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dunnadam's review
5.0
A great book and one I would recommend to all perspective adopting parents. I don’t know why this wasn’t on the list of books to read the adoption agency gave us, it should have been. I put off reading it for a little while as it was about a woman’s struggle and it’s in the American system while I’m Canadian. Also it’s difficult to read some of these stories, you want to know what it’s going to be like but at the same time your heart breaks when you read the kid stories as that’s what you want and she already has it.
The agency told us to do research on pre-natal exposure to drugs and alcohol and it’s very difficult, many of the stories are worst case scenarios, where the child couldn’t read and started stealing and now turns tricks on the corner. Seriously. I suppose there aren’t many books where people can say little went wrong and we’re all good, not a gripping story. At the same time we want objective information, and I think all adoptive parents hear the stories and are worried they’ll be adopting the spawn of Satan. Nia’s story really helped put this in perspective, seeing that all kids are different, and all have challenges, adopted or not.
Another class of story out there is the super happy story where they just talk about the good things. Nia I felt does a good job illustrating the truth, that there will be some difficult moments but the reward of parenting really outweighs them.
“At the end of the day without warning, she calls Ian “Daddy.” I look up, fully expecting to find only a puddle with Ian’s eyeballs and a shoe floating in it.”
Others have talked about being moved by the struggle for the girl to sleep through the night in the book. What got me was her behaviour when she first arrived:
“She clomps around the house now, picking up objects and throwing them at walls and at me. She waits, expecting me to get mad at her. The social workers have cautioned us: this is a test to see if I’ll reject her. So I toss my head back and emit another of my forced wheezy cackle-laughs in a feeble attempt to be a cool mom. She’s not buying it. I look crazy.”
That would be difficult. While I’m not expecting a perfect child out of the box, I wasn’t thinking I’d get someone raised by wolves either.
At the adoption point, so many people just want to be parents. When the agency calls her and says they have two brothers, neither speaks English, the older is abusive and the younger sets fires, does she want them? She says yes. Or:
“…they can place an at-risk multiple-sibling set in my house on a trial basis, and an adoption might come out of it after the parental rights are terminated in court in a few years.”
I understand. You want kids and you want to make it work. In the end Nia sums it up well:
“I know exactly why the other processes didn’t work. I know I was supposed to wait for this little girl.”
The agency told us to do research on pre-natal exposure to drugs and alcohol and it’s very difficult, many of the stories are worst case scenarios, where the child couldn’t read and started stealing and now turns tricks on the corner. Seriously. I suppose there aren’t many books where people can say little went wrong and we’re all good, not a gripping story. At the same time we want objective information, and I think all adoptive parents hear the stories and are worried they’ll be adopting the spawn of Satan. Nia’s story really helped put this in perspective, seeing that all kids are different, and all have challenges, adopted or not.
Another class of story out there is the super happy story where they just talk about the good things. Nia I felt does a good job illustrating the truth, that there will be some difficult moments but the reward of parenting really outweighs them.
“At the end of the day without warning, she calls Ian “Daddy.” I look up, fully expecting to find only a puddle with Ian’s eyeballs and a shoe floating in it.”
Others have talked about being moved by the struggle for the girl to sleep through the night in the book. What got me was her behaviour when she first arrived:
“She clomps around the house now, picking up objects and throwing them at walls and at me. She waits, expecting me to get mad at her. The social workers have cautioned us: this is a test to see if I’ll reject her. So I toss my head back and emit another of my forced wheezy cackle-laughs in a feeble attempt to be a cool mom. She’s not buying it. I look crazy.”
That would be difficult. While I’m not expecting a perfect child out of the box, I wasn’t thinking I’d get someone raised by wolves either.
At the adoption point, so many people just want to be parents. When the agency calls her and says they have two brothers, neither speaks English, the older is abusive and the younger sets fires, does she want them? She says yes. Or:
“…they can place an at-risk multiple-sibling set in my house on a trial basis, and an adoption might come out of it after the parental rights are terminated in court in a few years.”
I understand. You want kids and you want to make it work. In the end Nia sums it up well:
“I know exactly why the other processes didn’t work. I know I was supposed to wait for this little girl.”
grubbyfeet's review
5.0
Fantastic! I love her wit and humor! And learning about her struggles was very interesting. As a person who has no problem getting pregnant, it taught me to be a little more sensitive and aware of those who may not have such an easy time of it. But while there is a message, the funny is there!
protoman21's review
5.0
Nia Vardalos is a very impressive woman. Everyone knows about how she wrote and starred in one of the biggest surprise hits ever turning her into an overnight household name, but most people don’t know that even during the height of her fame, she was suffering from infertility and all of the emotional turmoil that comes along with that. Her story is touching, heart breaking, funny and ultimately uplifting. She has a way about her that makes you want to be her friend. She is funny without having to try too hard and she is incredibly honest about all of her struggles and insecurities.
Reading this book had special impact for me because I just got married and my wife and I would like to start a family as soon as possible. Knowing how long and hard Vardalos fought to become a Mom can be daunting, but her story proves that it doesn’t matter how long it takes or what you have to do to get there once you have that child of your own. Recommended for all!
Reading this book had special impact for me because I just got married and my wife and I would like to start a family as soon as possible. Knowing how long and hard Vardalos fought to become a Mom can be daunting, but her story proves that it doesn’t matter how long it takes or what you have to do to get there once you have that child of your own. Recommended for all!
nic_fish's review against another edition
4.0
Funny, honest and relate-able, you can hear Nia reading it.
jenmooremo's review
5.0
I didn't think that this book would impress me as much as it did...you know, celebrity author, how well can she write? Well, apparently well enough to make me laugh out loud several times. The author comes across as being a regular person who happens to do a not so normal job and can tell a great story and communicate a deep love that she and her spouse have for their adopted daughter. Enjoyable read.
alboyer6's review against another edition
4.0
Vardalos is just funny with incredible stories to tell. It made me laugh and cry, sometimes while reading the same page.
booksaremyfavorite's review
4.0
funny, poignant, informative. I really enjoyed the chapter about when her daughter first comes to live with her and her husband. I would recommend to people considering adopting from foster care.
The last few chapters dragged a little, but the rest of the book is quick-paced and easy reading and often hilarious.
The last few chapters dragged a little, but the rest of the book is quick-paced and easy reading and often hilarious.