Summer is here! Which means the beach… the barbecues… and for some of us, the reading! What used to be such a chore as a child is now a beloved summer past time for many adults. I always like to balance my ‘to-read’ list with books that provide entertainment and books that offer personal development and learning. As we head into this summer season, I want to share a few foster and adoption books that are on my must-read list for the summer.
- The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption: Helping Your Child Grow Up Whole
- Goodreads Rating 4.11/5
- According to Creating a Family, “Most adoption agencies agree that an open adoption is in the child’s best interest, but that means more than exchanging photos, sending emails, and occasionally visiting. It’s a lifestyle that can feel intrusive and inconvenient even in the best situations. That’s where this book comes in. Sure, it is full of the practicalities of open adoption (the how-tos), but it is the spirit of this book that truly shines. This is a must read for every adoptive and expectant parent at the beginning of their adoption journey.”
- Reclaim Compassion: The Adoptive Parent’s Guide to Overcoming Blocked Care with Neuroscience and Faith
- Goodreads Rating 4.42/5
- Adoption Wise says, “Is your adoption journey turning out differently than you imagined? You had so much love to give, but now you feel ashamed and bewildered by your lack of compassion. You may be experiencing blocked care—a self-protective mechanism in your nervous system that makes it difficult to connect with your child and maintain compassion. When it happens, it’s like your heart seems to have left the relationship. But the good news is you are not a bad parent. You can heal from blocked care, and compassion can be rekindled in your heart. Reclaim Compassion answers the questions, “How did this happen?” and “Will it ever get better?” You’ll recognize yourself in the honest stories from the authors and other parents and come to realize that you are not alone. Rooted in faith and backed by neuroscience, this practical and powerful guide offers a simple step-by-step process for reclaiming compassion for your child and yourself.”
- Parenting Children of Trauma: The Foster-Adoption Guide to Understanding Attachment Disorder
- Goodreads Rating 3.99/5
- Fostering Families Today asks “Do you ever feel confused about what went wrong in your foster or adoption story? Are you fearful about the future of your marriage and your children? Do you ever feel overwhelmed and desperate for help? You are not alone. This book is for the wonderful-hearted people who stepped into adoption with dreams of loving a child to wholeness, only to find that children who hurt sometimes hurt people. Written by Marcy Pusey, this book is for parents who feel overwhelmed, desperate, and depleted. Or for the friend or family member who has watched the adoption story of their loved one unravel and felt helpless.”
- Securely Attached: How Understanding Childhood Trauma Will Transform Your Parenting
- Goodreads Rating 4.46/5
- “Just as you prepared your home to welcome a new child, it is important to prepare your heart and mind—especially if the child has suffered from a background of trauma. Perhaps your invitation for love is met with hostility, and you find that this new member of your family rejects connection. If so, then it’s critical to acknowledge the effects of trauma on a child’s ability to attach. Mike and Kristin Berry realized this when they became adoptive and foster parents. In their twenty-year marriage, they have had the joy of adopting eight children and fostering twenty-three. They now offer guidance from their own journey to others parenting a child who has experienced past trauma. In Securely Attached, they offer practical insights that are supported by therapeutic and medical facts, so all parents can provide best for the children in their care. Get the help you need to better care for the children in your home. Discover how you can create a family and home that is safe and supportive so your children can grow to trust and become securely attached.” -Resilient Caregiver
- Adoption Unfiltered: Revelations from Adoptees, Birth Parents, Adoptive Parents, and Allies
- Goodreads Rating 4.46/5
- “Adoption Unfiltered authors Sara Easterly (adoptee), Kelsey Vander Vliet Ranyard (birth parent), and Lori Holden (adoptive parent) interview dozens of adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, social workers, therapists, and other allies—all sharing candidly about the challenges in adoption. While finding common ground in the sometimes-contentious space of adoption may seem like a lofty goal, it reveals the authors’ optimistic aim: working together with truth and transparency to move toward healing. Healing isn’t possible, though, without first uncovering the hurts… Adoption Unfiltered models the importance of adults in adoption working together in the spirit of curiosity and empathy—to better support adoptees and their first and adoptive families”
Have you read any of these? Which book are you most looking forward to reaching this summer? I would love to hear your thoughts on these books or hear what your other must-reads are for 2024!