Atypical Familia

  • Home
  • About
  • Autism
    • Our Autism Journey
    • Autism Resources
    • Autism Parenting
    • Tips
    • Autism in NYC
  • Familia
    • Atypical Mami
    • Atypical Dad
    • Atypical Kid
  • Travel
    • Special Needs Travel
    • Philly
    • Road Trips
    • Sesame Place
    • Walt Disney World
  • Life
    • Culture
    • Marriage
    • The Personal
    • Working Mom Life
  • Food + Fun
    • Food
    • DIY
    • FREE Printables
    • Holidays
  • Contact
    • PR Friendly
  • Shop
You are here: Home / Co-Parenting / Single Parenting & Raising Children with Disabilities

Single Parenting & Raising Children with Disabilities

January 7, 2018 by Lisa Leave a Comment

When I first received a review copy of Going Solo While Raising Children with Disabilities by Laura E. Marshak, Ph.D., I put it aside. Two years ago, I didn’t have to think about single parenting, co-parenting or all the other complexities that come with marital separation.

Single parenting & raising children with disabilities via Atypical Familia by Lisa Quinones Fontanez

After Norrin was diagnosed, I started reading every book on autism I could find. In almost every book, there was always something on marriage and the divorce rate. Couples with special needs children have a higher divorce rate. I don’t know if that’s true or just merely coincidence.

Related: The Day My Son Was Diagnosed with Autism

Last year, when I realized Joseph and I needed to separate I started looking for books that could provide some guidance. They all seemed to focus on single parenting, separation and divorce for parents raising “typical” children. And I knew that they wouldn’t work. I knew those stories wouldn’t reflect mine.

When Joseph moved out, I was going through books and rearranging furniture, I found Going Solo While Raising Children with Disabilities. The book I set aside because I thought I wouldn’t ever need it, reappeared at the time I needed it most.

Related: Learning to Spend Time Alone

Going Solo While Raising Children with Disabilities is a MUST READ especially for those new to the single parenting world.

About Going Solo

This is the first book for solo parents whose kids have a wide variety of disabilities (physical, neurodevelopmental, and psychiatric), and who are widowed, separated, divorced, single by choice, adoptive or foster parents, or military spouses with deployed partners.

In Going Solo, Laura Marshak skillfully weaves together extensive interviews and survey results of solo mothers and fathers (and grandparents, too) with reliable coping strategies gleaned from 25 years as a practicing psychologist and specialist in disability adjustment. The book’s insightful personal narratives and the author’s deconstruction of these to offer universal lessons—from the basic (e.g., practice mindfulness to de-stress) to the profound (e.g., cultivate gratitude as the antidote to resentment)—an help readers assess and transform their own lives for the better. Agencies, extended family, and friends will want a copy of this book, too, to support the solos they care about.

I appreciated that this was an easy read and the kind of book where you can read what you want, when you want. I don’t always have the time (or honestly, the desire) to read parenting books straight through. I typically skim the chapters, go through the table of contents and index to find the information I want to read.

The most useful chapters for me were:

  • Coping Day to Day
  • Divorced Parents Making It Work
  • Finding Supports in All Kinds of Places and
  • Dating, and Sometimes “Happily-Ever-Afters.” 

There are also chapters that focus on single dads, conceiving on your own, bereavement and military families.

But the words that provided the most comfort were the personal narratives. They offered honesty, practical advice, insight, inspiration and hope.

Going Solo While Raising Children with Disabilities is available on www.woodbinehouse.com.

Morning commute read because… life doesn’t always turn out the way you planned. 🤷🏻‍♀️ And that’s OK. I’m OK. 🙂 💁🏻‍♀️I received this book 2 years ago from Woodbine House. I put it aside because I didn’t need it then. I guess it’s a good thing I don’t throw stuff out. It’s been helpful so far – let me know if a blog post review would be helpful. #autism #autismparents #autismparent #singlemom #coparenting #coparent #warriormom #keepingitreal #thekidsarealright #thekidisalright #parenting #keeponkeepingon

A post shared by ✨ Lisa Quinones ✨ (@laliquin) on Dec 5, 2017 at 5:50am PST

Related

Filed Under: Autism, Autism/Special Needs Book Reviews, Co-Parenting Tagged With: Autism Book Reviews, Co-parenting, Separation, Single Parenting, Woodbine House Books

« Connecting The Pieces of Autism Through Technology
You Would Have Been… »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Facebook
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Welcome!

LQ blog image

Hi, I'm Lisa aka @laliquin on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest & Snapchat. I'm a 40-something mom raising a son with autism in The Bronx, NYC.

