On behalf of my coworkers and myself, Thank you!

I did not know that's where you worked JW.

Susan and I went through all of the adoption training through the county, but did not follow-through because we wanted to make one more effort to conceive (although the folks were VERY interested in having us adopt because of our backgrounds - they envisioned adopting siblings!!!). I think it is time to revisit the topic as we ain't got no bun in the oven.

When we started (looking at adoption), we did some research and that's when we discovered how good the department was.

Kudos to you and your co-workers!

Here's my view on "you'll make great parents."

I have no idea. Many incredibly nice people make for horrible parents and plenty of otherwise rotten people make for great parents. People who manage to produce one great kid will find that the other one turns out rotten even though they were exposed to the same parenting.

So with all the friendly emotion I can muster I say "If you become parents I'm sure you'll work hard at it."

So do it at home and bring in the sample

I think there are several men on this board that have had the "cup experience".

It was one film in college, and I was paid well, ok?

My criteria for what might make a good parent are the following: intelligence, patience, ability to think outside the box, stable home environment, belief in the value of a good, well-rounded education and the ability to keep a pet alive for more than three weeks. Oh, and it's good to actually like children.

I'd say they fit that description.

OK. (adding one cup to packing list for USA...)

I was able to do the cup from home, but for me it wasn't important that the make it to review alive, just that there be none in the cup to begin with.

wendybeth, I know plenty of people who fit your description but really aren't that great as parents. I have every reason to expect that GD and CP would be good parents, but then I had every reason to expect that my uncle and his wife would be good parents. It's a crapshoot to a certain extent, no matter how good the intentions.

Good parents being one thing ... raising good kids being almost entirely non-dependent. Oh, I'll grant that crap parents likely make for nasty kids ... but I've known good parents who've already raised good kids to then raise a devil spawn.


Kids are people. They will be what they will be. No need to add bad parenting to the mix ... but good parenting is a guaranty of nothing.