An Unexpected Joy: The Gift of Parenting a Challenging Child

The life and world Dr. Sharp writes of is incredibly isolating, but the moments of grace experienced give insight into all of us. Her experiences mirror my family's, but she found the words we have struggled to identify due to exhaustion. Sleep is not for the weak, it is for the survivors. Those with special needs children will, hopefully, see themselves and know they are not alone. Those with friends with children with special needs will see their friends, and know in some small way just what a blessing their relationships are to these families. Those who have limited interaction or understanding of special needs families may gain some understanding and compassion for those so challenged. And those who provide help, via therapists, babysitting, house cleaning, dog walking, anything, may finally know just what angels they are.

A friend from church gave this book to my wife to read. Roughly two weeks before that, my son was diagnosed with a mild form of autism. This struck a big blow to me as a father. After reading the book, my wife told me I needed to read it. While I read it, I was transported into Mary Sharp's world as she raised her son. It dealt with many of the issues and questions we had about ourselves and our future. Though not a "text book" like some other books that deal with Autism, "An Unexpected Joy" deals with the emotional struggles that they faced. I could definitely relate as we have been facing the some of the same issues. I would recommend this to any parent, especially those with "normal" kids, because it helps you understand those special ones.