Family Room
A blog about a mother’s story of autism.
Road trip
It took some time to notice, but both Sam and I agree the pandemic made our lives a little smaller. Don’t get me wrong. There were things we did, things…
Dad
My dad died Sunday. It was so hard to let him go. He had three wishes: to die at home, to have no service, and to leave his body to…
Fledging
Late last week, walking with Fang, we came upon a red-shouldered hawk that had just made a kill near Rayzor Ranch Park. She was standing in a field with the…
Restraints destroy relationships
To help promote the new book, I’ve been pitching op-ed pieces to newspapers. It’s interesting to be on the other side of the pitch. It also makes me miss Mike…
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New! Responsible & Responsive Parenting in Autism: Between Now and Dreams
Different Roads to Learning is thrilled to announce the release of our latest publication, Responsible and Responsive Parenting in Autism: Between Now and Dreams.
Written by Shahla Ala’i-Rosales, Ph.D., BCBA-D and Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe, this book explores the role and responsibility parents face when navigating the treatment and care of their autistic child. Built on the three essential principles of Learning, Connecting, and Loving, Ala’i-Rosales and Heinkel-Wolfe offer guidance and a pathway for parents that is filled with hope and agency for their children. This text can be an excellent addition to parent education sessions or a parent-resource library. In their own words:
“We have a responsibility to raise our children with autism as best we can. Parents cannot sidestep this journey. This work is part of how we all develop as humans—nurturing children in ways that honor their humanity and invite full, rich lives. We offer this book as a roadmap for a joyful and sustainable journey. The essence of this journey relies on three powers; learning, connecting, and loving. Each power informs the other. Each amplifies the other. And each power is essential for meaningful and courageous parenting.”
See Sam Run: A Mother’s Story of Autism
"This is a book written from the heart by a mother nearly driven to madness by her son's maniacal behavior. But she slowly learns how to pay attention to what makes Sam tick, what makes Sam run. And as her journey of discovering what ails Sam unfolds, many parents will find themselves hooked."
-- George Getschow, Writer-in-Residence, Mayborn Graduate
Institute of Journalism at the University of North Texas
"See Sam Run is well written and poignant as well as emotionally satisfying for the reader. The author's narrative voice is strong, intelligent and authentic. Her story is one that is important to get out."
-- Dianne Aprile, Spalding University
Thousands of children are diagnosed with autism each year, with a rate of occurrence of 1 in 150 births, compared to 5 per 10,000 just two decades ago. This astounding escalation has professionals scrambling to explain why the devastating neurological disorder, which profoundly affects a person’s language and social development, is on the rise. Are we simply getting better at diagnosing autism, or is a modern health crisis unfolding before us?
Purchase See Sam Run
Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe
Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe received a master’s degree in journalism from the University of North Texas. She was among the first members of Families for Early Autism Treatment (FEAT) in California. Following the death of an autistic teenager shot by a police officer, Heinkel-Wolfe helped researchers at the University of North Texas find funding for autism research, including a grant for a police training program now used by police departments across the nation. She lives in Denton, Texas, with her son, Sam, and her two other children, Michael and Paige.
