Buying Power

How to Shop Before You Adopt

By Denise Harris Hoppenhauer

The first thing I did after we accepted the referral of our daughter was buy a pair of toddler bunny slippers. (In my defense, it was May, and they were on sale.) Three dresses, a short set and a package of socks followed the slippers. I was afraid if I didn't buy ahead that there would be nothing to choose from when it was time to travel. With a little help from my mother, by the time we were supposed to travel, I had a complete summer wardrobe for a 13-month-old child.

I found that planning and updating a wardrobe for our daughter was on some level therapeutic. (I love being able to justify shopping.) At the time of our adoption, our nursery had been completed for about a year, and shopping for clothing was one way I could continue to plan for the arrival of our child. While there were some things she had outgrown and could not use, it was still cheaper than therapy would have been!

Most of the shoes Callie wore during our orphanage visits did not fit. Her little feet stuck out of the sides of her sandals. They were also so well worn they would not have been sold at a resale shop.

One question that perplexed me for days was, "What size shoes will she wear?" Although our figures were inaccurate, we were able to convert her height and weight from metric to standard, but we had no way to get any information about shoe size. After consulting with both children's apparel and shoe buyers, the answer was quite simple: There is no way to know what size shoes you will need. You will have to estimate based on age and size and have several different-size pairs on hand.

I recommend buying inexpensive white or black shoes that can be returned or left at the orphanage if they don't fit. Leather or leather-look shoes can be cleaned more easily and will last longer than canvas shoes. They will also be greatly appreciated and will help lighten your load for the return trip home – or in my case, make room for more souvenirs.

Want to see more?

• So You Want to Adopt?: A Beginner's Guide
• Standing Apart From the Crowd: Three Tools to Get You Noticed
• The Adoption Homestudy: Necessary Evil or Helpful Experience?
• Talk about it!