Atypical Familia is a personal blog & resource site for Typical Parents raising Extraordinary Kids. We focus on autism parenting, special needs travel, work/life balance, family entertainment and more. This is parenting from a unique perspective.

Learn more about our Atypical Familia...
youtube-glitter
Autism Parenting Tips from an Autism Mom | Atypical Familia Lisa Quinones-Fontanez

Like Us On Facebook

Facebook Pagelike Widget
Hit a Grand Slam for Autism 300x300
download
wayfair-blogger-button StreamTeam_Red&Black_Transparent
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Let’s Connect!

LQ blog image

I'm Lisa aka @laliquin on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest & Snapchat. Get to know more about me and my familia!

Atypical Familia focuses on autism parenting, special needs travel, work/life balance, family entertainment and more. If you'd like to work with us, send us an email: autismwonderland(@)gmail.com. 

lqf-babble_contributor_badge_white_2x
TODAY.com Parenting Team Parenting Contributor

laliquin

S U N D A Y M O O D S U N D A Y M O O D
It was a beautiful day for baseball. This kid hasn It was a beautiful day for baseball. This kid hasn’t been on the field in almost 2 years. But he got right back into it. It was amazing.  Forever grateful to @d3sportsandrec for creating a space for our kids. #autismawarenessmonth #d3sportsandrec #thebronxisbeautiful #thebronxdoesitbetter #bronxkids
I will always remember this photo taken at Orchard I will always remember this photo taken at Orchard Beach. Norrin was just diagnosed with autism and I was shattered. He was two and a half years old and there were so many milestones that he hadn’t met. I was full of resentment and fear and guilt. I had no idea what the future would look like. I couldn’t see any hope or progress. Norrin is 15 and I am just amazed by how far he has come. He has taught me so much about life. I still have fear. At 15, Norrin’s autism is no longer “cute.” There are things he struggles with and things I work to protect him from. But I have hope today. For that I am so grateful. Sometimes people will apologize when I say “my son has autism.” I assure them, there’s nothing to apologize for. Raising a kid with autism is not easy. There are moments when it still crushes me. But I would not change anything about our journey. It’s made us both who we are. 💙 I am so proud of Norrin. Of all the things I’ve ever done or will do, being his mama is by far the best. #autismawarenessandacceptance
Sometimes self care looks like making yourself a g Sometimes self care looks like making yourself a good dinner. I’m learning to enjoy cooking for one. I don’t need to rely on sandwiches, snacks or Grubhub. I made salmon in the air fryer and it was amazing! I used lemon pepper, garlic parsley, sea salt and olive oil. Super easy and done in 10 minutes. While the airfare was going, I sautéed cauliflower rice using the same seasoning (and butter instead on evolution). Also I don’t know what took me so long to get on the cauliflower rice bandwagon. I am officially sold on it. 
.
.
.
.
#dinnerforone #solocooking #airfryercooking #airfryersalmon #cauliflowerrice
This little girl is 3 months today! 💖 @pawsitiv This little girl is 3 months today! 💖 @pawsitivepixie
It’s always that one damn curl that can’t act It’s always that one damn curl that can’t act right.
My sweet @pawsitivepixie. #nationalpuppyday My sweet @pawsitivepixie. #nationalpuppyday
I burned Norrin’s cookies because I got distract I burned Norrin’s cookies because I got distracted doing my eyes.
When you have good light and peace in your heart, When you have good light and peace in your heart, no filter is required. 🌻

.
.
.
.
#curlyhair #curlypixie #girlswithfades #over40style #thisis45 #curlspoppin #curlsandhoops
And they call it puppy love 💖 Pixie Poe Li. And they call it puppy love 💖 Pixie Poe Li.
🐢 🦥 Slow and steady... I don’t want to mis 🐢 🦥 Slow and steady... I don’t want to miss a thing.
I should be working... but it’s Sunday and I’m I should be working... but it’s Sunday and I’m easily distracted. P.S. Why didn’t y’all tell me about Married at First Sight sooner?! How is it that 9 seasons in, I’m just discovering it?
cre•ate : bring (something) into existence 🌻 cre•ate : bring (something) into existence 🌻 woke up grateful for another day and the life I’ve been able to create. Day by day, my life gets better because I get better. It’s been a slow process. First I had to figure out the life I wanted. Then I had to realize that I DESERVE the life I wanted.
Happy. Unhappy. Stronger. Weaker. Better. Worse. C Happy. Unhappy. Stronger. Weaker. Better. Worse. Change. Complain. Accept. Deny. Accomplish. Regret. Finish. Quit. 
I DECIDE. 👊🏽
🦋 🦋
As Featured In 2017 - bottom footer

Copyright © 2021 · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress