Wandering the barren streets and scouring for a place to shield himself from the evil of this world, the boy longs for something else. He has no one to turn to for assistance throughout the nightmares of his chilling past. Life can be intimidating for every person in society, but the tests relinquished onto homeless, fostered, or adopted children are discouraging. As a result of certain factors, personal or financial, children can endure life without a home or with adoptive parents. This transition into another life can be challenging for the child throughout and beyond their developmental years (Levy-Shiff, 2001). Knowing this is a delicate subject, the movie ‘The Blind Side’ thoroughly shows the authentic and critical struggles of adoption through the story of a wealthy, all-white family, the Tuohys, inviting an African American male high school student, Michael Oher, into their lives (Hancock, 2009).
When talking about adoption, it is crucial to recognize the background of the adoptee and the endeavors one experienced. For example, a child could have been living on the streets in the cold with just a t-shirt and shorts, in the case of Michael Oher (Hancock, 2009). Every story is unique and tear-jerking, but with similar leading factors. One correlation is the alternating schedules of guidance, including going from a foster care program to their biological parents to the judicial courts (Leith, 2018). On the contrary, depending on the situation, some children do not experience a cycle of instability. In the article ‘Foster the People; Children’s Welfare’, 18,000 cases existed in 2014 where a child was adopted immediately after birth or below the age of two. These instances allow an adolescent’s pivotal developmental stage to stabilize with the help of a family. Despite the appeal of the scenario, around 120,000 kids each year anticipate the unprecedented news of being sought-after by a family (2017). Due to the nonexistent healthy homelife in many occasions, a child’s ability to have trust can diminish (Leith, 2018). In fact, ‘The Blind Side’ shows the absence of certainty when Michael Oher was first brought into the home. At first, he was reserved toward the Tuohy’s intention of adopting him and his baggage (Hancock, 2009).
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Even though ‘The Blind Side’ mainly displays Michael’s skepticism toward adoption, a number of scenes represent the worries of the Tuohy family (Hancock, 2009). For countless families the intention of adoption can become daunting due to the astonishing cost. The payment ranges from a couple thousand dollars to around $30,000 (Swinarski, 2016). In addition, the cost of raising a child is increasing to absurd amounts. In 2015, around $13,000 was spent by an average income family for one child. Using the number previously stated and the factor of inflation, parents may expect to pay around $284,570 from a child’s birth to the age of 17 (Burnett, 2017). This fact can cause a rift in pursuing the process of adoption for many hopeful parents. However, one case occurs when a couple adopts despite the determining factor of money. Throughout the years, infertility has brought distress to spouses wanting to conceive a child. Whenever a contingency of infertility arises, adoption is a common approach to securing a child. For instance, couples have looked to other countries for adoption, most notably China, due to the one-child rule and Chinese families wanting a son (Children, 2010). Even with the circumstances of infertility, numerous parents can’t provide a balanced lifestyle for a child when seeing debt in the future. As proposed by adoptive parents and social workers, a family will need to assess their financial standing before taking the next step in adopting (Swinarski, 2010). In recognition of the Tuohy family, their monetary stability would be considered superior to thousands of couples looking to adopt. On the other hand, Leigh Anne and Sean Tuohy, Michael’s parents, had two other children to nurture, as well (Hancock, 2009).
With careful consideration the Tuohy family agreed to provide Michael a place to stay. However, this conclusion would instigate numerous cultural discrepancies due to race (Hancock, 2019). Frequently in the United States, the matter of preserving an adoptee’s cultural background is deliberated (Dunham, 2012). A considerable number of social workers wholly disagree with waiting for the perfect family. For the adoptees time is of the essence to be placed into a stable family to absolve the child’s loneliness. On the contrary, the opposition views the circumstance as a decisive factor in order to keep an adolescent in an identical environment. This standpoint is advised to adoptive families because of the impact on a child’s mental and social wellbeing in a contrasting, new community (Muir, 2010). Additionally, numerous adoptees have declared their adversity when trying to relate to the inward and outward characteristics of their new parents (Levy-Shiff, 2001). Despite backlash from others, many white parents still adopt because of the risk of jail or early parenthood, and leaders in adoption agencies have continually spoken in defense, as well (Dunham, 2012). For instance, Martin Narey, the Chief Executive of Barnardo’s, expressed the idea: “The law is clear on the issue of adoption and ethnicity. What it says is that it’s important to place children with an ethnically matched family, but it shouldn’t be a delay to adoption happening” (Muir, 2010, para. 24). Alluding to the movie, the life after high school for Michael Oher could have been life-altering, without the adoption into the Tuohy family. Even though the racial distinctions were noticeable, the family was able to set aside their previous knowledge and began to investigate his world. Both parents and siblings were willing to support Michael with mental and physical support in issues of bullying, football, and the reminders of his past (Hancock, 2009).
