Hey there! How many of you have ever made a life book? For your adopted child (or a child in foster care) a life book is a connection to their life before they joined your family. It can include personal details that are for them to have, but maybe not for others to know. So, what do you put in one? A lot of people say that the child should create it. My daughter will be 3 when she comes home from Korea, so I'm going to start one for her. I'll let her add to it as she gets older. For now, I plan on adding details about her birth family, her birth country, baby pics and other pieces to her story. She has a story. She has a life that did not start with me and our family.
When we fostered, our children had a book that they valued and were able to contribute to themselves. It helped them keep their full identity. Not just pieces. As a parent, it's our job to help our children feel whole and complete.
That's my upcoming project. I'm going to start putting together our daughter's book. Will I show it to everyone? No ma'am. It's hers to show. My dilemma is do I include cutesy stuff or just stick to the facts? Since I've only had "baby books" for my sons, I'm a bit stuck. But, I'll let you know how it turns out!
Feel free to give suggestions on how you've made yours! Here's a link to get you started from the magazine,
Adoptive Families.
I plan on using a project life kit by Becky Higgins. Just slip the photo into the pocket and write on the journaling cards. It will be super easy to add pages or slip documents down into larger page protectors! www.beckyhiggins.com
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