Customer Reviews

Adoption for Dummies

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

I began reading this book last fall. It was exactly what I was looking for. A high level overview of the different types of adoption, along with lots of practical advice on what to expect when adopting. The format was easy to read and easy to follow. I feel that this book gave a very honest, straightforward view of all types of adoption, so that the reader could decide what they are most comfortable with. Now that we have decided on an adoption path, we are on to other resources, but Adoption For Dummies was really helpful while we were trying to decide what path to take.

We were considering adoption, and knew absolutely nothing about it before reading this book. It gives an excellent, neutral explanation of everything you need to know about adoption. It doesn't sugar coat anything.

It is also a great book because you don't have to read it in any certain order. You can pick and choose which chapters interest you.

It was very informative and made me feel more confident about the whole process. I would recommend it to anyone considering adoption.

If you are considering adoption (or have already decided!) this is the book to get. I got this book when my husband and I were first looking into adoption. It gives a great overview of adoption and explains each step very well. It can be read straight through or you can go straight to a certain page to get answers for your questions. Now that we are a little further along in the adoption process I'm reading it again and getting even more out of it. I've read about 6 different adoption books so far and this one is the best.

The author's adoption expertise is vast--that is why she can make adoption truths and realities easy to understand. I highly recommend this book!

this book was a wealth of information and was worth the money. It was written in terms easy for me to understand and it brought to my attention things i never thought about before

The authors do not use the recognized definition of Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), but refer to a bogus, catch-all diagnosis called "Attachment Disorder" (AD) that is used by a fringe group of dangerous therapists. With an exploding bomb icon, the authors warn readers about children diagnosed with this disorder, thus contributing to demonizing of adopted children. The authors claim that children with "RAD" are "cruel to animals or people and may be fascinated with blood, death, and gore...[are] bossy and manipulative..." This is just made-up crap. Parents concerns about this disorder should check out the DSM-IV for the official definition of this disorder. RAD is actually characterized by a child being either very withdrawn or overly friendly with unfamiliar people -- in other words, this is not so much of a disorder as two tactics for surviving in harsh environments which don't translate to normal family life.

This adoption book was published in 2003 and so the vital statistics, forms and costs should be current; still, I suggest to the prospective adoptive parents not to be dummies but to double check everything.
Gisela Gasper Fitzgerald, author of ADOPTION: An Open, Semi-Open or Closed Practice?