“First Family” book for my son?

Question by aloha.girl59: “First Family” book for my son?
My friend Allie who was adopted at birth gave me an idea a short while back and I’ve just started to act upon it. Allie said that when she was a teenager, she had a lot of questions about her first family but didn’t necessarily want to discuss it with her APs. Her a-mom had made a little book for her with all the information she had about my Allie’s first family and Allie was able to take it out and read it any time she wanted…in private. She didn’t have to ask anyone anything — the information was just THERE for her whenever she wanted to look at it.

I told my son about this and he loved the idea! I let him choose a little book and I have started to write some information in it (there isn’t much, but I will put in everything I know, along with a copy of his non-identifying information paperwork). I told my son that he can have the book to put wherever he wants and he can read it anytime he likes, without having to talk to me if he doesn’t want to. In all his 9 year old wisdom he said, “But mom, really. When have I ever NOT wanted to talk to you about adoption?” Cute, but I realize that will change as he gets older.

Do you have any thoughts about other things I can put into the book? Did you have something like this when you were growing up? If you didn’t, do you wish you had, and what do you wish had been included?

I guess this question is really for adults who were adopted and first parents, but anyone with some knowledge in this area is welcome to answer.

Thanks so much!

Best answer:

Answer by sizesmith
Put in everything you can get your hands on, including where he was born, the agencies’ information, etc.

We were lucky that our son’s first family let us get to know them. I know that his favorite dessert is the little cinnamon buns like his first mom ate so many of while she was pregnant. She had answered some pregnancy quizzes that we took to pass the time, including things like her favorite color, things she craved in her pregnancy, her eye color, their jobs they’d had, how many brothers and sisters each had and more. We’re also very lucky to have photographs. Although we basically have an open adoption, his first mom finds it hard to see him, and chooses not to.

Scrapbooking places have some great poems that I added in our son’s adoption scrapbook.

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