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Raising Adopted Children, Revised Edition: Practical Reassuring Advice for Every Adoptive Parent

Customer Rating:
It is a good book but not really what I needed. It is geared mostly towards infant adoption, both internationally and domestically.

Practical Advice

Customer Rating:
Good practical advice to set teh worried adoptive parent at eae about a lot of things.

Worth skimming not reading

Customer Rating:
Deep into the adoption process we are hungry for information on what our adventure in child-rearing will be like because of going with an adopted child. If you are in that position this book is worth skimming but not worth reading. It is a very dry book which would work better as a website where key topics are identified and you can skip to the parts of interest to you. Or rewrite it as a simple list of topics with 2 sentences under each ("oh I wonder how my adopted kids will react to X").

Reading this book from cover to cover, on the other hand, will leave you feeling like every aspect of life is a potential threat to the mental health of your child. It took all my strength not to throw the book in the trash when the authors talked about the issues the adopted child might have dealing with seeing the baby Jesus at Christmas time. There is a point where simply outlining every possible source of stress may not be helpful. This book likely reaches that point. It's not that these things can't possibly be stressful but it feels like this book may be giving equal weight to every possibility. In many cases it feels like what is being shared are merely anecdotes which feel as solid as if a coworker said, "I heard on the internet that...."

The book is probably good to have around during stressful times when you might want to find, in writing, proof that others have had these issues, too. And for that reason I can't be too critical of the book. It's reference pages also are very good. But this is a text not a book- a collection of thoughts rather than a well thought out guide for parents.

more for people who adopted babies

Customer Rating:
I am doing foster care and now have the opportunity to possibly adopt a 7 year old girl who has lived with us for 8 months. I read this book because I was hoping to find some good information. It is filled with good information, but not much of it pertains to my situation. It has lots of advice for people adopting babies and who are infertile but not lots of stuff for people in my situation.
If anyone knows of a good book on how to integrate an adopted child into the family (not just with the parents but with the bio children of the family as well) and how to help the adopted child deal with being adopted and not getting to go back home with a mom she is really attached to (but who is mentally ill) please let me know! =o)

A MUST READ

Customer Rating:
As an adoption specialist for 20 years, I always recommend reading this book before, during and after adoption. Not everything applies to everyone, but on a whole, it gives the best and most accurate information about the adoption process. Just like any "manual" on how to do something, there are parts that won't be for you or about you. Take what you can from the book. Keep it on your nightstand and in years to come you will want to refer to it. I call it the "Dr. Spock of Adoption". Not every scenario about adoptive children will happen to your child, but when one does, you will be more prepared. She must discuss all the potential issues. There have been many books written since Lois wrote that book, but it is still one of the best. Make it part of your adoption library, along with some others.