Open Adoption: My Story of Love and Laughter

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing to see that it's not about open adoption!
Review: I ordered this book expecting to hear a happy story about open adoption...instead what I received was a rambling account of a semi-open adoption. Somehow Ann has the mistaken, self-serving notion that only the birth mother benefits from visiting the child so her & her husband cut off visits after the 1st year. This is NOT open adoption!!! It's just another account of one mother who experiences joy while thinking, "Oh how cute, he smiles like his birth mom."...while another mother has nothing on her mind but how she will survive the next 18 years until the child reaches some "magical" age where it's okay for her to see him and his parents(who used to be her friends.) Ann was afraid her children would be "confused" to have his birth parents in their lives. What a lame argument! A child has many aunts, uncles, and grandparents that he loves....but NEVER does he doubt who his mommy is! Too bad the author doesn't have the courage to face her insecurities and enter into a true open adoption...because you will not find a word about real open adoption in this book!

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing to see that it's not about open adoption!
Review: I ordered this book expecting to hear a happy story about open adoption...instead what I received was a rambling account of a semi-open adoption. Somehow Ann has the mistaken, self-serving notion that only the birth mother benefits from visiting the child so her & her husband cut off visits after the 1st year. This is NOT open adoption!!! It's just another account of one mother who experiences joy while thinking, "Oh how cute, he smiles like his birth mom."...while another mother has nothing on her mind but how she will survive the next 18 years until the child reaches some "magical" age where it's okay for her to see him and his parents(who used to be her friends.) Ann was afraid her children would be "confused" to have his birth parents in their lives. What a lame argument! A child has many aunts, uncles, and grandparents that he loves....but NEVER does he doubt who his mommy is! Too bad the author doesn't have the courage to face her insecurities and enter into a true open adoption...because you will not find a word about real open adoption in this book!

Rating:
Summary: Use it in your fireplace
Review: I thought this book would be about open adoption, but it's not. "Allowing" the birthmother and child to see each other for only 18 months then severing contact is not open. I am part of an open adoption myself, and I hope anyone who reads this book realises that it's not how an open adoption really works.

Rating:
Summary: This book touched my heart!
Review: My husband and I are in the process of adopting 2 newborns. The birthmothers are sisters and their babies are due 2 months apart. This book gave us the strength to involve ourselves with these girls, and allowed us to take the risk of having them move in with us for the period of their pregnancies. I really want to thank Ann for her book.

Rating:
Summary: This book touched my heart!
Review: My husband and I are in the process of adopting 2 newborns. The birthmothers are sisters and their babies are due 2 months apart. This book gave us the strength to involve ourselves with these girls, and allowed us to take the risk of having them move in with us for the period of their pregnancies. I really want to thank Ann for her book.