The first of five books the agency asked us to read during the waiting period was this book -- "Twenty Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew." The author, an adoptee herself, provides a wealth of resources and personal experience to make this book an enlightening, and enjoyable, read. Based on her own personal experiences, and those gathered from other adoptees, Ms. Eldridge provides insight into the heart and mind of an adopted child to the benefit of his/her parents.
The book is very relevant, but one thing that keeps coming back to my mind has to do with the adopted child's birthday. The adopted child wants his/her parents to know that sometimes birthdays can be very difficult for them. Unlike biological children, the adopted child may see her birthday as the day she was rejected, the abandonment day, or the day her parents didn't want her. The result may be bursts of anger, depression, or still silence.
Many of these "Twenty Things" are difficult truths to swallow, but obviously very important to grasp. They are just as important for parents with adopted children as they are for parents with biological children. I found myself thinking many times, "All parents should read this book," because it's really "Twenty Things EVERY Kid Wishes His/Her Parents Knew."
The next book to read is "Orphanology," gospel-centered adoption and orphan care.
