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Finding Home: An Imperfect Path to Faith and Family

Jim Daly

Since 2005, Daly has been president and CEO of Focus on the Family, the conservative Christian organization founded by child psychologist and Republican activist James Dobson. Daly's childhood family sorely needed focus: the last of five children born to aging alcoholics, young Jimmy experienced his father's abandonment, his stepfather's rages, his mother's death and several years with a gloriously insane foster family living next to their own personal garbage dump. He apparently avoided beatings and sexual abuse, though his chirpy coauthor rarely plumbs the depths of Daly's probable anguish. Rather than looking inward, the young adolescent developed a pragmatic philosophy of survival: Keep your expectations low. That way you don't get hurt. Somehow, despite homelessness and lack of income, he made it through college, studied overseas, married a good woman, climbed the career ladder and, sadly, still advises low expectations. I believe it's time we were open with one another about the brokenness that we all share he writes, though his story reveals much more of his family's brokenness than his own. Dobson fans—and they are legion—will find Daly's rags-to-(spiritual)-riches story inspirational; others may wish he had dispensed with his coauthor and spoken directly from the heart.

General Adoption, Search and Reunion

Book

Adopting: Sound Choices, Strong Families

Patricia Irwin Johnston

Adopting: Sound Choices, Strong Families is a "must-read" for anyone considering adoption. With compassion and candor, it helps sort out the emotional, relational and practical aspects of the journey to family-building through adoption. Pat's warm and direct style gives readers the courage to face the losses they have experienced so they can continue exploring adoption as a means to parenthood. Specifically, readers will be empowered to: Regain a sense of control over their lives, Decide whether they are honestly open to the idea of adoption, Understand the central issues of attachment and adoptive family life, Feel confident in their decision to pursue-or not-adoption as a viable option, Make informed decisions about the details of the adoption process, Embrace their decision to adopt with practical support and information, Navigate the first few months after placement with realistic expectations and practical information.

General Adoption

Book

A Love Like No Other: Stories from Adoptive Parents

Marcelle Clements, Laura Shaine Cunningham, Christina Frank, Jesse Green, Melissa Fay Greene, Doug Hood, Pamela Kruger, Jenifer Levin, Antoinette Martin, Jacquelyn Mitchard, Adam Pertman, Emily Prager, Amy Rackear, Bonnie Miller Rubin, Dan Savage, Bob Shacocchis, Jill Smolowe, Sheila Steinbeck, Joe Treen, and Jana Wolf

Drawn from personal experience, these stories offer vivid and beautifully rendered snapshots of the adoptive parenting experience. Featuring: Marcelle Clements, Laura Shaine Cunningham, Christina Frank, Jesse Green, Melissa Fay Greene, Doug Hood, Pamela Kruger, Jenifer Levin, Antoinette Martin, Jacquelyn Mitchard, Adam Pertman, Emily Prager, Amy Rackear, Bonnie Miller Rubin, Dan Savage, Bob Shacocchis, Jill Smolowe, Sheila Steinbeck, Joe Treen, and Jana Wolf.

General Adoption

Book

Babies with Down Syndrome: A New Parents' Guide

Susan J. Skallerup

Babies with Down Syndrome, the trustworthy guide which has benefited thousands of families since it was first published in 1985, is completely revised and updated in a new, third edition. Covering the best practices for raising and caring for children with Down syndrome through age five, this book is invaluable to new parents who have welcomed a baby with Down syndrome into their lives.

This new edition incorporates the latest scientific, medical, educational research, and practical information available, as well as parents? suggestions and feedback. Existing chapters have been revised, some completely rewritten by new authors, and in keeping with its parent-friendly reputation, most of the book's contributors are parents of children with Down syndrome. Chapters cover:

- What Is Down Syndrome?: A primer on the causes, characteristics, and diagnosis, including the latest information on genetics and prenatal testing;
- Adjusting to Your Baby: Advice from an experienced mother on coping with common emotions and announcing the news to friends and family;
- Medical Concerns & Treatments: An overview of possible health issues including celiac disease, sleep apnea, diabetes, reflux, and skin problems, with an emphasis on detecting signs early for needed treatment;
- Daily Care: The gamut of care from feeding to bathing, with expanded information about toilet training;
- Family Life: The impact on siblings and couples, discipline issues, and new material to help everyone understand that a child's behavior is a form of communication;
- Development & Learning: Expectations about development plus new material on variability in development, learning styles, using reading to develop language, memory strengths and weaknesses, and using play to encourage learning;
- Early Intervention: An overview of services and therapies for babies & toddlers with new information on the transdisciplinary approach, providing services in the natural environment, transitioning to preschool, and common questions & answers;
- Legal Rights & Financial Issues: Explains your child's educational and legal rights, and financial information, including the latest on federal education and civil rights laws, sources of financial assistance, health insurance, trusts, and guardianship.

