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Article #313: How to Design an Adoption Scrapbook for Your Child

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Your child's adoption story can best be size for little hands to hold.
told through scrapbooking an amazing [5] Try to locate whatever supplies you'd
album that you can share with one another like to use. When I had a hard time
for many years, all the way to adulthood. finding anything other than a couple of
As a new mom, however, good intentions stickers that mentioned adoption, I
are often put aside just trying to keep finally designed my own 8" x 8" overlay
up with the daily tasks of parenthood. transparencies. I really like overlays
Our best keepsakes and photos end up because they give one's book the
stuffed into a closet, as we wait for the appearance of class, there is no mess (no
time in our lives when we will have glue or tape required) and anyone can use
enough of a chunk of hours to do the them (no instruction required either).
story for our child justice. [6] Keep it simple and don't be tempted
Don't postpone your child's adoption to put every thought you have in the
scrapbook any longer. It's important that book. Consider your child's attention
they get to flip through this book and span too. Add more pages later as your
share in the photos long before they go child asks questions and you want to
off to the university. answer them in the book (what kind of car
Here are a few ideas to guide you in did my birth mom drive?) You may also
scrapbooking your child's adoption want other things represented, such as
keepsake book (or a "lifebook" as some your child's country (or even city) or
call it): birth.
[1] Write everything down. As a new [7] Add some poems and quotes. When you
parent it's easy to believe you will lack information about your child's birth
remember every special moment, but in no or are overwhelmed by writing down all
time you'll be making loads of memories your thoughts, it's a nice touch to add a
and some of your favorites will fade. few adoption quotes. But be sue to not
[2] Record what you know for your child rely on them completely. Quotes are nice
which is appropriate for his or her and can add to the album, but it's your
little ears. Perhaps you were able to own personal thoughts that will be most
spend some time with the birth mom and precious to your child as they get older.
you have some personal reflections on how [8] Use child-friendly language. For
kind she was. Or maybe you have no example, don't ever write, "Your birth
information at all if your child was mom loved you so much that she gave you
adopted from an orphanage. It's important away." This could scare your child into
to be honest but it also needs to be believing that pretty soon you will love
something that you can read from your him too much and give you away too. Keep
book to your 5-year-old. If your child's the wording simple: "Miss Clara wanted
birth mom has many other children which you to have both a mommy and a daddy and
she is still raising, or your child was she knew that we were really excited to
the result of an abusive situation, this be your parents."
isn't appropriate for the book. Too often we get caught up in creating a
[3] Layout the photos you want to use. masterpiece of a baby album that will
You don't have to use all of them, just include every bath, haircut, smile and
the ones that are most important. Are you tear. Instead, focus on just the adoption
arranging the book chronologically? Make story for this small book and put a lot
sure everything is in order. of the baby or family pages in other
[4] Decide what size of album to use. books. The sooner it's ready for your
They are typically 8" x 8", 12" x 12" or child, the more time of their childhood
8.5" x 11". The 8" x 8" albums are a nice they will reflect on it.






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