Q: I am a 29 years old woman and I am not interested in marriage. I would like to adopt a child. I want to raise a kid and provide him/her love and a good life. Now I am worried with certain scenarios like: If the kid is brought up by a single parent (specifically woman), will he/she get a feel of a complete family? How can I manage my kid telling that he/she won’t have father? Will the child be psychologically affected due to single parenting? How tough is it to raise a kid without support of a male? I have parents and 1 elder sister. My sister is married and has a child. Before I bring the child to our house I have to convince them to accept my adopted child. I haven’t started the groundwork but I have this in my mind for a long time. Please suggest.

A:You seem to have thought of all the possible problems. Unless you think of all the possible advantages, you may stay grounded. What you apprehend as issues are real. There are many women who have gone ahead and adopted a child and managed well. There are many couples who have adopted a child and done well. They also have to face the same questions. No situation is without pros and cons. Ultimately it is the conviction and the emotional commitment that helps to make a decision. There is a book on ‘Adoption’ written a couple of years ago, by Vinita Bhargava. It is published by SAGE, India. It might give you a comprehensive view of some of the points on adoption. There is a central body (CARA), which deals with the details. All the information would be available on the net. It seems likely that your parents will also raise the same points you have raised. You need to be convinced that you want to raise a child on your own, despite the problems. No expert can really help you. Talk to your friends. If you are a person in a career, issues of time and priority will also arise. You will have to examine all the points rationally and then decide to go where your intuition takes you!