What's the number one concern for older adoptive parents?

Living long enough to see our kids through to adulthood.

It's not quite that simple, however, as it's also important that we're reasonably healthy through those years that lead to our children's independence, and beyond, if we're to avoid becoming a burden to the kids we brought home later in our lives.

An article in the new issue of AARP Mag titled, "Never Get Sick", gives six tips for staying healthy by boosting the immune system.

In addition to staying well away from such known life-shorteners as cigarettes, drugs, booze and an excess of just about anything, including food ... the list of 'don'ts' is long and familiar ... there are positives steps that can be taken toward safeguarding health.

I'm going out on a limb here and suggesting that those of us in the older adoptive parent brigade may just have a leg up.

A 94-year-old is featured, the father-in-law of the article's author, who is "the picture of health ... no signs of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, or even high cholesterol." He attributes his vitality and freedom from disease to the entertainment and stress relief he gets from feeding the birds and squirrels in his garden.

Sure enough, science is telling us that doing something every day that makes us smile, that draws our minds from the dark or the difficult and shines a little light and lightness into the corners is as important to our immune systems as a brisk walk.

Watching a six-month-old gum a new food item is easily as amusing as seeing a squirrel crack a nut, so I'm guessing a parent gets at least the health advantages a backyard wildlife observer enjoys.

Interacting with animals is listed as the number two method to boost immune response. I'd say that one hug, kiss or snuggle an adoptive parent gets from their little ones give an exponentially larger jolt of the "Instant relaxation response" triggered by petting an animal.

Folks who fall right to sleep have better odds of a healthier senectitude than insomniacs, and that has to point directly toward another reason adoptive parenting is good for the health. We're so tired by the time we hit the sack that most of us are asleep before we're horizontal.

Other suggestions in the article include reading a book ... and I'm thinking "Don't let the Pigeon Drive the Bus" qualifies ... keeping weight down ... which is more easily done chasing kids than playing canasta ... and spending some time in meditative thought ... exactly what I need to compile a shopping list.