MY “TOP TEN” FOR PARENTS . . .

I know that all of you super-busy adoptive and foster parents don’t have a lot of spare time to read!  But if and when you do get a few moments to catch your breath during your hectic schedules, I thought I’d share my “Top Ten” best—and practical--resource books from my 30-plus years’ experience as an adoptive parent, as well as from the past seven years working exclusively in training and coaching adoptive and foster parents.  These are in no certain order:

• The Connected Child by Karyn Purvis, Ph.D. and David Cross, Ph.D.  (Doctors Purvis and Cross are the creators of Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) recognized worldwide as a preeminent intervention model for parenting, and working with children from trauma backgrounds.  Also, Dr. Cross was raised in the foster system).

• The Connected Parent, by Karyn Purvis, Ph.D. and Lisa Qualls

• From Fear to Love, by B. Bryan Post  (Dr. Post was a foster child who was later adopted)

• Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control:  Parenting Difficult Adopted Children by Heather T. Forbes and B. Bryan Post

• Raising Kids with BIG Baffling Behaviors, by Robyn Gobbel

• The Whole Brain Child:  12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind, by Daniel Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D.  (In my opinion, Dr. Siegel is the “brain guru”.  A very practical, parent-friendly book).

• The Out-of-Sync Child:  Recognizing and Coping with Sensory Processing Disorder, by Carol Stock Kranowitz, M.A.  (I include this in the list because an inordinate number of children in foster care have sensory challenges due to brain trauma.  Carol Kranowitz is a leading authority in this area). 

• 20 Things Adoptive Parents Need to Succeed, by Sherrie Eldridge (the author is an adoptee herself ·      

• 20 Things Adopted Kids Wish Their Adoptive Parents Knew, by Sherrie Eldridge

• Adopting the Hurt Child:  Hope for Families with Special Needs Kids, by Gregory keck, Ph.D. and Regina Kupecky, LSW.