When people decide to bring a child into their family, either through birth or through adoption, they are likely to want to prepare themselves for the journey ahead. If you are considering adopting a child, you may wonder where to begin as far as learning about adoption, and about parenting your adopted child or children. Fortunately, there are many good books that address a variety of topics related to adoption. Whether you are adopting an infant from the U.S., pursuing an international adoption, or adopting an older child, you may find one or more of the books referenced below as helpful. Keep reading to learn more!
“You Can Adopt” by Susan Caughman combines information from adoption attorneys, doctors, social workers, and psychologists, with stories from adoptive families to provide answers to many questions that people ask when they are considering adoption. If you are curious about whether you need an adoption attorney, how much adoption costs, or how adopted children and adoptive families adjust to each other, you will find information related to those questions in You Can Adopt.
One major concern for adoptive families is attachment. Attachment is a close, lifelong relationship between a child and an adult caregiver which develops as the child learns that the adult will take care of them and ensure that their needs are met. “Attaching in Adoption” by Deborah D. Gray is written for actual and prospective adoptive parents, and it explains attachment in the context of adoption, including how trauma can affect a child’s ability to attach. In her book, Gray describes techniques that parents can use to help develop their children’s attachment to them at various stages in the children’s emotional development.
Families who plan to adopt one or more older children are sure to find a great deal of helpful information in “Our Own: Adopting and Parenting the Older Child” by Trish Maskew. Maskew is an adoptive mother as well as a foster parent, and she includes stories and information based upon her experience and the experience of other families who have welcomed older children into their families. The information in Our Own: Adopting and Parenting the Older Child can help you to navigate difficulties in selecting a school for your older adopted child, establishing birth family contact if you and your child decide that it is appropriate to do so, and handling mental and physical health issues.
If you are pursuing international adoption, there are books that are specifically written for you. “Parenting Your Internationally Adopted Child: From Your First Hours Together Through the Teen Years” is written by Patty Cogen, a child and family therapist. The book contains information about how parents can help their internationally adopted children adjust socially and emotionally to their new family and their new community. From exploring and embracing both your culture and the culture of your child’s birthplace to promoting attachment and emotional development, there is information on many topics that are relevant for families who adopt internationally.
In addition to learning about adoption through books and other resources, you can learn more about adoption in Kansas by contacting a Kansas Adoption Attorney. If you have legal questions about adoption, Kansas Adoption Attorney Thomas McDowell is here to help you. Please call our office today, at (316) 633-4322 to make an appointment for your initial consultation.