Adopting On Your Own: The Complete Guide to Adoption for Single Parents [Paperback]

Lee Varon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 4, 2000

The first guide of its kind, covering all stages of the adoption process

Adopting on Your Own addresses the questions and concerns of prospective single parents. Lee Varon, a practicing therapist specializing in adoption counseling and the single mother of two adopted children, helps readers make an evenhanded assessment of whether adoption is right for them, then leads them through the different stages of arranging and financing the adoption. She weighs the advantages of open versus closed and international versus domestic adoption for the single parent, and demystifies potentially daunting steps such as choosing an agency and preparing for the home study.

Adopting on Your Own also offers up-to-date information on the latest developments in interracial adoption policy, the legal rights of gays and lesbians to adopt, and the evolving attitudes of agencies and social workers toward single-parent adoptions. Throughout the book, Varon draws on personal anecdotes and the experiences of her clients to offer honest, insightful advice on every step of the adoption process.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Herself an adoptive mother of two and a counselor who has helped thousands of clients through their adoption decisions, Varon candidly covers just about every issue of concern to single men and women who are considering adoption in this excellent guide. She starts at the beginningAwith making the decisionAand offers insights on a variety of crucial questions: How old is too old to parent? How much money do I need to adopt a child? Can I adopt if I had cancer five years ago? Are there right and wrong reasons for wanting to adopt? She then walks readers through the adoption process, from determining which child is right for you to different types of adoption, including international. She covers the ins and outs of choosing an agency and preparing for the home studyAincluding whether or not potential adoptive parents should be open about their sexual orientation. Varon also discusses issues that commonly arise with adopted children and offers suggestions on how to handle them. There are exercises, suggestions for keeping an adoption journal and an extensive resource section that concludes the book. While Varon's primary focus is on adoption for singles, anyone considering adoption will find this an invaluable resource. (Sept.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"...gives singles who are considering adoption the information they need in decision-making and maneuvering through the adoption maze. ..." -- Betsy Burch, Executive Director of Space [Single Parents for Adoption of Children Everywhere] and mother of four transracially adopted children

"A path to discovery . . .gives prospective singles the tools to make decisions all along the way." -- Adoptive Families magazine

"A thorough and thoughtful book to use whether considering adopt[ion] as a single parent [or] weighing the pros and cons of international adoption." -- The Seattle Times

"An invaluable guide not only for single parents but for any parents considering adoption, as well as the professionals ..." -- Richard Bromfield, Ph.D., Harvard Medical School, author of Handle with Care: Understanding Children and Teachers

A thorough and thoughtful book to use [when] you are considering whether to adopt as a single parent -- Seattle Times,

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 1st edition (October 4, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0374128839
• ISBN-13: 978-0374128838
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #223,390 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

66 of 67 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not for singles who already know they want to adopt, May 3, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Adopting On Your Own: The Complete Guide to Adoption for Single Parents (Paperback)

I know many singles who have considered adoption who found this book to be very helpful, so I was eager to read it myself as I began the adoption process as a single. Although I can see how this book would be helpful to many, it was not the book for me. Most of the book is devoted to helping the reader make the decision of whether or not they want to be a single parent at all, and then deciding if adoption is the right path for them. I had already made both of these decisions, so the book was not at all helpful to me. There is almost no information about *how* to adopt as a single. I wouldn't object to this so much if the book didn't claim to be a "complete" guide. A better title would be "Adopting on Your Own: Making the Decision to Adopt as a Single". I would not recommend this book to anyone who has already decided to pursue adoption as a single parent, but I can see how it would be helpful to those still making this decision.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, November 14, 2000

By 

Tracey (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Adopting On Your Own: The Complete Guide to Adoption for Single Parents (Paperback)

I had been considering adoption as a single parent, and wanted as much information as possible (so I thought!) When I started digging, I got a bit more than I bargained for and quite frankly was overwhelmed by all the information available. The title of the book caught my eye and did NOT let me down. Ms. Varon's book was by far the most comprehensive of all the books I have read, which are many. It was to the point and what I call a quick reference book and for someone like me, that's important. Just when I thought I had considered everything..Ms Varon raised another issue. I highly recommend this book for anyone considering single parent adoption.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A thoughtful, practical single parent adoption guide, November 24, 2000

By 

"jcacnc" (Oakland, Ca USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Adopting On Your Own: The Complete Guide to Adoption for Single Parents (Paperback)

Lee Varon competently covers the vast emotional and practical realm of prospective single parent adoption. In a warm, experientiallly-based manner, this adoptive parent offers opportunities for readers to examine areas like "hopes, fears and realities", the positive aspects of single-parenting as well as predictable issues occuring within this kind of family structure. Sections like "The Needs of Adopted Children" allow us to visualize a future in which the parent and child/children find the best of what creating family and love can offer us. As a single parent of two internationally adopted children, I highly recommend this book as essential reading for prospective parents as well as others involved in this important field.