Includes bibliographical references (pages 211-216).

Introduction : a relationship promise

Part one. Adoption : a labor of heart

Choosing to love a stranger: unique challenges adoptive parents must face

Creating a family : how do children enter our homes, and who are they?

What builds healthy adoptive families? Ten critical success factors

Developing a supportive adoption environment : how to prepare biological children, family and friends

Part two. When a child comes home

Attachment : how to develop the crucial bond

Barriers to adjustments : strategies to ease the transition

Part three. Communicating about adoption

How do we feel about adoption? Critical questions for parents and children

Talking to children about adoption : when and how

Part four. Growing up adopted

Creating a nurturing family : giving our children what they need

What's inside an adopted adolescent? Helping our teens resolve five painful issues

Transcultural adoption : preparing for special challenges

Searching for a past : why adopted children seek their roots and how parents can respond