My last blog shared books that prepare a child to welcome a new brother or sister by adoption. This blog share books addressing special situations that may arise during an adoption, such as an extended waiting period or the parents’ absence. There is even a book for children the birthmother is already raising, talking about their sibling being placed for adoption.
Seeds of Love: a Story of International Adoption, prepares children to stay with a friend or relative while their parents travel to bring the sibling home. It’s the story of a little girl’s two weeks with her grandmother as they both anticipate the new family member’s arrival.
While Seeds of Love focuses on helping a child understand the reason her parents must go abroad, Bringing Asha Home is the only book I’ve seen to realistically deal with the waiting and uncertain time frame of international adoption.
There is even a book for children of adoptive and birth families in which the birthmother is parenting one or more children and relinquishing one or more to adoption. (I was surprised to learn that sixty percent of birthmothers relinquishing in the U.S. already are parenting a child or children.) Sam’s Sister There is even a book for children of adoptive and birth families in which the birthmother is parenting one or more children and relinquishing one or more to adoption. I was surprised to learn that sixty percent of birthmothers relinquishing in the U.S. already are parenting a child or children. Sam’s Sister is about five-year-old Rosa, whose mother tells her that a baby is growing in Mommy’s tummy, but their family cannot take care of a baby right now. The girl sees her mother’s sadness. The baby is placed in an open adoption and the adoptive parents encourage the big sister to stay in touch. We see Rosa making crayon drawings to send to her little brother and his parents. Social workers laud this book as being unique in addressing a common situation.
Please see these related blogs:
Positive Sibling Relationships in Adoption
New Year’s Resolutions for Adoptive Parents