With Eyes Wide Open

Today was my second homestudy visit with my social worker. We met for lunch for lunch at a local coffee house and went through the first 6 chapters of my “With Eyes Wide Open” workbook.

Let me tell you one thing, this book makes you think (and some parts flat out made me scared and question whether I can really do this). It’s all good though, I can’t ignore the scary stuff and the only way to overcome my fears is to prepare myself as best I can. This book is giving me a greater understanding of the developmental, bonding/attachment, and environmental issues that I will experience when I bring munchkin home.

What’s cool about it is that it isn’t just a book you just read and answer questions. Each chapter is full of exercises, role-play, and imagining techniques which are challenging me to think and feel in an entirely new way…guess that’s why caseworker is making me do it.

I would recommend this workbook for all parents adopting children internationally. Here are the chapter headings to give you a better idea:

· Image of Our Child; Adoption Gains and Losses
· Sounds of Early Life
· Food and All That Means
· Beds and Sleep
· Child Development;
· Preparing for the Abused Child
· The Sick Child
· The Well-trained Child
· Enclosed in an Orphanage
· Bonding to a Rejected Child
· Separating from Caretakers
· Travel and Culture Shock
· Home and Post-adoption
· Preparing for Prejudice/Being Different
· Siblings in Adoption
· When They Fight
· Birth Families Revisited
· An International Family
· Resources