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Informationen zum Autor Betsy Keefer Smalley , LSW, is a trainer, curriculum developer, and author. Jayne E. Schooler , MBS, has worked for many years as an adoption worker and trainer both nationally and internationally. Klappentext Many adopted or foster children have complex, troubling, often painful pasts. This book provides parents and professionals with sound advice on how to communicate effectively about difficult and sensitive topics, providing concrete strategies for helping adopted and foster children make sense of the past so they can enjoy a healthy, well-adjusted future. Approximately one of every four adopted children will have adjustment challenges related to their separation from the birth family, earlier trauma, attachment difficulties, and/or issues stemming from the adoption process. Common complicating issues of adopted children are feelings of rejection, abandonment, or confusion about their origins. While many foster and adoptive parents and even many professionals are reluctant to communicate openly about birth histories, silence only adds to the child's confusion and pain.This revised and significantly expanded edition of the award-winning Telling the Truth to Your Adopted or Foster Child equips parents with the knowledge and tools they need to communicate with their adopted or foster child about their past. Revisions include coverage of significant new research and information regarding the importance of understanding the child's trauma history to his or her well-being and successful adjustment in his foster or adoptive family. The authors answer such questions as: How do I share difficult information about my child's adoption in a sensitive manner? When is the right time to tell my child the whole truth? How do I obtain more information on my child's history? Detailed descriptions of actual cases help the parent or caregiver find ways to discover the truth (particularly in closed and international adoption cases), organize the information, and explain the details of the past gently to a toddler, child, or young adult who may find it frightening or confusing. Zusammenfassung Many adopted or foster children have complex! troubling! often painful pasts. This book provides parents and professionals with sound advice on how to communicate effectively about difficult and sensitive topics! providing concrete strategies for helping adopted and foster children make sense of the past so they can enjoy a healthy! well-adjusted future. Inhaltsverzeichnis Preface Acknowledgments 1 The Power of Secrets on Family Relationships 2 Truth or Consequences: A Great Debate 3 Just the Facts, Ma'am: Why Do Children Need Them? 4 Learning about Your Child: A Fact-Finding Mission 5 Adoption Through a Child's Eyes: Developmental Stage 6 Through a Parent's Eyes: The Challenges in Creating an Environment of Ongoing Adoption Communication 7 Principles of Talking about Adoption 8 Sharing the Hard Stuff: The Adoptive Parent's Challenge 9 Twelve Tools of Parent/Child Communication 10 Transracial or Transcultural Adoption: Talking about Adoption and Race 11 Kinship Foster Care and Adoption: Telling the Truth When It's "All in the Family" 12 Adolescence: Parents Matter-Keeping Lines of Communication Open 13 Managing Communication with Openness in Adoption: Questions Most Asked by Parents 14 Communication about Adoption Outside the Family Appendix A: Information Needed to Prepare a Case for Adoption Appendix B: Triggers for Adoption Issues Appendix C: Lifebooks-They Are Effective for Children in Understanding Their Story Notes Index...
