xmlns:og='http://ogp.me/ns#' Yeah. Good Times.: Somebody needs to help me write this book

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Somebody needs to help me write this book

Child 2 is getting to that age where he's starting to ask questions about his brother. Up until now, we've been living with "that's just what he likes to do" and similar answers, but regardless of the lack of judgment we put on his brother's behaviors, he's still noticing that he has a brother who isn't exactly the same as the other kids he knows.

Which is fine, of course. Kids are going to notice things like this and it's our responsibility as their grownups to make sure they get the information they need in order to be a good friend/sibling/partner in crime. So it was with this in mind that I went out and bought a book for him, called "Everybody is Different. A book for young people who have brothers or sisters with autism."

I haven't really had a chance to go through it yet, but it seems like a very sweet book, with sections titled "the three characteristics of autism," "odd behaviours" (it's British) and "so how are you feeling?" As I browsed through the chapter titles, thinking about how I was going to be reading this with Child 2 at some point in the near future, I thought: Why isn't there a book I can read to Child 1? Surely Child 1 has, also, noticed his brother's seemingly odd behaviours? How come he doesn't get a book I can read to him, to explain HIS brother?

So I've decided to flesh out an outline of this new book that needs to be written. Maybe somebody with actual writing skills can help me make this thing a reality.


Part 1: What is "being neurotypical"?

a. Why are some people neurotypical?
b. General behaviours
c. Is there a cure for being neurotypical?

Part 2: Odd Behaviours

a. Why doesn't my brother or sister ever stop talking?
b. Why does my brother or sister want to play with other kids?
c. Why doesn't my brother or sister like BART trains?
d. Why does my brother or sister keep asking me questions when I don't want to answer them?
e. How can my brother or sister be in the same room with parmesan cheese and not want to throw up?
f. Why doesn't my brother or sister understand how awesome elevators are?

Part 3: So how are you feeling?

a. What you can do
b. Will my brother or sister always be like this?
c. Does your brother or sister ever embarrass you?


What do you guys think? Can you think of anything I left out?

Here, I got us started with a cover:





Comments (31)

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:) I like it.
I love it and I LOVE the cover! I insist that you really write this book and really use that cover. It's perfect.
You must write this book. And illustrate it. I will pay real money for this.
I might not be able to contribute real feedback based on my kids but I can add fart jokes to the humor section.
I love it.
The one thing that I often hear in my house is 'Why does he need so much of your time? etc' so could there be a little bit in it about how sometimes parents have to give the ASD child a bit more attention than the Nt child.
"Is there a cure for being neurotypical?" I ask this question every day.. :)
Yes! Please! I will help you. I have been searching for a book like this everywhere. We have "everybody is different" and it was great for my oldest. But this...this is so needed. Tell me how to help you.
Love Love Love Love!!! <3

How about: "Why does my sibling like PDA (public displays of affection)?"
On the back cover, you should have a pic of that kitten and a caption that reads, "if you don't buy this book, a kitten will get punched...it's up to you".
Since I just had a conversation with Allie last night on why Boo will never be normal, I would love this book. In a few years I can imagine Boo wondering why her sister is suffering so with being neurotypical!
I'd like to pre-order my copy, please.
I would buy this. Perhaps we should set up a foundation, too, for the cure of NTs?
Get going lady! Maybe if you do the pictures first the rest will just come to you!
Are you taking pre-orders? Because I need this like yesterday!!!
Yes, do it! A must read, especially the odd behaviors. I mean really, we NTs can be really odd. Like if your brother or sister has a favorite activity (favorite video game in our house), how can they get bored of it? Why don't they want to play it all the time? And the talking and asking questions thing... oh yeah!
You know, if 1 in 50 is now being diagnosed with autism, you could make a killing with this book! Are you taking guest chapters? Profit-sharing?
How much of a Kickstarter advance/time do you need to get this done?
Tell you what... you write the awesome book, and I'll be in charge of the talking spreadsheet.
I will pre-order six copies right now.
With autism now affecting 1 in 50 children, it won't be long before THEY will be the normal ones, and the NTs will have a disorder. The time is right...write that book!

Why does my brother or sister like to talk on the phone?
Why does my brother or sister go to play dates/birthday parties/sleepovers?
Why does my brother or sister not mind how loud the school cafeteria is?
Wouldn't my brother or sister get more exercise if they flapped?
Best idea ever!
Awesome idea.
Brilliant idea! Seriously, explain typical behavior to me because I don't understand it either
Truly, I think you should do it. It doesn't have to be that long. But I think it would be killer.
Great idea, I love it. Just remember to ask for input from autistic kids themselves so that it truly makes sense for your intended audience. I'd buy your book without hesitation. Good luck and hope you really get to do this compilation!
It sounds awesome! Is there any opportunity for some pre-order? ;)
LOVE it. I mean, I don't have more than one child, so a sibling book is sort of useless for me in some ways - but you know, classmates & cousins & stuff like that - why are they not like me? Whatever like me is? Why can't everyone else play with Play-Doh for hours - even if playing with it often involves just leaving it to dry out on the table while doing other stuff - don't you dare put that away! Why don't other people see the joy of sitting in front of a mall water fountain indefinitely? NT people are so complicated.
hey - no idea why i came up by an old user name - me with the kid who likes water fountains - jenny saul-avila here. i don't need no anonymity.
This is an awesome idea. I could have used a book to help me when I was a kid, and I was (am) just an odd duck. Still, I used to watch "normal" kids to learn how to act.

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