Uniquely Normal

My parenting goals were simple: prepare my children to successfully navigate adulthood without me. While that may seem obvious or even silly, with a child on the Autism Spectrum, there were days when I questioned if even my simple goals were achievable. More than that, I have talked to a lot of overwhelmed parents who doubted their (or their child’s) abilities to prepare their children to function in the real world.

This is a book I wish had been available when my son was younger. Filled with practical help, the book is divided into parts based on age ranges: early childhood, childhood, early adolescence, adolescence, and young adulthood (and beyond). Each part begins with a story–a case history–of an actual individual that he helped. He then walks the reader through his cognitive-based approach that is based on the simple premise that when we change the way we think, we change the way we behave and live. The author does a fantastic job making his approach understandable which allows anyone who cares for someone on the spectrum to apply the strategies and techniques effectively.

Wherever you are in the journey of caring for a young person on the spectrum, this is destined to become a trusted go-to resource. Spend time reading the case histories that fit your young person currently or take time to read the case histories and approaches that target the other age ranges. In the end, readers will find that this book is filled with applicable nuggets of wisdom for their situation. ~Deanne