Final Call to Win Adoption Book - What I Want My Adopted Child to Know: An Adoptive Parent's Perspective

I've chosen the topic for my keynote address at the Parenthood for Me (PFM) Family Building Dinner on April 10th. It's going to be Birthparents: The Hidden Treasure of Adoption. Congratulations to Nancy S. for suggesting that topic and winning a signed copy of my adoption book!

It's interesting... most of the topics you all submitted - although diverse - contain some shade of the topic of birth parents and relationships with them. I'm really glad to find such strong interest in those relationships. 42 thanks going out to all of you who participated.

I haven't done the random draw yet, so you still have a chance to win a signed copy of What I Want My Adopted Child to Know: An Adoptive Parent's Perspective. If you already submitted a topic suggestion, your name has been entered once. I'll toss your name in the jar again for any of the following:

Sign up to follow my blog. (1 entry)

Refer someone else who signs up to follow my blog. (1 entry)

Tell me about your relationship with your own or your child's birthparents.
(2 entries) For example, Do you have one? What difference does it make for your family? How does it benefit you or your child? (or if you don't have a relationship, what impact does this have?) Have your thoughts or feelings about birthparents in general and yours or your child's, specifically, changed over time? In what ways?

Let your child tell me, in their own words, about their relationship with their birthparents and what it means to them. (3 entries)

Buy a ticket for the PFM dinner or make a donation to Parenthood for Me. (2 entries)

There is no limit to the number of times your name can be entered. This phase of the giveaway will be open until March 19th. Good luck!

I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

Purchase my adoption book here.

Sally Bacchetta
The Adoptive Parent
My Google Profile+
Sally Bacchetta's YouTube Channel

Coming Soon to a Family Room Near You

Wow! I've been invited to be a guest on a TV show called "Many Voices, Many Visions." The show is hosted by the warm and thoughtful Norma Holland, and airs on 13WHAM-TV Sunday mornings at 11:00 a.m. I'll be on with Erica Schlaefer and Kevin Mulcahy of Parenthood for Me (PFM) on Sunday February 28, 2010.

"Many Voices, Many Visions" is a multicultural public affairs program that explores the Rochester community's diversity, and I'm grateful to Ms. Holland for giving me and PFM an opportunity to expand our community's education and awareness about adoption.

It's the first time I'll be on TV talking about my adoption book! (Hi Mom!) Who knows? I may even read a short excerpt from it. Tune it to 13WHAM-TV Sunday February 28 at 11:00 a.m.

Buy Sally's adoption book here.

Sally Bacchetta
The Adoptive Parent
My Google Profile+
Sally Bacchetta's YouTube Channel

Adoption Keynote: More Information

Congratulations, Kristin at Parenthood Path, for being the first name in the hummus container!

In addition to making some great suggestions, Kristin asked for information that I should have included in my previous post. Here it is:

Who will be in the audience? The audience will be a mix of people at all points along the spectrum of adoption. Some adoptive parents, adult adoptees, perhaps some birth parents, prospective adoptive parents, people struggling with infertility, people who don't really have a clue which direction they want to go. Also, spouses, friends, and family of the aforementioned.

Could it be an interactive conversation with Q&A, or does it really need to be a lecture? I can make it both, but I need to open with a compelling lecture.

I hope that helps. Looking forward to your suggestions!

Sally

Sally Bacchetta
The Adoptive Parent
My Google Profile+
Sally Bacchetta's YouTube Channel

Adoption Keynote Address

I'm going to be the keynote speaker at Parenthood for Me's 1st Annual Family-Building Dinner and Silent Auction on April 10th. Having fun for a great cause. I love it!

I don't go to as many fund-raising events as I'd like, simply because most of our money is already tagged for something else. I usually choose to support causes through volunteering or making a financial donation that is more modest than the event ticket price. However, there are some people I would definitely pay a good buck to see and hear talk about adoption. Leslie Pate Mackinnon, for example.

If you're local to the Monroe County, NY area, I hope to see you there. If you're not local, you can still be part of the event. Here's how:

I've thought a lot about what I want to say, and I keep coming back to the same question - "What would I want to hear a keynote speaker talk about?" I'm posing the same question to you.

If you respond to this post or email me at info@theadoptiveparent.com with your thoughts, I'll put your name in a hat. (It's not actually a hat. It's a clear plastic container that originally housed hummus. As soon as I finish this post I'll dump out whatever wooden beads, pennies, Q-tips, or dry pasta my daughter has stashed in there so it's ready for your name.)

I'll award a signed copy of my book, What I Want My Adopted Child to Know: An Adoptive Parent's Perspective to the person who's name I draw at random. I'll also send a signed copy to the person who's idea I use for the keynote address.

Erica at Parenthood for Me is building a great organization with an awesome vision. I hope you'll support it in whatever way you can.

Sally Bacchetta
The Adoptive Parent
My Google Profile+
Sally Bacchetta's YouTube Channel