Customer Reviews

The Middle Mom: How to Grow Your Heart by Giving It Away ...a foster mom's journey

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I had high hopes that this book would provide useful guidance for loving and letting go of foster children. Unfortunately, the author used all 153 pages to spout an Evangelical sermon to readers. The very first chapter revolved around her receiving an audible message from God, and essentially speaking in tongues to sing out a song about abortion! Really her only advise to fellow foster parents was to "Be Jesus" to all children... whatever that means.

Erwin also had very little experience with the state foster care system, as she worked for a private Christian adoption agency through most of the book. Her "foster care" service for this agency was comprised of 10 day segments of time babysitting newborns until their previously arranged adoptions into families that "God had ordained" were official.

A large portion of her focus during the book was to give bibles and minister to anyone with a child names Alex. Other highlights include self praise for sitting next to a previously unknown comatose toddler for three days in the hospital while she dies, going on frequent shopping sprees at Baby Gap, not adopting a bonded child that she and her family loved because she had not received confirmation from God, and actually stating on the very first page, "I have to be honest and say that I have always loved African American babies the best!"

Seriously, as absurd as this book sounds - it was indeed published! Don't waste your money on this one. Try Another Mother: Co-Parenting with the Foster Care System by Sarah Gerstenzang - it is a much more realistic and non-religious look into the foster care system.

Have you ever wondered, what is foster care? How do children get put into foster care? How do I get involved? Do I have what it takes to do it? This book will answer these questions and more. It will give you insight into the lives of these beautiful, and often forgotten, children. Christie shares with us her stuggles caring for, and often losing, these children that she loves deeply. You will never be the same after reading this book. This is a great book!

I enjoyed reading this book. I got in right before I received my first sibling set of foster children, who are here on the couch beside me right now as I type this. Get this book and be inspired!

Christie Erwin is my new hero! I read the first 12 chapters of her 18 chapter book in one night, and only stopped then because my sobs were disturbing my sleeping 4 year old. This is an amazing true story of a real foster mom and the amazing highs and devastating lows that come with being a foster parent. My heart broke for Christie each time she had to let one of her children go whether it was back into their birth family's care or a new loving adoptive family. The faith and strength it must take every foster mom is reflected in Christie's story. A GREAT BOOK! God Bless you, Christie Erwin!

I gave this book one star only because it was not helpful for my purposes. It was a great story. And the message,the benefits and difficulties of giving our hearts away, was excellent; very inspiring. However, she mostly fostered babies. So, if you want to hear how a foster parent handled the many behavior issues that often come with a child who is angry, suffering loss, been physically or sexually abused, etc., you won't find it here.

I am a foster mom, and this book was so inspiring for me to read. I admit that I have my struggles with it, and Christie is such an encouraging person. Her faith is amazing, and what she has done for these children, is awesome! This book reveals the great need for foster parents, and lets you know that through God's strength, it is such a great ministry to these children, and HE will lead you through it. Her honesty and heart-felt words will make you really reach into yourself and ask, "what can I do for these children?" She also shows that being a foster parent is not a scary thing, but a very important thing. She is teaching by a great example.

I should have read the reviews. As a newly licensed foster mom I wanted to read everything I could get my hands on that explained foster care from the mother's perspective. This sounded promising.

As another reviewer succinctly put it, this book is nothing more than one woman's desire to be lauded for "answering the call". She repeats, ad nauseum, how she was able to look past all the problems of the birth mothers, so she could take care of "our" children. I wouldn't mock the "our" if she hadn't come off as being totally absorbed with her own glory.

And describing how she has a thing for black babies? Left this transracial adoptive mom with a bad taste in her mouth.

What a wonderful book! It's a must read! I'm ordering 10 or more for Christmas gifts! Can't wait to start fostering!

The author, Christie Erwin has a big heart and lots of experience as a foster mom. This book was helpful, but it didn't grab me and absorb me that much. It was just ok. I didn't find the depth and feeling that I got when I read Kathy Harrisons two books, Another Place at the Table and One Small Boat. Those two books I couldn't put down. This book just skimmed the surface. I'm still glad I read it as it helped me understand a little bit more about foster care.

The Middle Mom is a "Must Read" book for everyone! I cannot adequately express what this book did for my husband and me. Christie openly shares what it is really like being a foster parent and how great the NEED is for foster parents. She also does an amazing job of getting to the point of whose job it really is to love these hurting kids. I encourage everyone, churches, pastors, case workers, etc. to read this book, not only to see the need, but to also enable themselves to better understand all aspects of foster care.