Waiting Families Kit

Assembly Kit

Kay has created a kit, to assemble a lifebook/memorybook. Scrapbook papers, hand-made and printed embellishments from original artwork are included with the assembly kit.

See samples from the kit by hitting "control" and then click on the left bar (blue letters): ASSEMBLY KIT or Sample lifebook pages. The kits are limited in number and can be purchased at: www.scrapandtell.com

What is a lifebook? A lifebook is a visual and written story, documenting our children's early lives. It explains their early life transitions. A lifebook begins from birth,  explains separation from birthparents, and finally adoption into the child's Forever Family. Lifebooks aren't baby books of the adoption trip and they aren't travel books. A lifebook clearly explains our children's past through photos and a story.

The Lifebook Writing Guide was designed to guide adoptive parents  through the lifebook process, from organizing to writing their child's story. It is a "how-to" manual, breaking the big project of making a lifebook down into manageable tasks. It offers many samples of text written by parents. Issues and discussions in the book are specific to Chinese adoptions, such as abandonment and birth parents. Waiting families may want to begin by purchasing the waiting family kit- which guides parents through the "gathering" process, in order that they come home from their adoption trip with information about their child's early life.

The Chinalifebooks Yahoo group  discusses lifebook topics. On the group, 2000 parents share lifebook resources, discuss topics, and share tips and insights. Small, local workgroups in your area can be found by joining the Chinalifebooks Yahoo group. Each January, the group begins the writing process from the beginning. In the fall, completed text is assembled into a book, called a memory book or lifebook.

Guides and waiting family kits can be purchased at: www.scrapandtell.com or to www.foreverfamilycreations.com,  www.adoptshoppe.com ,  www.lifesjourneysscrapbooking.com, and www.tapestrybooks.com

NEW CLASS, for Atlanta parents! LIFEBOOK ASSEMBLY CLASS. This class is designed for parents that wish to put together the book, after they have created a rough draft of the child's story. Check this site again for January 2007 classes: both digital and traditional memorybook classed will be offered in the ATLANTA, GA area. Email Kay at chinalifebooks@yahoo.com for small group inquiries or dates for the 2007 year.

HALF THE SKY - Both the Lifebook Writing Guide and the Lifebook/Adoption assembly kit are on the October 2006 charity auction. Check out the entire auction at www.halfthesky.org

A portion of the proceeds from Red Thread Lifebooks goes to benefit the children in China, through Half the Sky.

WHAT PARENTS HAVE SAID about the group and the guide:

"Without Chinalifebooks I wouldn't have nearly the fantastic quality journaling in my lifebooks." -Cindy (mom of 2 girls)

"I've learned so much from this list and the guide. The Lifebook writing guide has taken the "best-of-the-best" writing samples and put them into and organized, concise tutorial. Now I'm excited about doing this project, instead of dreading it!"-Teri

"I'm happy to report that I've finished my daughter's lifebook. I've been working on it for 4 years, but could never quite get it done. Kay's group has really motivated me." -Karen

"As a family awaiting referral, I can focus on getting ideas collected for a lifebook. The guide is an excellent resource for those parents to review before they leave for China. It gives me insight into my daughter's life in China, BEFORE I meet her. I'll be prepared to ask questions while I'm in China, and ready to document her history when I return home with my bundle of joy! My researching lifebooks as I wait, I'm confident that I'll have the tools to get my child's lifebook together quickly, once we return home from our adoption trip." -Abby (waiting mom)

"After 5 years of guilt about not doing my children's lifebooks, I'm actually writing! Kay's teaching approach breaks down the whole lifebook process into manageable chunks! Her style of teaching is easy to follow and the group is just fabulous!"-Margaret (adoptive mom of 2)

"I want my daughter to know as much as possible about her early life. Chinalifebooks group and the guide walked my through the entire process. As adoptive parents, we have a lot more information about our children than we think we do. Kay has helped me put it all together. I truly feel that I will be better able to communicate with my daughter about her past, now that I've written her lifebook. -Andrea (mom of 1 daughter)

"I read the Lifebook Writing Guide all in one day. Now I feel like I'm ready to begin gathering and writing my child's lifebook."   - Joyce (mom of a daughter from China).

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Date this page was last updated 10/18/2006

A very happy Kay with our new daughter, Kyra, China, 2002

Sample lifebook page 2

Sample lifebook page 3