ASKED FAMILIES across America

to tell us what teen adoption taught

them. Parents and the teenagers

they adopted hand-wrote letters to

each other, detailing the fears and

anxieties they started with, and the

unexpected bonds and connections

they have today.

Mike and Jennifer Allred, who adopted

Andrew, Amberlynn, and Misty when

they were 20, 10, and 7, had adoption

experiences with every age group.

You can read the letter they wrote to

their children here.

To read more stories and watch original videos about the lessons and joys of

adopting older children, go to: TheAtlantic.com/WhatAdoptingATeenTaughtMe

The Allred parents say that

adopting teenagers showed

them that the desire to be loved

doesn’t have an age limit.

The Allred family

currently includes six

teenagers from all

backgrounds and walks

of life, and Mike and

Jennifer wouldn’t have

it any other way.