Anti-"Adopt"

So this has been on my mind for weeks.  So I figured why not spew my thoughts about it on here.  So hang in there as I just spew incessantly.

According to www.merriam-webster.com, the definition of adopt is as follows:

1. to take by choice into a relationship; especially : to take voluntarily as one's own child
2. to take up and practice or use   
3. to accept formally and put into effect
4. to choose (a textbook) for required study in a course
5. to sponsor the care and maintenance of

(By the way...I realize that I just did something that I do not allow in my classroom.  Never allow kids to give me definitions in their writing.  If I need the definition I can look it up.  And if I need to look it up then it means that the student probably plagiarized.  Sorry...got sidetracked there.)

I was reading another adoption blog today and the author ranted on and on about her hate of the use of "adopt" when speaking of anything other than adopting a child.  She got really vicious about people using the word in relation to a pet.  Apparently this author felt that pets were not worthy using this word.  (Umm...hello...pets are like children to some of us!  How could this woman not know that?)  I was shocked to see that there were many people that commented on her post and agreed with her.

So I looked up the word.  Notice above that there are a handful of appropriate meanings of the word.  But #1 on the list is in reference to adopting a child.  As we know, I am a huge advocate for adoption and I always want to make sure that people use safe adoption language.  But I am not angry when people use the word "adopt" in reference to anything other than a child and the legal process to making that child "legally" part of a family.  Yes, we talk about adoption and yes, we are very open about it...but it doesn't define Gus.  He is not our "adopted son"...he is our son.  So maybe I am crazy for not agreeing with the author of that post or the others who commented, but I just simply don't agree.  The word "adopt" means nothing to me other than the legal process to make Gus "legally" ours.  My heart was his the moment I saw him....I don't need a word set aside to describe that.  So go ahead....use the word "adopt" with any of the definitions above.  I won't be offended.

Thanks for listening to me rant.  I feel better now.  Hopefully, I will fall asleep tonight without thinking about it.