Are Those Kids Yours?: American Families With Children Adopted From Other Countries (Hardcover)

by Cheri Register (Author) "In 1967, Kyung Chun was living with his mother in Korea in a village near a military installation..." (more)
Key Phrases: preadoptive counseling, those kids yours, international adoption, United States, Latin American, Soon Hee (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Drawing from her own experiences and those of others who have adopted children from outside the United States, the author here addresses a range of issues arising from the controversial practice. As the single parent of two Korean-born daughters, Register ( Living with Chronic Illness ) is often faced with the query posed in the book's title. How she and other parents help their foreign-born children ease into American society is examined and evaluated. Larger questions, such as the ethics of uprooting children from their heritage, the global issue of wealthy versus poor countries, the racism often encountered by these children, the wrenching issue of the rights of birth parents, are presented in very personal terms. Internationally adoptive parents will find this an empathetic guide.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
As the adoptive mother of two Korean girls, Register has often been presented with this remark, either spoken or implied. Yes, the girls are "hers," now, but the question does bring out some of the practical and ethical issues involved in cross-cultural adoption: are the parents in the wealthier nations "entitled" to raise children left homeless in other parts of the world by poverty or social stigma? Do adoptive parents have a responsibility to their children's birth countries or to other disadvantaged children and their families? What does it mean to "own" a child, anyway, and who can ultimately make that claim? In this sensitive, compassionate guide, Register addresses these and other issues and shows how they are played out in the actual, day-to-day experience of her own and other adoptive families. With the number of these adoptions increasing each year, most public libraries will want to purchase this book.
- Marcia G. Fuchs, Guilford Free Lib., Ct.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Free Press (November 30, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0029257506
• ISBN-13: 978-0029257500
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #214,451 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very important read for prospective adoptive parents, August 13, 2000

By A Customer

This book explores many of the practical and ethical issues of adopting internationally and implications this has for newly created multi-racial families. This book will disabuse you of the 'we-are-a-clourblind-family' mentality and discusses very real isues children experience as they grow up in multi-racial families. I found it to be sobering, and I gained new respect for families who decide to take the international adoption route. Many of the stories she relates deal with the well-documented case studies of US-Korean adoptions, so for parents starting out in the adoption process, it is nice to gain insight into how others have handled the situations that are unique to this kind of adoption.

This is a great read, an important read, just sobering at times. Don't adopt internationally without reading this book.

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thought-provoking and insightful!, September 3, 2001

By	marared (Southern California) - See all my reviews

Register's thoughtful discussion of what international adoption can mean to a family and to a child should be a part of the reading list for any family or individual considering adopting internationally. This is not a "how-to" book, and Register specifically recommends that if you are looking for information about the details of adopting from any specific country you should find up-to-date sources that focus on those issues. This book focuses on the life-long implications of international adoption, and helps families think through the meaning of their decisions. Register adresses such issues as these: What does it mean to be an interracial family? What have been the experiences of families who suddenly become the target of comments and stares? What is the experience of a non-adopted sibling when a child of another race is adopted into the family? What are the ethical implications of wealthy (by global standards) Western families adopting children from poorer nations? How can potential parents avoid and detect situations which promote exploitation or coercion of birthparents? How can we help our children develop a meaningful cultural identity without personal experience of part of their cultural heritage? What does it mean to a child to be "rootless" without identifiable genetic heritage? How can our personal experiences as adoptive families help to make a difference in the lives of those siblings and cousins and crib-mates of our child who are still living in orphanages and/or on the street in their home country?

Despite the discussion of some difficult and sobering topics, Register's book comes across as very positive toward international adoption. Register herself has two daughters adopted from Korea, and she shares many of her experiences and the joys that she has had in raising them.

Many of the anecdotes in this book feature children adopted from Korea, but the issues apply to children from a variety of cultural backgrounds. The Korean context is particularly helpful in that the children who were Korean war orphans are now adults, and Register was able to interview adoptees of a variety of ages, including those adults, and the insights of these older adoptees about their experiences and what they wish their adoptive parents had and had not done is particularly helpful.

Overall a very thought-provoking book, and one that will help potential adoptive parents think beyond paperwork, furnishing a room, and getting passports. Highly recommended.

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good for parents planning to adopt from Korea, December 27, 2000

By A Customer

We are planning to adopt a baby from Korea, and I found this book very helpful in making that decision. Much of the author's focus is on Korean adoptions, since she adopted her own two daughters from Korea. I loved reading about the history of Korean adoption. The author also details the types of issues that can arise in a transracial/transcultural adoption: family reactions, prejudice, the feelings of the adoptee, etc. In many ways, I found it sobering and I went from being just plain old excited about our adoption plans to really thoughtful about what it would mean for our family. Adopting internationally is not something to take lightly and you cannot adopt and then "pretend" that the child is your birthchild. Adopting internationally requires a willingness to become a mult-cultural family. This book was very effective in getting me to think about if this is what I wanted. Ultimately, we have decided to go ahead, and I feel more confident and knowledgable since reading this book.