"Adopt a Family" "Adopt a Roadside" "Adopt a Girl Scout Troop"

CaptainSerious · November 2014

Normally it doesn't bother me, but if I see it one more time this season, I'm gonna scream.

Why can't we just say "donate to" or "support" or "clean up?" WHY must everything be "adopt?"

I don't mind "adopt a pet," because I feel you do adopt them. And I don't usually feel the "adopt a mile of highway" jargon is cheapinging adoption, but when I see "adopt a family" during National Adoption Month, my ears perk up and my head turns, and I expect it to be about someone who did indeed adopt a family (of humans).

Okay, curmudgeonly rant over. Nothing to see here.

bumpuser794640 · November 2014

No, I hear you. Adoption is supposed to be a permanent thing and is serious business. Not that supporting families at the holidays, cleaning up highways, etc. are not, but the sense of gravity is totally different.

CeCe8579 · November 2014

I agree with you! I think those who haven't gone through the adoption process or at least everything to adopt (of a human being) just don't get it! I'm like you about animals, I don't mind calling that adoption because you are committing to take care of a living thing for their lifetime but the rest is temporary or intermittent even though they are great things to do. It's just not the same!

Dr.Loretta · November 2014

I much prefer "sponsor"

CarolinaGirl2014 · November 2014

I absolutely agree. I find myself gritting my teeth every time I, too, get excited when I hear the phrase adopt only to discover its in reference to a sponsorship. I think it minimizes the severity of what the word holds. Someone in my family recently asked if I wanted to go in on "adopting" a Christmas tree baby about A's age. I couldn't even respond. Why would they even consider that appropriate?!

nlscroggins · November 2014

i feel you.

and i will even go so far as to say that it does bug me slightly when i try to google various things about adoption, or even when i try to pinterest adoption things/quotes, the majority of things that come up are referencing pet adoption. i say i "rescued" my cats from the shelter, not adopted. i get that the idea is the somewhat the same, but i just see the adoption of my child as a little more serious that the adoption of my cats. maybe that's just me. (i'm all for pet "adoption" though, don't get me wrong!).

i'm with @Dr.Loretta- i much prefer the term "sponsor" when it comes to families at christmas, highways, schools, etc.

MagickalNarwhal · November 2014

The adopt a family thing grates on me because it feeds into this mythology about adoption being about saving and rescuing, and about those who do the adopting as selfless hero rescuer types. And that those that get adopted are unfortunate and need rescuing. Ew.