Product Description

Based on the author's experiences as an adoptive mother and foster parent, as well as interviews with numerous adoptive families, adoption professionals and adults who were adopted, Our Own thoroughly explores both the joys and the challenges of older child adoption. Suitable for families adopting domestically or internationally, it covers such topics as:

Evaluating whether you have what it takes to adopt a child who's no longer a baby.

Choosing an agency and finding a child to adopt.

Dealing with school officials, language difficulties, and grade placement.

Recognizing how grief affects childrens behavior.

Deciding how much birthfamily contact is appropriate.

Teaching your child to deal with racism.

Handling difficult behavior such as tantrums and lying.

Testing for and treating attachment disorder, ADHD, posttraumatic stress disorder, hepatitis, parasites, and other mental health and medical issues.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #293038 in Books
• Published on: 2003-09-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 284 pages

From Library Journal
In this thorough guide to the adoption of older children, MaskewAa mother of three, including two boys adopted at ages five and nineAargues that there's a big gap between the fantasy of adoption and its reality. While it was once thought that lots of love and a good home would take care of the problems inherent in adopting a child, families and social workers now know that that is not true. Raising adopted children is not the same as raising birthchildren, as Maskew knows, and she offers ideas and advice that are both practical and extensive. She deals with racism, problems around the holidays, disabled and special-needs children, and international adoptees. In a society that still views adoption as second best to birthing a child, Maskew sees commitment and support as the keys; love will come along. An excellent chapter on medical diagnosis and a full bibliography that includes books, periodicals, web sites, clinics, and published reports round out this title. Excellent for all public libraries.ALinda Beck, Indian Valley P.L., Telford, PA
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Library Journal
Raising adopted children is not the same as raising birthchildren, as Maskew knows, and she offers ideas and advice that are both practical and extensive.

Customer Reviews

Balanced between reality and optimism
Reading this book affirmed for me that we were doing the right thing by not adopting an infant. This book is chocked full of in-your-face warnings, but also celebrates your choice to adopt. Very informative. Easy to read writing voice. Great buy! :) I would also reccomend Waiting for You: An Heirloom Adoption Journal for My Future Child. It is an expectancy journal that works well with older children. If you're adopting, God Bless your adoption journey!

Maskew gives good suggestions and explanations
I have adopted an African seven year old and I found Trish Maskew's book very very helpful, together with Adopting the Hurt Child you can be prepared for anything.

What her book had which I haven't seen in ANY OTHER adoption book is a CLEAR explanation of the different types of hepatitis B and other illness/test results (there are different positives which mean different things). None of my adoption counselors understood this and I gave them my copy of the book when I was through with it. I was worried about positives but realized there is a big difference between "exposure" and actually having the disease.

For that reason, I'd recommend her book to anyone adopting kids with health problems. Trish is also online on an older-child mailing list and she frequently answers questions there. A very wise, practical, clear-writing woman!

Excellent resource
I read this as we were matched with a sibling pair - 10 and 12 yr olds and it was a godsend! We're 3 months into the adoption, this book was on the mark so many, many times! It is excellent and I've been reading many books on adoption - this one addressed what we needed - older children - not infants, not international. I highly recommend it to anyone involved. Some of the info may scare you, but it's worth knowing!