Lifebook Questions

There are different types of scrapbooks. An adoption profile is a scrapbook that the prospective adoptive parents make for the expectant parents, when adopting through a private agency, as a device for the e-parents to get to know more about them. A lifebook is generally a scrapbook of the adopted child's life, from any point to any other point. For example, my son's lifebook includes a lot of the adoption paperwork we did, up until his birth, and then his baby book starts there. (We adopted him at birth in a private adoption.) Then there's a book that some people make when they're adopting older kids from foster care. That's the book that introduces the prospective adoptive family so the kids have some idea of who they are, where they're going, etc. I'm not sure that has a formal name. I think you're talking about the third. If you're targeting a young child, then I'd stick with one to three pictures per page, words in easy-to-read type (though the children don't read now, you can use it to help them read later), and keep it very, very simple. Does that help? :hippie:

Yes it does help a lot!!! I still have a ways to go in the adoption process but the more I can start working on now, the better!! :thanks: :thanks: :thanks:

rredhead, I'm trying to create a lifebook for our adopted child. Our emom is due in August. Do you have any suggestions on how to put one together when getting the child as an infant? I'm concerned that if I make the lifebook so that a small child will read it in a few years, then when he's 16 he'll think it's corny.

The book I created for Jack isn't his lifebook, it's his own personal story book. Because I'm an insane scrapbook-type, Jack's "baby book" is actually four scrapbooks. In the first scrapbook, I start with all of our "stuff". The first section is "Adoption Story" and it has a time line of everything we did, from starting research to our doctor's appointments to becoming active with our agency. I included our "Dear Birthmother" letter, some of the items from our home study, copies of our CPR cards, and similar items. I included some pictures of the events that happened while we were waiting - weddings, my best friend visiting, setting up the nursery. I wrote about how it felt to see everyone else having babies when I didn't. I included the letters of recommendation from our families and friends. I saved ALL of the reply email messages I got when I sent out the news that we were matched, and again after Jack was born and became ours. I condensed the messages down, just putting in the congratulatory items and the people's names, and put them in the book. I have a two-page spread devoted to Kansas City, where Jack was born. I have three pages devoted to his birth family. Then, there's one page that shows the newspaper covers from the day he was born, plus some interesting information about that day (the weather, what the prices of things were, things like that). Finally, I included the adoption decree. I consider all of that to be more a lifebook. In retrospect, I kind of wish I had separated it out into another book instead of making it part of his baby book(s). Then again, it is nice to have it all in one spot. Does this help at all? :hippie:

Yes that helps a lot! I think I'll use your idea as a template for our book.

Our agency told us they use an online service that captures pictures, letter, even documents and puts them together into mini books(chapters) year by year. These can be shared with birth parents confidentially and they could even contribute photos if you want. The best part is you can have this all online and in 16 years our child will be able to not only have their own online book but share it with friends if they want. We are not using it yet as we are still in the process of adopting but like the concept and cant wait to get started. I can look up the name if you want. We just thought is was a great idea.