Picture book for older adopted kids---esp. those through foster care/transracial

[Ottakee]

This book is written by one of my close friends Amanda Barton.  She and her husband adopted 3 African American children through foster care, ages 1 1/2, 3 1/2, and 5 1/2 at the time.  8 months later they had a bio daughter born, and 2 years later bio son.  They had over 40 foster children and currently have guardianship of a 15 year old boy that was one of their foster children as a baby.

 

The book hits those feelings of YOU'RE NOT MY REAL MOM that so many of these kids deal with, esp. those adopted transracially or as older kids that have memories of their birth families.

 

I am just trying to get the word out about the book (first in a series of 3 or 4) that hits the hard issues in a loving way.  Support would be great (you get a copy of the book for your support) but just getting the word out would be great.  Feel free to share the link to any foster/adoptive families you know.

 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1367769515/as-real-as-it-gets-a-picture-book-for-older-adopte?ref=hero_thanks

[imagine.more]

Thanks for sharing!

[Ottakee]

We are praying the book will take off.  There are just so few books out there for kids who were adopted past infancy and have memories of their prior families and have the difficult and rocky adjustment to their forever family.

 

I think it is next week she is being interviewed for a local TV program. A radio station is also doing an interview.

 

Please feel free to share the link to any foster/adoptive parents you know, groups, etc.

 

http://www.nataliehart.com/as-real-as-it-gets-a-picture-book-announcement/ Here is another link with more information on the book and author.

[nature girl]

I'm part of an adoption FB group. I'll share the links! What a huge heart your friend has, her whole family is so blessed!

[Ottakee]

Thank you so much. This has been a dream/burden of hers for years. She has an awesome family and while they have had their struggles, they have 3 adopted kiddos, 2 bio, a guardianship, and many fosters.

 

I am trying to support her all I can with this as I have had many kids with the same feelings but few resources to address them. Most books are the lovey dovey ones where child (usually an animal) is adopted (animals again) and life is just great.

 

Reality is, this adoption stuff is HARD work and sometimes those monster feelings just come out. I think this book helps gives words to the parents to use to reassure the child and also give the child reassurance that it is normal and Ok to feel this way but that together they will work it out.

 

Continue to share. If anyone eants ore information privately feel free to message me.

[Ottakee]

Here is another update with another illustration.

 

http://www.nataliehart.com/as-real-as-it-gets-new-illustration/

[Mom22ns]

I sent the link to a family with 2 bio kids, 1 adopted, 2 in progress of being adopted (hopefully finalized in October) and one foster. :)

[Ottakee]

Momto2Ns....THANKS.   I am just so excited about the book as I remember when my kids were younger most of the adoption books were of animals (A Mother for Coco style) or of infant adoptions.  There were very few, if any, books out there for kids that were adopted through foster care or other older situations.  Nothing that dealt with the conflicted feelings the kids had of "you're not my real mom" and worried that maybe she wouldn't be there forever as so many of the kids have had so many periods of loss and trauma before being adopted.

 

Amanda and her family are as real as it gets too.