There aren’t many books that find themselves on the “Must-Haves” in the mind of many parents, including me. So much literature around therapy, quick go-to guides on behavioral problem solving…so many wonderfully informative books written by some of the most educated individuals in the special needs community – and by parents too. You might not even notice that there aren’t many books written by individuals with Autism or Asperger’s. But there aren’t.
Within the special needs community and through reading various articles, books and essays, I’ve found listening to individuals with higher functioning Autism to be the most enlightening. Everyone is different, every child and adult working through the challenges of Autism is different, yet like much in life, there is a similarity threading through. One of these similarities surrounds the challenges in Autism with life skills. Teaching, learning and retaining the processes in the number of tasks associated in learning life skills may come easy to you or I, but these are one of the many difficulties in the challenge of autism.
Put these two together, the need for more literature from individuals with Autism / Asperger’s able to enlighten, with the need for tips and methods in tackling one of the largest sets of challenges for a child with special needs, specifically Autism, and you have an amazing book by Jennifer McIlwee Myers, Aspie at Large.
Now, I have to make a confession. I was excited to receive this book from Future Horizons to review because Life Skills (again) is one of the many challenges we are working with our son to master. How to teach them to him is very different than teaching them to our neurotypical children. Our neurotypical children grasp these concepts almost immediately despite our fumbling attempts at parenthood. Our eldest son is very different.
When reading “How to Teach Life Skills to Kids with Autism or Asperger’s” by Jennifer McIlwee Meyers, I immediately was drawn in. Her writing is very ‘real’, her message insightful. In fact, I found myself wondering if the publisher knew just how much information was being passed along. From the humor laid throughout, the insightfulness and to the reality which I could hear from my son if he could use words as purposefully as Ms. Meyers, I kept coming back. In fact, I found myself excited to pick up where I left off in the book and smiling throughout each page turn. To say I learned a lot is an understatement.
The bonus…I received the true tools and insight I need to help my son manage his Life Skills.
I am not only thankful that I was able to review this book, but appreciative of Ms. Meyers’ efforts to educate parents like myself, and of Future Horizons for allowing me the opportunity to read this and send forth one of my strongest recommendations to date. In short, if you need help with Life Skills, you need “How to Teach Life Skills to Kids with Autism or Asperger’s” by Jennifer McIlwee Meyers.
About the Author:
JENNIFER MCILWEE MYERS (that middle name is pronounced “Mac-uhl-wee”) was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome in mid-2002 and has since spent much time and energy on absorbing and disseminating informaiton about AS and other autism spectrum disorders. Jennifer currently lives in sunny Southern Cailfornia with her husband Gary.
You can find “How to Teach Life Skills to Kids with Autism or Asperger’s” by Jennifer McIlwee Meyers at Future Horizons, Borders and Barnes and Nobel book stores.
In the interest of full disclosure: I have received this book from Future Horizons Publisher for a fair and impartial review. No other compensation has been offered… though, you know, I’m not above being paid. Money.
Oh, yes, I loved this one! I hate to admit it, but I needed to learn that “life skills” are for everyone – I got a lot out of this book.
Me too Trish. I certainly got a great deal our of this book.