The care given by the Tuohy family allowed the final transition, adulthood, to be uncomplicated compared to other adoptees’ stories (Hancock, 2019). As stated in the article ‘Long-Term Issues for the Adopted Child’, an undeniable position is where a now adult has ambitions to find their lost family and reconnect with them. Consequently, a contingency of complicated truths could lead to mental illnesses (2019). This consequence is prevalent in actuality; however, in ‘The Blind Side’, Michael was presented as an Ole Miss football player selected in the NFL draft to the Baltimore Ravens (Hancock, 2009). Any person, whether adopted or not, would be abounding in gratitude. His adulthood would be strikingly distinct with the ability to create a successful life, knowing he had a plan. Nevertheless, this scenario is a rare circumstance for an adoptee. Frequently, researchers discover a lack of attachment and development for a child adopted beyond six to twelve months. With a difficult transition, these children can endure psychological maladjustment and hinder themselves in future relationships and opportunities (Levy-Shiff, 2001).
Mary Jo Kreitzer, Ph.D., R.N., director of the Center for Spirituality & Healing, affirmed the emphasis on a healthy relationship, stating, “They nurture us, and they help us grow. They help us become better people” (How, 2015, para. 2). The bond between the Tuohy family and Michael in ‘The Blind Side’ exhibited the trials of an interracial adoption in a predominately wealthy, white family (Hancock, 2019).
Even though adoptions can be expensive and cause strain, due to previous backgrounds and cultural differences, the act of caring for a child impacts the rest of his or her life. Numerous stories show where the child encounters depression and illnesses because of being alienated in a past relationship (How, 2015). By showing the importance of adoption for a child in the film, one can understand the process to keep a child balanced in the changing society of today.
Works Cited
- Burnett, J. (2017, Sep-Oct). The Cost of Raising a Child. Capital Ideas, 60(5), 22-23. Retrieved from http://search.ebsco.host.com.witcc.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=crh&AN=125252092&site=ehost-live
- Children as a Commodity. (2010, Jan 31). Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2262378955?accountid=68229
- Dunham, K.J. (2012, Sep). White Mama, Black Baby. Essence, 43(5), 160-161. Retrieved from https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/documents/2266187003?searchid=157661597&accountid=68229
- Foster the People; Children’s Welfare. (2017, Jun 24). Economist, 423(9046), 39. Retrieved from https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/226570296?accountid=68229
- Hancock, J.L., Kosove, A., Johnson, B., Netter, G., & Bourne, T.M. (Producers) & Hancock, J.L. (Director). (2009). The Blind Side. [Motion Picture]. United States: Aloon Entertainment.
- How Relationships Affect Health and Wellbeing. (2015, Feb 13). University of Minnesota. Retrieved from http://www.twin-cities.umn.edu/news-events/how-relationships-affect-heath-and-wellbeing
- Leith, P. (2018, May 26). The Adoption Waiting Game. The Speculator (London). Retrieved from https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2265997852?accountid=68229
- Levy-Shiff, R. (2001, Mar 1). Psychological Adjustment of Adoptees in Adulthood: Family Environment and Adoption-Related Correlates. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 25(2), 97-104. Retrieved from doi:10.1080101650250042000131.
- Long-term Issues for the Adopted Child. (2019). Mental Help. Retrieved from http://www.mentalhelp.net/parenting/long-term-issues-for-the-adopted-child
- Muir, H. & Moorhead, J. (2010, Nov 3). The Truth About Inter-Racial Adoption. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2265407766?searchid=1576616692&accountitd=68229
- Swinarski, C. (2016, Nov 28). Why Is It So Expensive to Adopt a Child? Washington Post-Blogs. Retrieved from https://explore.proquest.com/sirsissuesresearcher/document/2265915056?searchid=1576616413&accountid=68229
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