Adoption is a journey that encompasses love, loss, and transformation. For many people, adoption is a way to start or expand a family and bring a new life into the world. Whether you are a birth parent, an adoptive parent, or considering adoption, there is a book out there that can help you navigate the complexities of this journey.
One of the first books to explore the lifelong impact of adoption and normalize the questions many adoptees feel is "Being Adopted: The Lifelong Search for Self" by David M. Brodzinsky, Marshall D. Schechter, and Robin Marantz Henig. This book provides a model of adoptee development that includes normal yet unique stages of growth and offers hope and affirmation for adoptees.
Another book that offers insights from the adoptee perspective is "Twenty Things Adoptive Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew" by Sherrie Eldridge. This insightful book gives voice to the unspoken concerns of adoptive children and shows adoptive parents how to free their kids from feelings of fear, abandonment, and shame.
For parents in the midst of the post-adoption transition period, "The Post-Adoption Blues: Overcoming the Unforeseen Challenges of Adoption" by Karen Foli and John Thompson is a must-read. This book openly acknowledges the very normal feelings of stress that adoptive families can encounter as they cope with the challenges and expectations of their new families and offers hope and compassion for parents dealing with Post Adoption Depression Syndrome.
Modern Families: Parents and Children in New Family Forms by Susan Golombok is a great read for anyone exploring new forms of families. The author, Dr. Susan Golombok, is a leading researcher world wide on how new forms of families are doing and how they affect children. While all this talk about research may sound dull, this book is anything but. Golombok has a way of making the research understandable and fascinating.
Adoption is a family affair, and this book by Patricia Irwin Johnston is a must-read for relatives and friends of adoptive parents. It provides "need to know" information for friends and families, including who can adopt, why people consider adopting and how kids understand adoption as they grow up.
"Making Sense of Adoption: A Parent's Guide" by Lois Ruskai Melina is a practical guide for parents to anticipate and respond to the concerns of adopted children. It addresses questions like "When should I give my child the letter her birthmother wrote?" and "How much of my child's history should I share with friends and family?"
"The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption: Helping Your Child Grow Up Whole" by Lori Holden is a must-read for every adoptive and expectant parent at the beginning of their adoption journey. It provides practical guidance for parents considering an open adoption and helps them create a loving and supportive environment for their child.
"Adopting: Sound Choices, Strong Families" by Patricia Irwin Johnston tackles the tough questions that anyone considering adoption must ask themselves. The book guides prospective parents through four distinct phases of thinking about adoption and helps them make informed decisions.
"Adoption is It's Worth It!" by Kimberly Purnell Moody is a self-help guide for parents to explain adoption to their young child. With over twenty years of experience in Child Welfare, the author provides helpful tips for parents to communicate their adoption story to their children in a way that is both accurate and sensitive.
Overall, adoption is a journey that requires careful consideration and planning. Books that provide valuable insights and guidance can help make that journey a little easier.
