The rewards of step-parenting include building strong family bonds and having a positive influence on kids seeking advice from a neutral adult. Legally adopting your spouse’s kids, however, provides you with some legal protections that give you parental rights that go beyond an adult-child relationship.
If an emergency leaves your spouse unable to care for his or her biological children, you may need to act as a legal parent on behalf of your stepchildren. The adoption process, however, requires consent from the noncustodial parent, as noted by Adoption.com.
You may need the right to make decisions on behalf of a stepchild
Without a formal adoption, you may not have the ability to discuss medical issues with your stepchild’s physician. Most health care insurance plans allow adding a stepchild to a policy, so this could become an important issue. If your spouse suddenly becomes incapacitated, you may not have the right to give consent for your stepchild to receive medical treatment.
A biological parent has the right to make decisions regarding a child’s education and religious activities. Stepparents, however, generally do not have the ability to decide where a stepchild attends school or religious services. A formal adoption may give you the authority to ensure that your stepchild participates in your family’s preferred customs.
Adoption could help create meaningful schedules
When you adopt your stepchild, he or she becomes your legal child without the interference of an absent biological parent. You may then have a greater say in how your family spends vacations and holidays.
Some families may find it difficult to adhere to demanding visitation schedules that cater to a noncustodial parent’s occupational or travel requirements. By acquiring the ability to state your own family’s needs through adoption, you could work out a more realistic scheduling arrangement.
