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Let's pull together and get those Lifebooks going (or regoing for those who may have put them aside). Make it an on-line 'crop' to share ideas, questions, suggestions etc!
First thing:
Gather Supplies
Pick a book
Paper - consider going with a 'theme' to make it simple - if they are from another country perhaps the colors of that countries flag? Maybe some colors that you find calming and comforting?
Adhesive
Paper Trimer
Notes!!!! Grab all that important paperwork, organize it
Next - Think about what needs to be included - Put yourself in your child's place. What questions do you want answered? Here are some to get you started:
Where was I born?
What was the area like that I was born in?
Consider including details like:
maps
flag
foods
traditions
Why did my birthmother decide not to raise me?
When was a put up for adoption?
Where and with whom did I live after Birthmom and before adoption?
Consider info about the 'year they were born'
check out: [URL=http://www.timecapsule.com/f_year_in_rev/f_yir.htm]Year In Review[/URL]
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Loved the info. I only wish the 'year in review' included years before 1991:) I saved the 'questions to answer' Hopefully, it will help me to get moving again on it:)
LIfebooks are books that tell the childs life story, and not just the 'pretty' parts like scrapbook.
They are done to be used by the child to understand why they were adopted, and give info about birthfamily, etc
HI! everyone i am also a scrapbooker, I am also a creative memories consilant if you need supplies for those adoption memories please contact me. [URL="http://www.mycmsite.com/sites/colleenring"]http://www.mycmsite.com/sites/colleenring[/URL] i am working on number 5 scrapbook. my books include many places of china during our trip there . all your idea are great !
colleen ring
new jersey [url=http://ashleyrose9104.blogspot.com/]Ashley Rose Ring[/url]
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Diane--I saw that you do digital scrapbooking. Do you load your photos onto a website, then organize them? Is anything done with "real" paper, stickers, etc., or is it all on the computer? Do you print out the pages on your home printer or is it sent to you? WE got a digital camera a couple months ago, so I am curious.
Thanks!
When I am doing digital pages it is all done on my computer. I download the pics from my digital camera and use a program called Scrapbook Max! to 'make' the pages.
Personally I have chosen to have them printed at Staples. I make my pages to fit an 8x8 album (which fits on a standard piece of paper) and it is around $.30 a page to have printed. When I figured that getting pictures printed was around $.12 each and scrapbook paper starts at about $.50 each I was already ahead. And I am not running out of ink in the middle of printing a page.
I do still do paper scrapbooking with paper, stickers and such, but I am really enjoying the quickness and versitility of digital. With digital I can take the pic and scrapbook it right away. Then I can email the scrapbook page it to friends and family around the country.
Very interesting--I will have to look into it! Sounds quicker, easier, and cheaper than hauling out all the scrapbook stuff each time.
hi! creative memories also has great program.. i just saw the story books,they are great. i am in the of process of making one for our daughter. you go my link and shop it is fee download for you can to play with. you point and click into boxes. you set up pages with mulit pictures the program is 40.00. you can do so much with it. [URL="http://www.mycmsite.com/sites/colleenring"]http://www.mycmsite.com/sites/colleenring[/URL]
on it. it is real book! there are some many ideas out there. everyone has great ideas. it great gift to have for our daughter. since she loves books. it is also a great way to organize you photos you have your computer! just thoought i would help too!
colleen
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Thanks--I did not realize Creative Memories has digital software--I will check them out as well. I used to get all my things from them.
how did you handle the birthparents question? my kids came from foster care too. their momidied from a drug overdose, their dad is in prison. so i want to explain that in a book, but how to do it "right". our therapist said to put something like "mom & dad got sick so they couldnt take care of me' i dont feel like thins is totally honest and if i expect the kids to be honest then i need to be honest. but i cant write "mom and dad are jerks" thats not what the kids need either. any suggestions?
ps. please dont write to me about how the parents arent jerks, there is way too much to the story to write about here and that was just a figure of speech. i just need some good ideas for my scrapbook. thanks
Trust me, I also adopted from foster care so I am not lecturing!
The info you give needs to be age appropriate, and modified as they grow. My daughters are 6 & 8 and they know that their birth mom choose to do drugs, and her choices also included breaking the laws and not taking care of them. They know about time she has spent in prison, and that it is not a 'fun' place to be.
I personally really hate the 'sick' thing. A 4 yr old foster child (not one living in my home, but living with a friend) recently went into a total melt down while I was taking her to a zoo trip. She said that her birthmommy and birthdaddy had gotten 'sick' and had to go away and couldn't take care of her, and she was sooo afraid that the same would happen to her foster parents and she would have no where to go. Society does view addiction as an illness, but these kids can't understand the difference.
Hope that helps!
Diane
how did you handle the birthparents question? my kids came from foster care too. their momidied from a drug overdose, their dad is in prison. so i want to explain that in a book, but how to do it "right". our therapist said to put something like "mom & dad got sick so they couldnt take care of me' i dont feel like thins is totally honest and if i expect the kids to be honest then i need to be honest. but i cant write "mom and dad are jerks" thats not what the kids need either. any suggestions?
ps. please dont write to me about how the parents arent jerks, there is way too much to the story to write about here and that was just a figure of speech. i just need some good ideas for my scrapbook. thanks
so, what do we write about where the parents went. or do we skip that part? what did you write. saying is different then writing and do they want to read over and over again about the terrible past.
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You will need to customize it to your childs age and maturity level.
I would probably say BirthDad is in jail for "insert generic term" stealing, breaking the law, hurting someone, etc. Birthmom did things to hurt her body and she died.