Adopting newborn at 52 years old?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am African American and grew up in a lower class neighborhood aka "the hood" and it was exceedingly common for grandparents to be raising their grandkids. No one would blink at a 54 year old at the grocery store with a baby and a toddler. And when I said raise them...I mean raise them. Day in and day out. So I know it can be done. I see it all the time even now. Is it the best case scenario? I guess not but what really is??

Those grandparents deserve a weekend at a spa where they are pampered and treated like the angels they are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only annoying thing about this to me is that it's her fame/money that made this happen. You and I would never be able to adopt a healthy newborn as a single person at 52.
I have several friends waiting for newborns for years and years and they're under 40 and married and financially stable. It's exceedingly difficult to adopt a healthy newborn in this country.

I disagree with the last sentence. I have friends who have tried to adopt in foreign countries, china and Russia specifically two different couples. And one of them, the one trying to adopt from China was on a long waiting list that they eventually took themself off the list and adopted a child from here. I think the mother was from New Jersey or something. And I have another coworker, the one who gave the recommendation of his adoption agency to this friend who adopted two children from the United States. When I lived in Richmond I know a woman who adopted two children, who were half siblings. She adopted the first baby and about three years later that mother got pregnant again and put the second child up for adoption and the agency contacted my friend first to see if she would adopt the sibling. She did.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Of course every story is different, but when I hear of an older mom having a baby on her own, I recall the sad story of playwright Wendy Wasserstein and her daughter (born when Wasserstein was 48,
left an orphan seven years later).

https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/.premium-2006-wendy-wasserstein-who-never-had-it-all-dies-1.5491957

Yes, of course this is sad, but what does it have to do with Hoda? Parents die all the time, but people keep harping on about age as if there’s a direct correlation between the mother’s age (of course it’s always the mother) and her age of death. Women live into their 80s and 90s and beyond, so someone in their 50s isn’t ancient despite the handwringing of so many. All this drama Is tiresome. Instead of feeling happy for her and her children, people like you and other PPs seem to be waiting for her to die so your little theory can be proven and you can shout ‘I told you so.’

I don't think it's fair to the child to take this on, especially if there is not a strong support network/family nearby. It's a fact that you're more likely to die before your child reaches adulthood if you become a parent at 50 than one at 30.

Show me your facts.

30/40's are fine. 50's are ok if one parent is younger. However, both parents in their 50's is risky. Its not fair to a child to lose both parents at 16-22.

These aren't facts. They are your opinions.

Haha. Np here. I'm 53, and like it or not, I am closer to death at the age of 53 than I was when I was 35. No one lives forever and that's a fact. The odds of dying go up the older you get.

If I adopted a new baby today I would be 71 years old at that child's HS graduation and 75 by the time they graduated college. That's pretty old to be dealing with teenagers, college apps, dorm move ins, doctor appts, etc. I'm sure there are older people who do this for their kids but, man, that can not be easy.

You think Hoda will be moving her children into dorms?

When you have money, none of this matters. Are you seriously comparing yourself to a Hollywood elite?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course every story is different, but when I hear of an older mom having a baby on her own, I recall the sad story of playwright Wendy Wasserstein and her daughter (born when Wasserstein was 48,
left an orphan seven years later).

https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/.premium-2006-wendy-wasserstein-who-never-had-it-all-dies-1.5491957

Yes, of course this is sad, but what does it have to do with Hoda? Parents die all the time, but people keep harping on about age as if there’s a direct correlation between the mother’s age (of course it’s always the mother) and her age of death. Women live into their 80s and 90s and beyond, so someone in their 50s isn’t ancient despite the handwringing of so many. All this drama Is tiresome. Instead of feeling happy for her and her children, people like you and other PPs seem to be waiting for her to die so your little theory can be proven and you can shout ‘I told you so.’

I don't think it's fair to the child to take this on, especially if there is not a strong support network/family nearby. It's a fact that you're more likely to die before your child reaches adulthood if you become a parent at 50 than one at 30.

Show me your facts.

30/40's are fine. 50's are ok if one parent is younger. However, both parents in their 50's is risky. Its not fair to a child to lose both parents at 16-22.

These aren't facts. They are your opinions.

Haha. Np here. I'm 53, and like it or not, I am closer to death at the age of 53 than I was when I was 35. No one lives forever and that's a fact. The odds of dying go up the older you get.

If I adopted a new baby today I would be 71 years old at that child's HS graduation and 75 by the time they graduated college. That's pretty old to be dealing with teenagers, college apps, dorm move ins, doctor appts, etc. I'm sure there are older people who do this for their kids but, man, that can not be easy.

You think Hoda will be moving her children into dorms?

