Lighting the Path: Leaning into a Hopeful Future as a Special Needs Parent by Marcia Nathai-Balkissoon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is an amazing book. It takes a lot to share a story this personal. The author has my respect for sharing such a personal story about her daughter, Em, and her experiences with her and raising her family. Being the mother of a son with special needs and now raising a grandson with special needs, this book will hold a special place in my heart. Every thing she writes of is true. The praise and the judgement of others. The looks, the condemnation because others don’t believe in what you are doing for you child. She gives tips that every parent of a child with special needs should know and remember: coping with the situation after diagnosis; you are not alone – getting support; create your vision – what do you want for your child; getting interventions together; don’t forget the rest of your family; and other topics. My biggest take-away from this book is do not forget self-care. It is so easy to forget when you are tied up taking care of your child. You need to take care of yourself or you will end up run down and sick. You can’t take care of anyone if you don’t take care of yourself first. The fact that she did a lot of this in Trinidad and Tobago, where there was not a lot of medical care available shows how strong “special” parents are. We will do anything for our children. Thank you for sharing your story, Ms. Balkissoon.

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