A Pakistani TV host is giving abandoned babies away on air. Sounds crazy? It may be. More importantly, it's giving these children and childless couples the families they so desperately want and need. This certainly beats all that ridiculous red tape we have to go through in this country to adopt.
The children all came from a local charity. Apparently, since having a child out of wedlock is illegal in that country, the babies that result from those relationships are often discarded. The organization hoped that being a part of the show would get the message out that they will take in those children.
The show, however, has been criticized for using this as a ratings ploy. It made the couples, who had a hard time conceiving, compete for the infants. Of course they shouldn't just hand over the baby to any man or woman with outstretched arms. As the many tragic news stories on this site prove, there are many people out there who have no business being parents. My hope is that the producers thoroughly vetted the contestants.
I will admit, using a child as some sort of grand prize does feel a bit seedy. But let's look at the end rather than the means. A parent-less child now has a mother and father to love it. In the US, adoption can be a long, arduous, and expensive process. Private adoptions can cost as much as $40,000. So many couples are forced to back out -- not because they don't want a child, but they just can't afford it.
Going through the foster care system is less expensive, but not easy. There is a great deal of paperwork, many couples feel they are unfairly judged during that process, and in some states, the birth parents can change their mind up to six months later. Though, as hard as it may be, it's still worth it to me. Nothing can cloud the joy of giving a child a good home no matter what it took to get him there.
What do you think of this show's abandoned baby giveaway?
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