Lifegivers: Framing the Birthparent Experience in Open AdoptionNo one seems sure what to make of birthparents. Most of the time, birthparents are simply discounted; the adoption system is pleased when they fade into the woodwork. We seldom afford birthparents an influential or enduring place in the adoption process. In Lifegivers: Framing the Birthparent Experience in Open Adoption, open adoption practitioner James Gritter examines all the ways in which birthparents are marginalized. He provides a glimpse of the birthparents' emotional roller coaster ride as they struggle with grief, ambivalence, and regret. Most importantly, he makes the persuasive case that if the institution of adoption exists to benefit children, then adopted children are best served when birthparents and adoptive parents work together to ensure that the birthparents remain a part of their children's lives. Gritter challenges us to treat everyone involved in the adoption process -- birthparents, adoptive families, and, above all, the children -- with honor and respect. |
Contents
Why the Public Dislikes Birthparents | 11 |
Taboo Breaking and the Pursuit of Worthiness | 27 |
Birthparents as Sinners Saints and Suppliers | 43 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
adop adoption decision adoption experience adoption's adoptive family adoptive parents ambivalence awkward baby believe birth birthfamily birthmother birthmother's birthparent experience birthparent's birthparents and adoptive caregiving Catholic Human Services challenge child circumstances closed adoption comfort considering adoption decision maker deserve difficult dimension dysfunctional effective effort emotional ence especially expectant mother fact factors fear feel fully grief grieving heart honor hope idea important interaction interests involved issue lence less lifegiver lives loss matter means mind mind changer moral move forward necessity never ongoing open adoption birthparents outcome pain participants person perspective positive possible powerful pregnancy presume profes professionals prospective adoptive question reasons regret respect responsibility role sacrifice seldom sense significant single parent sion situations Smedes someone sometimes Stephen Carter struggle sure taboo things thought tion tive understand usually valence Washington D.C. wonder worry
References to this book
Making Room in Our Hearts: Keeping Family Ties through Open Adoption Micky Duxbury No preview available - 2006 |