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How To Design An Adoption Scrapbook For Your Child |
By:
Lisa Copen |
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How To Design An Adoption Scrapbook For Your Child
Lisa Copen
Scrapbooking an adoption story is a fun way to put your child's story down on paper for him or her to be able to look at photos and read in years to come. Too often, however, our best of intentions end up being a huge box of memorabilia in the closet, waiting until a chunk of time comes when we can do all the keepsakes justice by putting together the perfect album.
Don't postpone your child's adoption scrapbook any longer. It's important that they get to flip through this book and share in the photos long before they go off to the university.
Here are a few tips to assist you in your child's adoption scrapbook album (or as some call it, a lifebook.)
[1] Journal about all your memories. If you feel exhausted at night and too tired to write then just start tape-recording them to use later. Though you think you'll remember it all, soon new memories will overlap some of those early precious ones. So take the time to write down both important and unimportant details.
[2] Share what you know that is appropriate for little ears. Maybe you were able to spend time with your child's birth mother, or maybe you don't have any information about her at all. Share what you know, but make sure that it is some something you will feel reading to your 5-year-old. If your child's birth mom has 6 children and kept the rest of them, or your child was the result of an abusive environment, don't write this down!
[3] Layout the photos you want to use. You don't have to use all of them, just the ones that are most important. Are you arranging the book chronologically? Make sure everything is in order.
[4] Decide what size of album to use. They are typically 8" x 8", 12" x 12" or 8.5" x 11". The 8" x 8" albums are a nice size for little hands to hold.
[5] Try to find whatever supplies you'd like to use. I had a hard time being able to find anything other than a couple of stickers that mentioned adoption. Frustrated with this, I designed my own 8" x 8" overlay transparencies. Overlays are great because they make your book look like it was done by a professional, they is no glue or tape needed and anyone can use them (no skill required)
[6] Keep it simple. Start out by just getting the basics into the book and then you can add to it later. As you read through the story to your child and hear her questions, you may think of other pages to add or things that should be represented. For example, if you had a foreign adoption, you may want a page about "that year in history" from your child's country of origin.
[7] Add some poems and quotes. When you lack information about your child's birth or are overwhelmed by writing down all your thoughts, it's a nice touch to add a few adoption quotes. But be sue to not rely on them completely. Quotes are nice and can add to the album, but it's your own personal thoughts that will be most precious to your child as they get older.
[8] Use child-friendly language. For example, don't ever write, "Your birth mom loved you enough to give you to us." This could frighten your child into thinking that you will love him too much as well and soon give him away! Word things simply: "Miss Clara wanted you to have both a daddy and a mommy and she knew that we were really wanted to be your parents."
Too often we get caught up in creating a masterpiece of a baby album that will include every bath, haircut, smile and tear. Instead, focus on just the adoption story for this small book and put a lot of the baby or family pages in other books. The sooner it's ready for your child, the more time of their childhood they will reflect on it.
http://www.scrapbookadoption.com/ The Adoption Scrapbook Album is a fast, simple way to create a personalized lifebook. Use transparency overlays and friends will admire--even if you aren't crafty. Free downloads from Lisa Copen at http://www.scrapbookadoption.com/ Scrapbook My Adoption
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Article Source: http://www.statssheet.com/articles/article64944.html |
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