A reader wants to know if adoptive children are cherished more than biological children. I don’t think there are any scientific studies on “cherishing” your child. I also believe that how a person defines “cherishing” a child can be pretty subjective. Nevertheless, I’ll give the topic a shot.

First, let’s define what cherishing a child means. Right after my son was born and I was waiting to meet him, a friend gave me the following parenting advice:

Everyone loves their children, but not everyone cherishes them. Always remember to cherish your child.

This was said by a mother of two biological children (with a third in heaven who she lost halfway through her pregnancy). So, adoptive parents certainly have not cornered the market on cherishing a child. My friend went on to say that your child is only young once, so enjoy your time with your child. Don’t get so caught up in the day-to-day “busy-ness” of life that you lose sight of the wonder of this amazing human being that you have been blessed to raise.

I have seen both biological and adoptive families who cherish their children.