If you're thinking about adopting a child, the words "home study" may sound threatening. Current state laws require that before adopting, a person must be approved by a child welfare authority. The home study is one stop along the way. It is an evaluation of the would-be adopter's likely fitness as a parent.

A home study is bound to make any healthy, sane person nervous. It feels like you're letting a stranger snoop around your home, bank account and personal files. So, if you expect a home study in your future, please accept these Parent Soup tips as a friendly reminder to set your gaze on your goal: the family you want to become.

1. Talk, talk, talk.
Explore with your partner the details of your plans to adopt and raise a child together. Take turns role-playing the social worker, quizzing your decision. If you plan to adopt alone, find a friend with whom to confide and fully examine your thoughts and emotions. Become as certain as possible that you do, indeed, want to adopt.