Chrysta Bilton, author of Normal Family: On Truth, Love, and How I Met My 35 Siblings, joins Julia to discuss her book. Get ready for an exhilarating story. Chrysta shares what life was like for a child born of a lesbian mother and her father, who donated sperm for a living. Her family was bold, sometimes dysfunctional, and anything but traditional. Chrysta tells her story in a truthful, enlightening, engaging, and sometimes funny way. You'll hear about alcoholism, shame, lies, schizophrenia, cryobanks, self-perception, nurture versus nature, and how Chrysta navigated through it all to become a successful wife, parent, sibling, adult, and an author worth reading. Don't miss this captivating episode of Stork'd.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [02:52] Chrysta Bilton provides an overview of her book
• [05:25] Chrysta's sperm donor was misled by her mother and became a serial sperm donor for many children
• [07:03] All of the players in this book come from different perspectives on their truth
• [11:54] Chrysta discovers her father struggled with schizophrenia and discovers she has many siblings. She has developed compassion for her father
• [16:41] Chrysta struggled for ten years, dealing with her upbringing. She worked hard to analyze her circumstances, the mistakes she was making, and how to walk away from destructive behaviors
• [19:51] How her siblings relate to their "father" and each other
• [23:28] Advice on what to tell a child conceived by a donor. Nurture versus nature and how her parents' backgrounds form who they became
• [31.25] Chrysta shares her views on the pros and cons of cryobanks and the obligation they have to women
• [35:39] Chrysta tells how the book came about, how she parented her sister, and her self-evaluation
• [45:30] What is the definition of a family

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Avoid emotional pain for a child conceived by a donor. Instead, tell them the truth about their conception.
• Be emotionally healed before starting a family, whether it be traditional, single parenting, or a sperm donation. Children deserve your best self.
• Change and heal and make better choices. Forgive your parents and stop blaming them for everything wrong that happens in your life.

RESOURCE LINKS:

The Book: Normal Family

Chrysta Bilton - LinkedIn

Chrysta Bilton - Instagram

Chrysta Bilton - Twitter

Stork'd - Facebook

Stork'd - Instagram

Stork'd- YouTube

About Chrysta Bilton:

Chrysta Bilton is an American author who lives in Los Angeles, CA, with her husband and two children. Normal Family is her first book.