Reviews for Touching the Halo: An Emotional and Spiritual Journey of Parenting a Child with Disabilities

The average rating for Touching the Halo: An Emotional and Spiritual Journey of Parenting a Child with Disabilities based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2015-06-03 00:00:00 KiGa Pride A collection of essays about how to raise a differently abled child. The essays themselves are not as interesting as the little author bios at the end. The authors themselves deal with a range of issues, from cognitive difficulties to near paralysis. The use in this collection lies less in the text than in the reassuring subtext that all of these people have happy lives--your child can too. What I got from this book: advocate for your child. Trust your instincts and don't blindly follow the directions of health professionals. Every disability is a little different, so pay attention and be inventive in how you work with it. Don't be mysterious about visits to the doctor: explain what's going on and make the visit something you're doing *with* your child. One essay spoke of hospital visits turning into adventures, because afterward he'd get ice cream and a trip to a museum. Don't pity your child, or leave them dependent on you; encourage them to make choices (even if at first its as small as what to wear that day) and speak to non-relatives. Don't assume that because your child is disabled, they have no sexuality or chance at romance.

Review # 2 was written on 2011-03-03 00:00:00 Barbara Benoy This book of 40 essays is a fascinating (and quick!) read. I would recommend it for EVERYONE, because we all need a little more compassion and understanding toward anyone who has an obvious disability or doesn't look/act "normal." My favorite quotes from this book: "I wish that someone would tell parents about the virtues of ballpark normalcy. Ballpark normalcy refers to a life that is not quite normal'but is 'in the ballpark.' This type of life is a little harder than a normal life. It is also a little better because one has the heightened perception and quirky insight that comes from being on the circumference of the mainstream." "I do not wish to change Mark, nor my own blindness. I truly believe that every life is worth living and that our fundamental equality as human beings springs from the deeper meaning of our common humanity." "The diagnosis was made by a team of professionals at a school for children with disabilities. 'Atypical Development, Strong Autistic Tendencies, and Psychotic.' Why not throw in the kitchen sink,too?" (ha ha!!!) . . .(years later) . . . "Another evaluation placed me as 'neurotic' rather than 'psychotic.' Things were moving up in the world for me!" I love this guy's sense of humor. :) "Every person is special in their own way. I walk with a major limp and have a disability. Some people have bad vision and need to wear thick glasses. Other people are born with big noses. All of these things sculpt who we are. We can't do anything about it but accept it and embrace it." "If I could rewrite my history . . . I would have been frequently reminded that I was unique and talented instead of only being told, at school, that I was lazy, willful, and not living up to my potential'and being told, at home, that I was a disappointment and embarrassment to the family. I'm sure that my parents really did love me, but in their frustration and disappointment, they forgot to tell me about their love."