When a child is adopted into a new family, there are long-lasting impacts not only on the child, but also on the parents. I talked about adoption with Lillian “Lillie” Sakai, an HHS sophomore, who shared her experience with adoption and how her life is different because of it.

Sakai has an  adoption experience similar to so many other families. She was adopted at the age of 1 ½  from China! Sakai said that her mother was adopted as well! Very Cool!  “Adoption has not made much of an impact on my life” Sakai explained. “I don’t really know anything different.” Based on the latest data found, approximately 18,000 children that are adopted in the USA are infants/young children.

One question I asked Lillian was “If you hadn’t been adopted, do you think you would be a different person today?” “If I wasn’t adopted, I would still be in China where the culture, environment, people, language, and lifestyle are different.” Sakai explained. “These would affect how I would have grown up which would make me a different person. I would have never met all my friends and family that have shaped who I am today.” As Sakai was adopted into a Chinese family, she explained some of the things she thinks would be the same! “Since my adopted family is also Chinese, I would still have some of the same habits. For example, eating rice with almost every meal using chopsticks, being extremely organized.”

Perhaps the most important response was when I asked, “If a family was looking into adoption, what would you tell them?”  Sakai told me “If someone is looking to adopt a child, just know that they are making a big impact on someone else’s life. You are giving someone a new home, a new family, and even a new life.” Well said!

Lillie Sakai was a great interviewee and I thank her for being such a big help on this piece! If you or someone you know is looking into adoption, below is the link to the Calvert County Social Services department, located in Prince Frederick, MD.

Calvert County Social Services- Prince Frederick