The Novel Page: “I Can’t Do This! When Fostering and Adoption Feels Too Hard” by Fi Newood

Book reviews by Sherrie Kleitch

I purchased this book about four years ago when I felt completely at my wit’s end while parenting our three youngest children. They are biological siblings, but not biologically related to us. 

We began our journey with the desire to keep siblings together, not fully realizing how challenging it would be to welcome three children with significant trauma histories into our home all at once. We were not blind to the challenges — we simply did not anticipate the amount of energy, patience and perseverance it would require.

I appreciate this book, because it is not lengthy and breaks complex topics into easily digestible sections. 

Fi Newood brings both professional expertise as an integrative psychotherapist and personal experience as a foster-adoptive mother of three siblings. She not only helps readers understand what their children may be communicating through their behaviors and how to help them adjust, but also emphasizes coping skills for yourself along the way.

I highly recommend this book for foster, adoptive and kinship caregivers who need a soft place to land for a few minutes and the reassurance that they are not alone in the journey.