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A great tool to aide you in explaining adoption to the child you are parenting is the book, Sam’s Sister by Juliet Bond. This book explains adoption in the very context in which you may be experiencing. There are a lot of adoption books out there that explain adoption to children but these are usually for the adopted children themselves not the birth siblings of adopted children.
Juliet Bond, the author of this book, is a counselor at an adoption agency and wrote this book after witnessing many expectant mothers considering adoption struggle with how to explain adoption to the child(ren) they are parenting.
In Sam’s Sister, we are introduced to Rosa and her mother, Maria. Maria is pregnant and making an adoption plan and must explain this situation to Rosa. This begins in the book by Rosa noticing that her mother seems different and quiet. Finally, Maria sits her down to explain why she has been so quiet which she explains is because she has been worried. She then explains that there is a baby in her tummy which they can not care for.
She then explains that they will give the baby to a family that have everything they need to care for him. Of course, Rosa has the questions that every child will ask, like “Will the family take me too?”
Maria also explains that although they won’t live together that Rosa and the baby will be siblings. Rosa meets the adoptive parents and also goes to the hospital when her Mom gives birth. At the hospital, the adoptive parents visit and tell Rosa that the baby’s name will be Sam and they ask Rosa and her mother pick out the baby’s middle name.
At home, Maria and Rosa talk about how even though they are happy that the baby has a good family that sometimes they will still be sad. The book ends with Rosa and her mother going to visit the baby and his adoptive parents.
According to her personal website, Juliet Bond has written a sequel to Sam’s Sister. The sequel focuses on Sam and his relationship and understanding of his birth family.
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Related Posts:
Considering Adoption while Parenting
Explaining Adoption to the Child you are Parenting
