Differently Wired Raising an Exceptional Child in a Conventional World

Deborah Reber, a mother of a twice-exceptional son, shares her journey and insights in this essential guide for parents of neurodivergent children. Addressing conditions like ADHD, dyslexia, Asperger's, giftedness, anxiety, and sensory processing disorder, Reber challenges the notion of fitting "round-peg kids into square holes." The book offers practical advice and emotional support, encouraging parents to say "no" to societal pressures and "yes" to embracing their child's unique identity. Through 18 "tilts," it helps parents shift their perspective, connect with their children, and build a secure, understanding world for them.

"Today millions of kids are stuck in a world that doesn't respect, support, or embrace who they really are--these are what Deborah Reber is calling the "differently wired" kids, the one in five children with ADHD, dyslexia, Asperger's, giftedness, anxiety, sensory processing disorder, and other neurodifferences. Their challenges are many. But for the parents who love them, the challenges are just as hard--struggling to find the right school, the right therapist, the right parenting group while feeling isolated and harboring endless internal doubts about what's normal, what's not, and how to handle it all. But now there's hope. Written by Deborah Reber, a bestselling author and mother in the midst of an eye-opening journey with her son who is twice exceptional (he has ADHD, Asperger's, and is highly gifted), Differently Wired is a how-to, a manifesto, a book of wise advice, and the best kind of been-there, done-that companion. On the one hand it's a book of saying NO, and how it's time to say no to trying to fit your round-peg kid into society's square holes, no to educational and social systems that don't respect your child, no to the anxiety and fear that keep parents stuck. And then it's a book of YES. By offering 18 paradigm shifts--what she calls "tilts"-- Reber shows how to change everything. How to "Get Out of Isolation and Connect." "Stop Fighting Who Your Child Is and Lean In." "Let Go of What Others Think." "Create a World Where Your Child Can Feel Secure." "Find Your People (and Ditch the Rest)." "Help Your Kids Embrace Self-Discovery." And through these alternative ways of being, discover how to stay open, pay attention, and become an exceptional parent to your exceptional child"-- They're the "differently wired" kids: the one in five children with ADHD, dyslexia, Asperger's, giftedness, anxiety, sensory processing disorder, and other neurodifferences. For the parents who love them, the challenges are just as hard-- struggling to find the right school, the right therapist, the right parenting group while feeling isolated and harboring endless internal doubts about what's normal, what's not, and how to handle it all. Reber provides a been-there, done-that book that helps others discover how to stay open, pay attention, and become an exceptional parent to your exceptional child. -- adapted from publisher info