Why I'm writing for children...
One of the hardest pains of all to recover from, is rejection, whether it is perceived or real. When a child feels it from her mother, it cuts deep and lasts long, especially if the child is naturally and excessively soft-hearted, open, and trusting.
Girls need their mother's compassion, acceptance, and love for their entire lives. It's the purest love of all, the only natural and truly unconditional love~when that bond isn't there, or when a child isn't with her birthmother, it leaves a tremendous void and lingering questions that never get voiced..."if my own mother didn't love me or want me, who will?" Ultimately, the real question is "What's wrong with me," or "What did I do wrong". This uncertainty can lead a little girl to be a "pleaser," to have abandonment issues, or to feel unworthy~this is especially dangerous for girls, because it can cause them to attract bad love, difficult relationships, low earnings, and lesser quality lives in the future. Other mothers and other women have to step in and fill that void. Many women-friends do this for each other later in life, to make up for the lack of connection between themselves and their own mothers, it is a connection mother-less feeling women understand and share.
This book address these issue from my heart. I wrote it for my little girl when I adopted her from China. I never wanted her to wonder if she was loved or cared for by her first mother, she was. I worried she would silently question her value or why her birth mother chose for her to have a separate life, but she sent her in love, and I know that it was a painful decision. I wanted to make sure the daughter we now share, felt her first mommy's love at her core, from all the way across the world, even stronger than the love I give her myself, and that's what this story is for.
Beyond adoption, this book is layered in messages for everyone, young or old, adopted or not; it is essentially about compassion, love, and understanding for birth mothers everywhwere, and their children. The beautiful illustrations, painted by artist Wilson Ong, set the emotional tone. For all children who listen to this enchanting bedtime-y story, the conversation about adoption is opened, and normalized. They learn about blended families, how and why adoption happens, and to be accepting of others, their life stories, and the various ways that families become families.
Good, healthy adult relationships of the future start at home long before kids are even of dating age. Where girls are excessively kind-hearted, open, giving, patient, tolerant, or rule-following, it is essential these girls know how to accept and validate themselves and that they develop independence and are taught to be assertive early. This story helps build self esteem and internal strength.
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