The Girls Who Went Away

[socialite007]

this book is the most powerful and moving book (literature) that i have ever read. it is about the "girls who went away," girls who got pregnant as teenagers and were sent to unwed mothers' homes.

it is so incredibly sad that these women had no choice in the matter of keeping their babies and raising them v. adoption. so, so sad.

i would highly recommend this book.

[Cheryl]

I reminded students of mind (who shared that their unmarried sister was pregnant) that the pregnancy is not the sin, having sex before marriage is the sin. And, but for the grace of God go many of us in this regard, huh?

I personally wish adoption had less red tape and less stigma than it does amongst young pregnant girls. The pendulum has truly swung too far in the opposite direction. I am coming to loath extremes in any behavior, and both of these are sad extremes (the sending away of girls, and the total acceptance of unwed pregnancy).

Thank you for sharing.

[socialite007]

cheryl,
i LOVE THAT: becoming pregnant isn't the sin...having premarital sex is!

what a great way to look at that!

[Dubya]

The pendulum has truly swung too far in the opposite direction. I am coming to loath extremes in any behavior, and both of these are sad extremes (the sending away of girls, and the total acceptance of unwed pregnancy).



That is very well said.

[iglow81]

I just started reading it, and it's very interesting.

[thebeckery]

I just put this on hold at the library.

[thebeckery]

Got it last week, started reading it, didn't finish, and took it back.

It is VERY rare that I don't finish a book, but this one really did not appeal to me. The stories were heartbreaking for sure, but I cannot figure out why I did not want to finish it.

[iglow81]

Got it last week, started reading it, didn't finish, and took it back.

It is VERY rare that I don't finish a book, but this one really did not appeal to me. The stories were heartbreaking for sure, but I cannot figure out why I did not want to finish it.


I felt like it was a tad repetitive. I enjoyed it, and I was a little thankful it didn't have the spin on it that I assumed it would by the title. I enjoyed it, but probably wouldn't read it again.

[mom22boys]

Oh wow! I read this book and was totally rivited by it! There were some stories I read that I just cried :cry:. It made me a bit more sympathitic towards girls who find themselves unwed and pregnant.
It nothing else this book should be a reminder that the young women need counseling after giving up their baby. I think why most of the girls had such terrible reactions to their adoptions is that not everyone treated them like human beings. There were told that they would move on and forget all about the baby. As mothers we know that that simply isn't true. They needed help to deal with their loss. They stong handeled way they were basically forced to give their babies up for adoption has a lot to do with their feeling a lack of control.

I did see a piece on one of the "magazine" type of newshows..... I think it was Dateline, and they did an investigation of a home for unwed mothers in Texas. These places are run totally different today- thank goodness!! :)
this home gave the girls truely good counseling before and after the birth. They allowed open adoptions and helped the girls to choose adoptive parents.
The two girls I remembered from this piece did have contact with the adoptive parents after the adpotions was finalized. One mom got to see her baby 6 months, a year and 18 moths after the adoption. The other girl decided that having the parents send pictures was enough. But what was interesting to me, was in this situations the girls seemed to be doing so much better after the adoptions and feeling better about the adoptions. Contrast that with the situations in "The Girls Who Went Away" where they girls were lied to, treated like they were subhuman, and they never really knew how their babies were doing.

Dont' know why I went on that little tangient, but there it is :lol:

[ava grace]

praise the Lord the world of adoption, and, society's atttitude toward pregnant girls has changed.

My mom was booted out of high school for being pregnant in the 60s. I'm so glad that now girls are encouraged to finish their high school education.

thanks for the recommendation!