When you have money, none of this matters. Are you seriously comparing yourself to a Hollywood elite?

I think that Hoda will be taking her kids on campus tours, she'll be with them when they move into their dorms and she'll be helping them to set up their dorm rooms. She might be elite (and no our lives are nothing alike) but she is still a parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course every story is different, but when I hear of an older mom having a baby on her own, I recall the sad story of playwright Wendy Wasserstein and her daughter (born when Wasserstein was 48,
left an orphan seven years later).

https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/.premium-2006-wendy-wasserstein-who-never-had-it-all-dies-1.5491957

Yes, of course this is sad, but what does it have to do with Hoda? Parents die all the time, but people keep harping on about age as if there’s a direct correlation between the mother’s age (of course it’s always the mother) and her age of death. Women live into their 80s and 90s and beyond, so someone in their 50s isn’t ancient despite the handwringing of so many. All this drama Is tiresome. Instead of feeling happy for her and her children, people like you and other PPs seem to be waiting for her to die so your little theory can be proven and you can shout ‘I told you so.’

I don't think it's fair to the child to take this on, especially if there is not a strong support network/family nearby. It's a fact that you're more likely to die before your child reaches adulthood if you become a parent at 50 than one at 30.

Show me your facts.

30/40's are fine. 50's are ok if one parent is younger. However, both parents in their 50's is risky. Its not fair to a child to lose both parents at 16-22.

These aren't facts. They are your opinions.

Haha. Np here. I'm 53, and like it or not, I am closer to death at the age of 53 than I was when I was 35. No one lives forever and that's a fact. The odds of dying go up the older you get.

If I adopted a new baby today I would be 71 years old at that child's HS graduation and 75 by the time they graduated college. That's pretty old to be dealing with teenagers, college apps, dorm move ins, doctor appts, etc. I'm sure there are older people who do this for their kids but, man, that can not be easy.

You think Hoda will be moving her children into dorms?

When you have money, none of this matters. Are you seriously comparing yourself to a Hollywood elite?

I think that Hoda will be taking her kids on campus tours, she'll be with them when they move into their dorms and she'll be helping them to set up their dorm rooms. She might be elite (and no our lives are nothing alike) but she is still a parent.

You’re being really banal. Wealthy parents like Hoda who live in cities with elite colleges let their kids stay with them in their penthouses. What’s the point of living in a tiny dorm at Columbia when mom lives down the street at Central Park West?

Lori Loghlin’s kids - perfect example. The UCLA campus literally borders their backyard and her kids stayed at home in the mansion even though they just went ‘off’ to college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am African American and grew up in a lower class neighborhood aka "the hood" and it was exceedingly common for grandparents to be raising their grandkids. No one would blink at a 54 year old at the grocery store with a baby and a toddler. And when I said raise them...I mean raise them. Day in and day out. So I know it can be done. I see it all the time even now. Is it the best case scenario? I guess not but what really is??

Yes, it is best to keep those kids in the family. Its far more common in the African American community to just take the kids vs. adopt. Kinship care

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of course every story is different, but when I hear of an older mom having a baby on her own, I recall the sad story of playwright Wendy Wasserstein and her daughter (born when Wasserstein was 48,
left an orphan seven years later).

https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/.premium-2006-wendy-wasserstein-who-never-had-it-all-dies-1.5491957

Yes, of course this is sad, but what does it have to do with Hoda? Parents die all the time, but people keep harping on about age as if there’s a direct correlation between the mother’s age (of course it’s always the mother) and her age of death. Women live into their 80s and 90s and beyond, so someone in their 50s isn’t ancient despite the handwringing of so many. All this drama Is tiresome. Instead of feeling happy for her and her children, people like you and other PPs seem to be waiting for her to die so your little theory can be proven and you can shout ‘I told you so.’

I don't think it's fair to the child to take this on, especially if there is not a strong support network/family nearby. It's a fact that you're more likely to die before your child reaches adulthood if you become a parent at 50 than one at 30.

Show me your facts.

30/40's are fine. 50's are ok if one parent is younger. However, both parents in their 50's is risky. Its not fair to a child to lose both parents at 16-22.

These aren't facts. They are your opinions.

Haha. Np here. I'm 53, and like it or not, I am closer to death at the age of 53 than I was when I was 35. No one lives forever and that's a fact. The odds of dying go up the older you get.

If I adopted a new baby today I would be 71 years old at that child's HS graduation and 75 by the time they graduated college. That's pretty old to be dealing with teenagers, college apps, dorm move ins, doctor appts, etc. I'm sure there are older people who do this for their kids but, man, that can not be easy.

You think Hoda will be moving her children into dorms?

When you have money, none of this matters. Are you seriously comparing yourself to a Hollywood elite?

