Resources on Adoption
So you have adopted. Now what? You have endured months and probably years of research and paperwork on fertility and adoption. Prepare yourself because all that research was just getting you ready for what is ahead. Since we have adopted (and this goes for every new parent), I have spent hours online and in libraries looking up cold symptoms, rashes, milestones, adoption stories, pre-schools, doctors and so much more to help me make the best decisions when it comes to raising my children. It wasn't until my oldest was about three that I realized the importance of finding well written children's books on adoption. I have now made it a goal to find and review books to help others.
When talking to your children about adoption, you don't want to leave it all in the hands of a writer of children's books. It is important to work through these books with your children. I suggest not reading straight through them, but to read one page at a time and allow for your little ones to process the information. Ask them questions to gauge their understanding. This also helps open the lines of communication with them for the future. Every child is different and you know your child best. I review any adoption book (for that matter any book) first to myself before reading them aloud with my children.
Our family adopted domestically, however, I have found that there seem to be more resources in children's books for international adoptions. If you are like me and have adopted domestically, do not shy away from reading the international stories with your children as well. You may want to wait until they can grasp the concept of their own adoption. My daughter is very inquisitive and will ask questions for weeks about one story so I wanted to make sure she did not confuse her story with that of other childrens'. I do however, believe that it is an important step in their adoption education to hear and see how every child's adoption, no not just adoption, but life story is different.
I have started a new website for families to find resources to help their children understand adoption as well as resources that assist birth, adoptive and foster families as they move along through their journey. I hope you will find it useful. It will be updated frequently with new book reviews. Please take the time to check out this site. www.resourcesonadoption.info
When talking to your children about adoption, you don't want to leave it all in the hands of a writer of children's books. It is important to work through these books with your children. I suggest not reading straight through them, but to read one page at a time and allow for your little ones to process the information. Ask them questions to gauge their understanding. This also helps open the lines of communication with them for the future. Every child is different and you know your child best. I review any adoption book (for that matter any book) first to myself before reading them aloud with my children.
Our family adopted domestically, however, I have found that there seem to be more resources in children's books for international adoptions. If you are like me and have adopted domestically, do not shy away from reading the international stories with your children as well. You may want to wait until they can grasp the concept of their own adoption. My daughter is very inquisitive and will ask questions for weeks about one story so I wanted to make sure she did not confuse her story with that of other childrens'. I do however, believe that it is an important step in their adoption education to hear and see how every child's adoption, no not just adoption, but life story is different.
I have started a new website for families to find resources to help their children understand adoption as well as resources that assist birth, adoptive and foster families as they move along through their journey. I hope you will find it useful. It will be updated frequently with new book reviews. Please take the time to check out this site. www.resourcesonadoption.info
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