Adoption is a Family Affair By Patricia Irwin Johnston

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Review by Allison Martin

Tired of foolish comments about adoption from your family and friends? If so, Adoption is a Family Affair by Pat Johnston was designed for you. This introduction to the pitfalls, misconceptions, and issues around adoption is intended to be a basic "Adoption 101" for your parents or for anyone else new to the idea of adoption. As prospective adoptive parents immerse themselves in the adoption process, they may not have time or patience to explain their new way of thinking and findings to their parents or friends. Sometimes it just feels too overwhelming to correct all of society's common assumptions and misapprehensions. Pat's emphatic no-nonsense style can be a useful tool toward opening a dialog about these issues which are inherent in adoptive families in our society.

Adoption is a Family Affair provides a basic education on the psychological aspects of adoption and the adoption process. It starts right off with common fears about adoption, e.g., Will it last?, What is open adoption?, What if our grandchildren look different than we do? Readers learn about the adoption process from point of preparing for your adoption, through the homestudy and paperchase, the agony of "the wait", and the arrival and settling in of your child. A number of important topics for your family are addressed, such as the private nature of your child's personal history, how spending time with grandchildren facilitates deeper bonds, and including adopted grandchildren in inheritance decisions. Post adoption topics include racism, school issues, and learning about your child's culture.

Adoptive parents and prospective adoptive parents who are coping with "adoptism" (that is, the belief that adoption is a second best way to be a family) will find Adoption is a Family Affair a useful resource.

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