[djb_97]

Hello!

For those of you who may not know, Barbara Walters is also touched by adoption, through the adoption of her daughter.

I'll be watching next week.

[NCMom]

I e-mailed the show to find out if this is also the 20/20 show that is supposed to be featuring Susan Burns and her "Fast Track to Adoption" book. Hopefully, in light of whats happened, they dropped her and are now doing a different piece. I'll let you know if I get a response.

Laura

[LifeMom]

My hope as a Life mom aka birth mom is that they provide an extended look at this young woman's experience IF she makes the decision to place her child. It really bothers me when only 1 view of adoption is given in the media. I would love to see a balanced piece given including hearing from adoptees with both positive and negative experiences from being adopted as well as birth parents who have mixed experiences.

[3girls1boy]

Was anyone else creeped out by the promotion of this show on last night's 20/20? "5 couples, 1 baby, 4 couples will lose. The ulitmate reality show" I just don't think deciding where a PERSON will be raised should be the subject of Survivor. This show maybe handled sensitively but certainly the promotion of it isn't. It makes the aparents look like greedy contestants, the baby the grand prize, and the potential birthmom gets to be Bob Barker handing that baby out. I am going to watch it, and maybe it will turn out different then the promotion. I wish they had done more of a documentary on how the process really works for an expectant mom and paparents. I hope the surprise at the end is that she places the baby with someone who refused to appear on the show but are the best match for her- although I wouldn't be disappointed if she decided to parent.
Lisa

[cathy102]

I will be watching this show. I like 20/20 most of the time. I am actually going out of town to visit one of my adoption friend and bring my 4 month old son that she hasn't met yet and I get to see her new daughter.. We will be watching the show together.. How cool is that???

Cathy

[jewelewis]

I would have to agree that the promotion of the show sounds very insensitive. I didnt see it but it sounds horrible. It is not a game show it it life. That is really horrible if thats what they said. IMO.
Julie

[amom4life]

Originally posted by 3girls1boy
Was anyone else creeped out by the promotion of this show on last night's 20/20? "5 couples, 1 baby, 4 couples will lose. The ulitmate reality show" Lisa

That is REALLY sad!
Judy

[icunurse]

I was looking at another site and they had a link to a detailed description about the upcoming 20/20 show....

[Edited To Remove the URL to an agency website.]

[3girls1boy]

Okay the way they are promoting this whole thing is so sad-"these 5 couples happiness lies in the hands of a 16 year old" the aparents have "30 minutes to sell themselves" I want to know where they got the quote that 30% of bmoms change their mind. Now I have to watch. This link promoting this show is just made by publicists- could real adoption proffessionals allow someone to promote something this way- I question the judgement of the agency invovled- though I do realize the promotion was probably out of their hands. The public needs to be educated so much about open adoption, I just don't think this is the way.
Lisa

[icunurse]

It makes the adoptive paparents look desperate, but maybe birthparents will get a little sympathy from people who don't understand their sacrafice. Also, I'm not crazy about the paparents being "interviewed" - did anyone have to do this? We had a profile they could look at, but it was only if they picked us that they could meet us. But our agency did tell us that almost 50% of birthmothers have a change of heart. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for it to be a good episode about open adoption.

[navyjoy1920]

I just read the promo for the show and I'm not sure whether I should be sad or outraged. If the show is as advertised, it may do more to harm than to educate. Children are a precious gift, not a source for TV ratings. My dh and I are just starting out on this journey. I hope the show will be a help to us and those like us- but from reading the promo, I doubt it. We'll see!

[NCMom]

I think I may be ill. So will the expectant Mom be handing the losing couples a rose as she gives them the boot? Or maybe a pacifier?

Thank god I have tickets to my beloved Houston Astros that night. I won't be tempted to witness this train wreck. But I will be logging on the next day to read y'alls views on this. I have the utmost respect for your opinions.

Laura

[paperchasingmom]

I didn't see 20/20 last Friday, normally do but missed it somehow...(but I did catch 48 hours--I think that was the one--where they focused on alternative treatments for autistic children-very, very good) anyway.....I too usually like 20/20 (except for John Stossel and his give me a break--sorry) but, I would HOPE that Barbara Walters MADE THEM DO THIS ADOPTION PIECE with some kind of sensitivity since she's an adoptive mom who's CRAZY about her daughter.....if they didn't, maybe that's one reason why she's leaving the show after all these years.....hmmmm.....

It sounds to me like what everyone is saying about HOW they're promoting it and the words they're choosing, sounds to me like they're advertising and appealing to people who know NOTHING about adoption....sounds like they're trying to catch the attention of people who are NOT FAMILIAR with adoption....kinda having a marketing background makes me think this way....they're trying to bring in the average person who has not had any experience with adoption--trying to "spice up" the cold hard realities of the process instead of presenting it in a sensitive, respectful, tasteful way....

My hope is their story WILL BE DONE in the best way possible....I pray...

At least it sounds like this story does seem to cover more of the "realities" of adoption then "Adoption Story" does...even though I like that show, it only shows programs that are typically "happy endings.." obviously....most of the time they make it seem sooooo easy.....

Our Parent Education Trainer actually dislikes that show immensely, says it doesn't portray AT ALL the realities of what's really happening, especially what's happening to the child--long term....I tend to agree with her....you never hear about what the aparents do or had to do or WILL HAVE TO DO in the future for their children to help them cope....they make it seem like everything's perfect just because the couple "got a baby".....so far from the truth at times....so many people still mourning--birthparents, life parents, adoptees later on in life....that makes me sad....

But, that's another topic, right? Sorry, just had to vent....I don't mean to say that Adoption Story's not wonderful, it is, just, it's not the whole picture, you know--I'm just probably mad cuz our adoption isn't ANYTHING like the show...arrrgghh....but, we all can pray for happy endings, right?

Well, I guess we'll all be holding our breath watching the show this Friday night....I will definitely tape it so I can keep it--just in case I have to write a letter to 20/20 and quote them!!!! HA!!!

Everybody hang in there!!!!

Blessings,

Melody

[browntap]

My husband and I saw the promo last night and we were really creeped out by it. I had heard about the show but originally assumed it would be more documentary style. Hopefully the ad is not representative about how the process will be handled.

[3girls1boy]

go to the a child is waiting webiste that icunurse posted above. It gets worse. I sent them an email on their link. PM me if you want the address.
Lisa