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Tired of cliche stories about adoption? So is author Laurie Frankel. Learn about how she approached the topoic in her new book by listening to our latest episode: 45. Not your typical adoption story. Download wherever you get your podcasts!
Episode summary:
Either your family is messy and complicated at times or you’re lying. Author Laurie Frankel talks us through her wonderfully complex novel exploring adoption and the very concept of family. Mayo Clinic psychiatrist Dr. Sandra Rackley gives us her perspective on the nuanced realities of family relationships.
In this episode, Dr. Millstine and her guests discuss:
- Adoption is complicated. Adoption narratives often tend toward the extremes: “Adoptees will never know belonging” or “adoption is a perfect happy ending.” Laurie Frankel, an adoptive mother herself, refuses to subscribe to either of these narratives. Instead, she set out to tell a more nuanced story in “Family Family.”
- Family is complicated. Family is more than blood … so what is it, exactly? Dr. Rackley suggests that one definition of family may be “ties that can’t be undone.” But the more inclusive the definition, the better, Laurie says; wider ranges of “normal” make the world a better place for everybody.
- Conversation is complicated. These topics are thorny, and don’t lend themselves to quick value judgments. To learn more about these broad topics — or about a specific family or individual — we need to be in back-and-forth conversation with people with lived experience.
Questions for discussion:
- Is your family "unconventional" in some way? How has that experience enriched your life?
Share your thoughts, questions and opinions below!
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How many people are estranged from one or more members of their “nuclear” family. How many are suffering trauma from growing up in their nuclear family with emotional, physical or sexual abuse. Many like myself are still in close contact with onl a few of our nuclear family and instead have grown a family over decades who are NOT blood related. Different sort of “unconventional family”. Yet we do consider ourselves brothers and sisters “from other mothers”. I’m very grateful to them and they have been massive support through my cancer journey.
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1 ReactionHow right you are...when I was younger, I believed that you needed to accept whatever your nuclear family sent your way. I didn't necessarily want to rock the boat. Thankfully as I gained life experience and built my own found family, I realized that we all benefit from mutual support and understanding of one another.
If you have haven't had the opportunity to read the book, "Family, Family" by Laurie Frankel or listened to the podcast Read. Talk. Grow episode, it's one that touches on the nuances of what makes a family and shares thoughtful experiences.
I am happy that you created your own family and they stepped up to support you through your cancer journey. Wishing you well, Alicia
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3 Reactions@readtalkgrowpodcast That’s helpful thank you, Alicia, I’ll get a copy of that book. All the best and thank you for this thought provoking post.
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