The Autism Mom's Survival Guide (for Dads, Too!): Creating a Balanced and Happy Life While Raising a Child with Autism

The Autism Mom's Survival Guide (for Dads, Too!) tells how to create a happy family life while raising a child with autism. The experiences of autistic parents, researchers and professionals are revealed in a survey on how to find satisfaction after an autism diagnosis and comes from a mother of three boys, the oldest of whom has autism. Parents will find this an inspirational read filled with practical facts.

Having become a huge fan of Susan Senator after reading her first book "Making Peace with Autism"...I was anxiously awaiting the release of this book, and, once again, as an autism parent I have been touched and educated. If you have a child with autism, are friends with or related to a family that has an autistic child, or do any sort of work with autistic children, this is a book you need to get. Raising a family offers many challenges, and those are certainly multiplied when you have an autistic child. This book provides a window into the lives of autism parents and strategies that have helped them cope. Do yourself a favor and get this book, and if you haven't read Susan's first book, pick that up as well. Susan has a wonderful writing style which I absolutely love...she certainly tells it like it is, and her honesty is quite refreshing.

First a disclaimer: I am not the parent of an autistic child. This new work by Susan Senator, although intended to be of assistance to the parent of autisic children, can be appreciated by anyone. This book is more than just a parenting guide. This book is more than just the story of a parent with an unusual child. This is the story of the personal growth of a remarkable young woman. It is the story of not only accepting the hardships of a particular problem, but of embracing your plight and appreciating all that it is: both good and bad. It is certainly a book that can be appreciated by anyone who is willing to give it a try. It is also the work of a very gifted writer. Susan Senator takes us into her family to explore how she (and the rest of the family) tackled the everyday adventures of the autistic child. She moves us when she tells us about getting her son a tuxedo for his first "prom" and she intrigues us with her use of belly dancing as an emotional escape. My favorite part is the comparison between the children's game of Candyland with being a parent of an autistic child. This one is worth a few hours. It is much more than a simple parenting guide.

I am not an autism parent. I have some connections to autism through some family members, but that connection is distant enough that I do not need a survival guide. Nevertheless, I found this book extremely interesting and a most enjoyable read. Susan Senator has an amazing talent to find the single flower in a field of weeds, the one funny moment in a day of disasters. She is honest, real and, in very many ways, inspiring. The epilogue alone is worth the price of the book. I know, who reads the epilogue? Read this one. It is a delight. This book is a wonderful and enjoyable look into the world of the parent of an autistic child. It is also a wonderful and enjoyable look into the world of remarkable parent. It will be worthwhile reading even if you have absolutely no connection to autism.

This informative book should be in the library of every autism parent. It gives useful, practical advice from both the author and other ASD parents on how to survive and thrive as the parent of a child with a very difficult disability. I would also recommend it to educators and grandparents, so that they can get a good feel for the home life and unique challenges of an autism family. It is an excellent companion to the author's first book "Making Peace with Autism".