To Love a Rose: An Ethiopian Adoption Journal

Thursday, October 21, 2010

What I'm Reading...

I love to read; which is great, because with international adoption comes a LOT of necessary (and a lot of suggested) reading!  I've read so many books already, but these past two have been especially useful to Mr. C and myself.

The first is The Complete Book of International Adoption: A Step-by-Step Guide to Finding Your Child by Dawn Davenport, a mother 4-times over by both birth and adoption from China.  She has some very astute and personal observations about international adoption as well as a comprehensive, walk-through guide to some of the very things Mr. C and I have been both looking forward to and dreading about our future adoption - reviewing the medical reports and transitioning the adopted child to a new country, language, and lifestyle.  She has also included a very useful chapter on affording adoption with the help of loans, grants, and fund-raising - super helpful!  If you're interested in international adoption at all, I suggest reading Ms. Davenport's book (Amazon link below).



The second one is called Attaching in Adoption: Practical Tools for Today's Parents by Deborah D. Gray.  Attachment issues and bonding are one of the scariest issues for adoptive parents.  I'm finding more and more that we all worry - worry that we won't bond to the child, the child won't bond to us, that we won't be able to help our beloved children form the kinds of attachments that will define their ability to form lasting and healthy relationships for the rest of their lives...it can be quite daunting!



Ms. Gray gives lots of insight (clinical, observational, and anecdotal) about differing levels of attachment issues (both bad and good) with lots of suggestions and active options for guiding healthy bonding.  Both adoption professionals and those touched by adoption themselves (parents, siblings, and adoptees) are quotes in the pages of this book.  I'm not completely done, and I've already gleaned so much from what Ms. Gray has to share.  If you are touched by adoption in any way, I encourage you to read this book.  I think you will find it insightful and helpful.  As the child of an adopted mother and soon-to-be adoptive mother myself, I know I did!

After reading so many books on adoption, I'm thinking of breaking it all up with something fun!  What do you suggest?  Not long ago, I finished reading the last of what Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had to offer in the way of Sherlock Holmes novels; which was a bit sad.  I really enjoyed those!  I also recently re-read Pride and Prejudice for the millionth time!  I never get tired of Jane Austen's works; it's the romantic in me!

I look forward to any and all reading suggestions; my Kindle is ready to be filled with more goodies!

Blessings,
*mandie*


              

No comments:

Post a Comment