Your Child is Not Broken

February 1, 2024

As an adult, trauma-informed care professional Mavir learned that she is neurodivergent when her son experienced mental distress as he attempted to navigate a mainstream educational system. At the time, they didn't realize he was an autistic person. Mavir knows firsthand that parents of autistic children may feel isolated, furthered by society's false narrative that labels their child as "broken." She advocates for pushing back and notes that BIPOC children often face the challenge of late (and sometimes never-received) diagnoses. In this updated edition, suicidal ideation, substance disorders, child abuse, an intense sense of uneasiness after being rejected, extreme behavior when children purposely ignore or avoid what they perceive to be a demand, and the distinctive challenges faced by single parents are covered; trigger warnings for potentially upsetting topics appear at the beginning of each chapter. But lighter points are made too. Appendix resources have titles such as a "Bullshit Bingo Board," which is comprised of offensive sayings that neurodivergent parents and children often hear. VERDICT This book will help many parents of neurodivergent children. Readers will appreciate Mavir's honest, no-holds-barred approach.

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