Whether your adoption is about to be finalized or you have a talkative two-year-old at home, these books written for adoptive parents are wonderful sources to keep on hand. They help to answer questions that your children might have and provide peace of mind in tough situations.
“Talking with Young Children about Adoption”
By Mary Watkins and Susan Fisher
“Current wisdom holds that adoptive parents should talk with their child about adoption as early as possible. But no guidelines exist to prepare parents for the various ways their children might respond when these conversations take place. In this wise and sympathetic book, a clinical psychologist and a psychiatrist, both adoptive mothers, discuss how young children make sense of the fact that they are adopted, how it might appear in their play, and what worries they and their parents may have. Accounts by twenty adoptive parents of conversations about adoption with their children, from ages two to ten, graphically convey what the process of sharing about adoption is like.”
“Adoption is a Family Affair!”
By Patricia Irwin Johnston
“A child is coming – whether you approve or not it’s time to get with the program!” If someone you care about – a family member, co-worker, or close friend – has recently announced that their family will be growing through adoption, you may have questions. After all, unless you have personally experienced adoption, you may know very little about how adoption works and what it means. Are you worried that your loved one may face disappointment? Do you find yourself wondering exactly what your role is going to be in the child’s life? Does the term “open adoption” confuse and concern you? Just what are the privacy boundaries for families built by adoption: what is it okay to ask about?
Adoption Is a Family Affair! will answer all of these questions and more, offering you information about who can adopt, why people consider adopting, how kids understand adoption as they grow up, and more. This short book is crammed full of the ‘need to know’ information for friends and families that will help to encourage informed, happy and healthy family relationships.”
“Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew”
By Sherrie Eldridge
“”Birthdays may be difficult for me.”
“I want you to take the initiative in opening conversations about my birth family.”
“When I act out my fears in obnoxious ways, please hang in there with me.”
“I am afraid you will abandon me.”
The voices of adopted children are poignant, questioning. And they tell a familiar story of loss, fear, and hope. This extraordinary book, written by a woman who was adopted herself, gives voice to children’s unspoken concerns, and shows adoptive parents how to free their kids from feelings of fear, abandonment, and shame.
With warmth and candor, Sherrie Eldridge reveals the twenty complex emotional issues you must understand to nurture the child you love–that he must grieve his loss now if he is to receive love fully in the future–that she needs honest information about her birth family no matter how painful the details may be–and that although he may choose to search for his birth family, he will always rely on you to be his parents.
Filled with powerful insights from children, parents, and experts in the field, plus practical strategies and case histories that will ring true for every adoptive family, Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew is an invaluable guide to the complex emotions that take up residence within the heart of the adopted child–and within the adoptive home.
By Denise Harris Hoppenhauer
“Finally, a childcare book written with the unique needs of adopted toddlers in mind. Written by an adoptive parent, Adopting A Toddler: What Size Shoes Does She Wear? is an indispensable guide to the wonderful world of toddler adoption. Filled with essential parenting information, Adopting a Toddler answers many questions that parents ask, including questions about changing a name, choosing a crib versus a bed, beginning potty training, and what size shoes to buy.
Adopting a Toddler is easy to read and covers every aspect of adopting a one to four year-old; with sections on the toddler wardrobe, the nursery, child safety, mealtime, bath time, selecting a pediatrician, medical considerations, international adoption travel, pre and post adoption resources, and more. Adopting a Toddler provides the most up-to-date solutions for preparing for your new arrival.”
“Our Own: Adopting and Parenting the Older Child”
By Trish Maskew
“Based on the author’s experiences as an adoptive mother and foster parent, as well as interviews with professionals, adults who were adopted, and dozens of adoptive families, this tribute to “our own kids” is easy to read and filled with compassion, humor, and common sense. Suitable for families adopting domestically or internationally, it covers a wide range of topics related to older child adoption, including:
- Choosing an agency and finding a child to adopt
- The family’s adjustment
- Ways to help your child bond
- Dealing with school issues and officials
- Handling difficult behavior such as tantrums and lying
- Recognizing the symptoms of ADHD, post-traumatic stress, and other mental health issues
- The “core issues” of adoption, such as grief, identity and loss
- Birth families and culture
- Hepatitis, parasites, and other medical issues
- The joys of becoming a family
Thompson Dove Law Group have extensive experience in adoptive services as well as assisted reproduction in the state of South Carolina. We understand what you are going through and we are here to help. We provide complete services tailored to meet your needs and preferences.