The very first step when considering adoption is to simply learn more. At the very beginning, you’re asking questions and finding credible resources. If the materials you have are really good, they can also serve as guides to help you through tough situations.
At New Beginnings, we want to make sure you have as many credible resources as possible. That’s why we hold our monthly Ask and Eat workshops, why we write this blog and why we’ve partnered with Creating a Family. During our workshops, we provide you with a meal and are available to answer your specific questions about adoption. Additionally, the Creating a Family website has many useful resources for anyone wanting to learn more about adoption.
We asked our staff to share their favorite adoption books and these were the top five picks. If any of these books interest you, we have provided links to them on Amazon (and Amazon’s description). And remember, if you sign up for Amazon Smile, New Beginnings will get a donation every time you make a purchase!
The Connected Child
Karyn B. Purvis, David R. Cross, and Wendy Sunshine
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000WCWWC0/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?ie=UTF8&btkr=1
This is a great resource to check out before you begin the adoption process. Written by two research psychologists specializing in adoption and attachment, this book can help you build bonds of affection and trust with your adopted child, effectively deal with any learning or behavioral disorders, and discipline your child with love without making him or her feel threatened.
Telling the Truth to Your Adopted Child
by Betsy Keefer and Jayne E. Schooler
http://www.amazon.com/Telling-Truth-Adopted-Foster-Child/dp/0897896912
After becoming aware that he or she is adopted, a child will question the details of the adoption. The truth may reveal details that are painful and sometimes traumatic. Keefer and Schooler demonstrate that even in the most difficult situations, foster and adoptive parents must not withhold or distort information about the past. This is a great resource for adoptive parents after the adoption has been finalized.
Adopting the Hurt Child
by Gregory Keck and Regina Kupecky
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IDHVHPO/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?ie=UTF8&btkr=1
Without avoiding the grim statistics, this book reveals the real hope that hurting children can be healed through adoptive and foster parents, social workers, and others who care.
Parenting the Hurt Child
by Gregory Keck and Regina Kupecky
The world is full of hurt children, and bringing one into your home can quickly derail the easy family life you once knew. Get effective suggestions, wisdom, and advice to parent the hurt child in your life.
Attaching in Adoption
by Deborah D. Gray
Attaching in Adoption is a comprehensive guide for prospective and actual adoptive parents on how to understand and care for their adopted child and promote healthy attachment. This classic text provides practical parenting strategies designed to enhance children’s happiness and emotional health. It explains what attachment is, how grief and trauma can affect children’s emotional development, and how to improve attachment, respect, cooperation and trust.