I think that Hoda will be taking her kids on campus tours, she'll be with them when they move into their dorms and she'll be helping them to set up their dorm rooms. She might be elite (and no our lives are nothing alike) but she is still a parent.

You’re being really banal. Wealthy parents like Hoda who live in cities with elite colleges let their kids stay with them in their penthouses. What’s the point of living in a tiny dorm at Columbia when mom lives down the street at Central Park West?

Lori Loghlin’s kids - perfect example. The UCLA campus literally borders their backyard and her kids stayed at home in the mansion even though they just went ‘off’ to college.

Lori Laughlin's kids are a special case, I would not assume that anything they do is "normal". Rich kids go away to college (and live at college) all the time. When Hoda's kids are college age she'll be in her 70's and who knows where she'll be in life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only annoying thing about this to me is that it's her fame/money that made this happen. You and I would never be able to adopt a healthy newborn as a single person at 52.
I have several friends waiting for newborns for years and years and they're under 40 and married and financially stable. It's exceedingly difficult to adopt a healthy newborn in this country.

And it’s her second in as many years.

[Anonymous]

It leaves a bad taste in my mouth. So many families would love to adopt a newborn. I feel like Hoda purchased hers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The news broke today that Hoda Kotb from The Today Show has adopted an 8 day old baby. I'm happy for her, but 52 and a single parent seems extremely old and frankly, unfair to the child.

No doubt, her daughter will have a great life with nannies, a nice lifestyle, hopefully a good inheritance. But it does seem awfully old to be starting your family, especially as a single parent where your chlid is left with a guardian if you die. She'll be 70 when her daughter graduates high school.

It's not easy to adopt a healthy infant, so it also feels like her money/fame is making it possible for her to get a child others wouldn't have the same chance at.

Thoughts? Should there be an upper age limit on adopting infants? (There already is with many international adoptions, not sure about domestic/foster care.)

Um, she’s not a single parent. She has a partner, Joel Schiffman.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It leaves a bad taste in my mouth. So many families would love to adopt a newborn. I feel like Hoda purchased hers.

Most people purchase theirs. Adoption is often pretty shady and a huge money grab.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The news broke today that Hoda Kotb from The Today Show has adopted an 8 day old baby. I'm happy for her, but 52 and a single parent seems extremely old and frankly, unfair to the child.

No doubt, her daughter will have a great life with nannies, a nice lifestyle, hopefully a good inheritance. But it does seem awfully old to be starting your family, especially as a single parent where your chlid is left with a guardian if you die. She'll be 70 when her daughter graduates high school.

It's not easy to adopt a healthy infant, so it also feels like her money/fame is making it possible for her to get a child others wouldn't have the same chance at.

Thoughts? Should there be an upper age limit on adopting infants? (There already is with many international adoptions, not sure about domestic/foster care.)

Um, she’s not a single parent. She has a partner, Joel Schiffman.

Yes. I’m noticing a lot of people don’t know that. I believe she’s been with him for a few years now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually had to turn it off when she announced this. I don’t have a problem with the age, but I do think she was able to get a newborn so quickly due to money. Also, she’s must work 60-70 hrs a week and when could she see the baby other than sleeping.

We do not know the circumstances of the adoption. However, she’s using her wealth to HELP children who could possibly be lost in the foster system and giving them a life that many children in the US could never hope to have. Most parents these days work long hours and hardly see their children, but somehow those children manage to survive. I’m sure Hoda can afford a nanny or two, or she may reduce her workload. Why would you have a problem with this?

Those are very young kids. There are plenty of families available to adopt them. She will no the parenting them and she will work long hours. The issue is her age and she may not make it till their 18th birthday.

And if she doesn’t that won’t make them love her any less. She’s providing an amazing life to two little ones. Young parents die every day. Stop taking away from her special moment. I hope she inspires more people to adopt especially those with so much wealth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It leaves a bad taste in my mouth. So many families would love to adopt a newborn. I feel like Hoda purchased hers.

Try some mouthwash.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She looks like she is in great health, probably has financial stability/to great wealth. George Clooney is 55. Are you questioning his ability to parent twins??

Different poster. She is a breast cancer survivor-that is the only part of her health she has shared as far as I know. She and her partner are both over 50. People like to say things anyone can get cancer, dementia, die, etc, but her chances are much higher than a person in her 30s. Everyone thinks it's fabulous until the odds catch up with them and then you have a child who could have gone to younger parents who is rich but having to go to guardian while dealing with very ill or dying parents if luck isn't on their side. This is not all or nothing. It's about odds. The odds of her staying healthy until they are full fledged adults are lower and money is the only reason she got to adopted a healthy baby at an advanced age.