Altered Dreams...: Living with Gender Disappointment (Paperback)

~ Katherine MA Asbery (Author)
Key Phrases: gender disappointment, desired gender, ultrasound appointment, Katherine Asbery, Altered Dreams, United States

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Hearing "It's a BOY!" should have brought me great joy, but instead, it brought me months of anger and denial as well as a lot of sadness and shame at times. I wanted to experience raising a daughter as well as my sons. What did I do so wrong that I was not allowed to parent both genders? Why was I denied this life experience? How did I suddenly become the brunt of many jokes and strange looks just because I had the privilege to be raising only sons? Altered Dreams is an inspirational writing for parents who may be experiencing disappointment in the gender of their unborn child. Through my years both as a mother and a psychologist, this issue of gender disappointment has come up over and over. Yet, no one wants to write or talk about it where we can all come together on even ground. Gender disappointment has psychological impact on all facets of one's life. As I share my journey, and those of others, from despair to acceptance after the birth of my third son, you will realize that you are not alone in this way of thinking or feeling. What you feel is real, and there are ways to handle your disappointment effectively. Most importantly, you will realize you no longer have to suffer alone.

About the Author

Katherine Asbery has a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology. She has had several professional articles published as well as many personal poems. Mrs. Asbery was also a contributing author in connection with the magazine SPIRIT, writing articles on parenting and inspirational issues.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse (December 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1438935455
• ISBN-13: 978-1438935454
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #531,384 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's About Time!!, January 15, 2009

By	momofgators (Winter Park, FL United States) - See all my reviews

Coming from someone who has suffered gender disappointment I am so pleased that Ms. Asbery has written this wonderful book. She has finally allowed so many of us to discuss this topic without feeling guilty for our feelings.

She shares with us the readers her personal journey dealing with gender disappointment and how she has learned to live her life with her amazing 3 boys!! She also allows us to "meet" many other women who have battled with this as well. Reading this book made me feel like I was not alone in this. Many people suffer with this everyday but do not speak about it or get help to work through it. I truely think this book will help countless women as they come to grips with their feelings on this topic.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank you for writing this book, June 8, 2009

By	Annie "Annie" (Lake Placid, NY) - See all my reviews

Thank you so much for writing this book about this issue that so many are unwilling to face. I love my three boys...but I had issues to work through when the third was confirmed to be of the male gender. Your book validated my feelings and helped me so much.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Pathetic, November 15, 2009

By	Ben G - See all my reviews

This is yet another book for affluent, self-absorbed neurotics who don't have real problems and therefore feel compelled to invent some. "Gender disappointment"? Please.

This book and others like it do indeed make a powerful statement: A statement about the wanton and vacuous self-absorption in our decadent culture. In a society obsessed with frivolity, where some people throw birthday parties for dogs, fret about the statement their dinner parties make about environmental awareness, and do whatever it takes to get their kids the "fashionable" Christmas toys every year, it makes perfect sense that there is a group of silly women out there losing it over something this inconsequential.

Next I suppose we will have to deal with the scourge of "cinema disappointment" when we go see a movie that doesn't live up to the previews. Or maybe "doggie disappointment" for those whose Labrador retriever puppies don't grow up to chase sticks. Oh, the humanity! Is there no end to this crushing burden of grief?

Here's my book on the subject: Look at yourself in the mirror, and then slap yourself. Hard. Then go down to a children's hospital or the cancer ward and meet some people with REAL problems. Soon enough, you will discover that your "gender disappointment" doesn't seem like such a big deal anymore.

And hey, MY book is FREE!