Educating the Next Generation: Adoption Messages in Children's Books with Allison Olson - Ep 168

Unraveling Adoption

"I can read a book and tell you if it's written by an adoptee, written by an adoptive parent or written by somebody who's just a famous author and someone told him to write about adoption and they know nothing about it." -- Allison Olson

EPISODE SUMMARY:

In this episode of Unraveling Adoption, I had the pleasure of speaking with Allison Olson, an adoptee and adoptive parent who has made significant contributions to children's literature on adoption. We explored her personal adoption story, which began in 1979 when she was adopted as a baby in a closed adoption, and how her experiences shaped her perspective as both an adoptee and a parent to an adopted child.

Allison shared her insights on the evolution of adoption practices, particularly the shift from closed to open adoptions, and the importance of representation in children's books. She expressed her frustration with the common narratives found in many adoption-themed picture books, which often portray adoptees as "lucky" rather than "loved." This inspired her to write her own books, including Surrounded by Love: An Open Adoption Story and Learning About My Friend's Adoption, aimed at educating children about adoption in a balanced and loving way.

We discussed the challenges adoptees face in educating their peers about their experiences and the need for more resources that accurately reflect the complexities of adoption. Allison emphasized the importance of normalizing conversations about adoption and providing children with the tools to understand and embrace their identities.

Listeners will find Allison's work invaluable, as it not only addresses the needs of adopted children but also serves as a resource for their friends and families. I encourage everyone to check out her books and share this episode to help spread awareness about the importance of thoughtful representation in children's literature.

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RESOURCES:

Allison’s information:

• Check out Allison’s website for her own books plus her lists of children’s books: OurAdoptionBooks.com

• Find Allison’s books on Amazon:

• Surrounded by Love: An Open Adoption Story on Amazon

• Learning about My Friend's Adoption on Amazon

• Allison’s book lists:

• “An Adoptee’s Top 14 Children’s Adoption Books”: https://www.ouradoptionbooks.com/blogs/adoptee-top-kids-book-picks

• “Children’s Adoption Books Written by Adoptees”: https://www.ouradoptionbooks.com/blogs/adoptee-written-kids-book

• Find Allison on Social Media:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kidsbooksbyallisonolson/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KidsBooksbyAllisonOlson

• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kidsbooksbyallisonolson

Other Resources:

• Other Parents Like Me - http://oplm.com

• Heather Ross - Life Coaching for Parents who have a child struggling with addiction: https://heatherrosscoaching.com/

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Unraveling Adoption is produced and hosted by Beth Syverson

Music written and performed by Joseph Nakao

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TIME STAMPS:

00:00:00 - Introduction to Unraveling Adoption Welcome to the podcast and introduction of host Beth Syverson and guest Allison Olson.

00:01:00 - Allison's Adoption Story Allison shares her personal adoption journey and her experiences as both an adoptee and an adoptive parent.

00:03:00 - Closed vs. Open Adoption Discussion on the differences between closed and open adoptions, including definitions and implications.

00:07:00 - The Impact of Openness in Adoption Allison reflects on the benefits of open adoption and her experiences with her daughter's adoption.

00:10:00 - Challenges in Children's Adoption Books Allison discusses her experiences with children's picture books about adoption and the messages they convey.

00:14:00 - The Need for Balanced Representation Exploration of the importance of balanced narratives in adoption literature, highlighting both love and struggle.

00:17:00 - Creating Surrounded by Love Allison explains her motivation for writing her first book and the intentional choices made in its creation.

00:20:00 - Learning About My Friend's Adoption Introduction to Allison's second book aimed at educating non-adopted children about adoption.

00:24:00 - The Responsibility of Educating Others Discussion on the burden adoptees face in educating their peers and the importance of literature in this process.

00:28:00 - Resources and Closing Thoughts Allison shares her website and resources for finding adoption-related books.