Full of new photos, parent statements, updated and expanded resources and reading lists, and a reprint of the inspiring essay, ?Welcome to Holland,? this guide is everything parents need to build a bright and healthy future for their child with Down syndrome

Parenting, General Adoption, Children with Special Needs, Professionals

Book

Lighting the Way

Anna Quindlen

Parents, teachers, and anyone concerned about social services in their communities, and especially those who might be interested in volunteering will find this book interesting

General Adoption, Professionals

Book

Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder

Julie A. Fast & John Preston, PsyD

Many people diagnosed with bipolar disorder are sent home with the name of a doctor and prescription drugs. But few are able to manage their often out-of-control emotions with medication alone. Written by Julie A. Fast, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at age thirty-one, and bipolar disorder specialist John Preston, PsyD, Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder offers a unique, personalized approach that teaches people with bipolar disorder and their loved ones to manage the illness and achieve daily stability. Fast and Preston's groundbreaking program combines medication and supplements, lifestyle changes, behavior modifications, and other indipensable management tools.

General Adoption, Children with Special Needs, Bipolar, Trauma & Brain Development

Book

The Complete Book of International Adoption

Dawn Davenport

The go-to guide for everything you want to know about international adoption From the initial decision "Is adoption right for you?" through returning home with your child "How can you ease the transition?" "The Complete Book of International Adoption" takes parents step by step through the entire process of adopting a child from another country. You will find: An easy-to-understand analysis of the differences between domestic and international adoption Advice on choosing a country, including 25 important factors to consider, such as the waiting times involved and the estimated costs for each of the top placing countries, with charts for easy comparison A detailed discussion of the potential health issues based on the latest research and interviews with doctors who specialize in international adoption Worksheets and a suggested system for preparing and organizing the extensive paperwork involved Parenting tips to enhance attachment and suggestions for addressing the issues that come up in raising an internationally adopted child Real parents stories and advice at every stage of the process Plus all of the information you need to select your agency, plan financially, prepare for the home study, travel sensibly, evaluate your child s health and integrate your new family More than just provide the facts, "The" "Complete Book of International Adoption" also helps parents manage the emotional rollercoaster that comes with the territory. Sensitive, wise, and often witty, this book is a must-have for any parent considering building their family through adoption."

General Adoption, International Adoption

Book

Building a Home Within

Toni Vaughn Heineman

All children need stable, lasting relationships with caring adults to ensure their healthy emotional, cognitive, and social development. But for children and adolescents in foster care, these essential relationships are often absent. This book presents a proven solution based on over 10 years of groundbreaking work by the Children's Psychotherapy Project (CPP): When young people work with the same therapist for as long as they need to, they'll make better progress toward developing strong, healthy relationships and hope for the future. More than a dozen experts from the CPP give psychologists, social workers, counselors, and program administrators a complete, research-supported introduction to this successful "one child, one therapist, for as long as it takes" model as they share their triumphs and challenges. Through the lessons these therapists learned as they donated their time to weekly psychotherapy sessions, readers will gain new insight on how to build positive relationships with children. They'll learn how to address various aspects of foster care, including:

  • the neuropsychological effects of foster care on children
  • the specific challenges of preschool children in foster care
  • kinship care
  • reunification with parents
  • foster children and the educational system
  • collaboration between public and private forces
  • the transition out of foster care at age 18

With a combined emphasis on biological, psychological, and social aspects that sets it apart from other books on the subject, this candid and compelling resource will help therapists fully address the emotional needs of children and adolescents in foster care.

General Adoption, Foster Care Adoption

Book

The Lost Children of Wilder

Nina Bernstein

In 1973, a young ACLU attorney filed a controversial class-action lawsuit that challenged New York City’s operation of its foster-care system. The plaintiff was an abused runaway named Shirley Wilder who had suffered from the system’s inequities. Wilder, as the case came to be known, was waged for two and a half decades, becoming a battleground for the conflicts of race, religion, and politics that shape America’s child-welfare system.

The Lost Children of Wilder gives us the galvanizing history of this landmark case and the personal story at its core. Nina Bernstein takes us behind the scenes of far-reaching legal and legislative battles, but she also traces the life of Shirley Wilder and her son, Lamont, born when Shirley was only fourteen and relinquished to the very system being challenged in her name. Bernstein’s account of Shirley and Lamont’s struggles captures the heartbreaking consequences of the child welfare system’s best intentions and deepest flaws. In the tradition of There Are No Children Here, this is a major achievement of investigative journalism and a tour de force of social observation, a gripping book that will haunt every reader who cares about the needs of children.

General Adoption

Book

Confession of an Adoptive Parent

Mike Berry

Adopting or fostering a child brings its own unique set of challenges only another parent facing the same uphill climb could possibly understand. From parenting children with traumatic pasts, to dealing with attachment issues, to raising a child with special needs, it can sometimes be a struggle just getting through the day.

Mike Berry knows the loneliness and isolation you can easily feel in your particular parenting role—because he's been there. He's still there, and he wants to give you the hope and encouragement you so desperately need.

There are plenty of how-to guides out there on parenting, but this one-of-a-kind book is specifically designed to address your needs as a parent of an adopted or foster child. With a refreshing dose of honesty, empathy, and care, you'll discover you are definitely not alone on your journey and God has a very special plan for you and your family.

Parenting, General Adoption

Book

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