Would You Teach A Fish To Climb A Tree?

Written by Gary M Douglas and Dr. Dain Heer

Narrated by Anne Maxwell

Would You Teach a Fish to Climb a Tree?: A Different Take on Kids with ADD, ADHD, OCD and Autism provides us with a refreshing and new perspective on these children who are so different from their peers. Co-authored by three practitioners who have had remarkable success working with them, this audiobook is filled with practical tools, stories, observations, and life-changing questions that can be used by anyone who has one of these kids in their life and who is looking for something different.

These children are magical and you are sure to fall in love with many of them. There are many magical adults as well... those who are willing to step beyond what so many experts in the field advocate and into what they actually know to be effective with the children. Parents and siblings and relatives; teachers and therapists and administrators; peers and loved ones and friends... all will benefit from this groundbreaking audiobook.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Author's Republic
• Release date: Mar 13, 2018
• ISBN: 9781518995651

Reviews for Would You Teach A Fish To Climb A Tree?

[Cindy Konopelski · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The first hour was really interesting. The author talks about her background and qualifications. She gives interesting antidotes about children she's worked with. There is practical advice with examples. After an hour she starts talking about how autistic children are telepathic. That's when I stopped listening.

[Sagaevan · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Couldn’t even finish the last 2/3rds of this book. An awful voyeuristic objectification of children with mental disorders and disabilities. The first few pages sound perfectly reasonable, saying stuff like “people with disabilities aren’t good or bad, just different,” but quickly flies off the handle when the author details his “ability” to communicate with horses and wolves and how it’s applicable to human children of varying neurodivergencies via telepathy. Not a joke. While on one hand this book correctly argues that children with disabilities just have different needs but doesn’t make them other, it then proposed that these same children actually have telepathic superpowers. Actually. At one point we are presented the scene of a mother wanting her nonverbal autistic child to leave the author’s therapy office, and he lightly scolds her for not communicating that information telepathically to her son instead of verbally. It’s buck wild. The book suggests that simply having better thoughts about your child will improve their behavior. That’s the most annoying thing about this, is that there’s some kind of good advice buried in there if you look for it. Changing your thoughts and mindset when it comes to caring for your disabled child would certainly help you a long way, but simply having those thoughts isn’t going to make your child stop throwing tantrums in the grocery store because the electronic hum coming off the slightly flickering fluorescent lights stresses them.

While saying “disabilities are superpowers!” can sound empowering on a surface level, it actually just results in further othering of people with disabilities. We are not superheroes. We are people. Especially concerning is how this book frames all its anecdotes around the parents of neruodivergent children, as opposed to the child themselves. Granted a lot of these kids are nonverbal so that makes communication difficult, but on the other hand I thought you could communicate with these children telepathically? Simply conduct an interview or let the child lead a discussion over the brain waves, ask them how telepathic they’re feeling today. Unfortunately most texts on disabled people are framed around their caretakers instead of the disabled person, but that’s no excuse. The perspective of those actually living with these conditions are invaluable, framing it around their caretakers always results in the same story of “they were such a burden, but my love for them helped pull us through!”

Though as well intentioned as this book tries to be, the harm it creates and perpetuates takes precedent. If you are someone trying to open yourself up and be more sensitive to those struggling with disabilities, look elsewhere.

[Jess Searcy · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

DNF (33%) This book started out ok but when it started talking about solving problems by communicating with your children telepathically, I realized it wasn't going to help me.

[Layla · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

DNF. Started out good but then went into hippy dippy garbage about telepathy, infinite beings & past lives etc. Not what I was expecting at all.

[LynneGauthier · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Ignoring the unscientific stuff like telepathy and past lives, the themes here were helpful. There are also useful ways of communicating with your child. I started using some of the tools with my son and there is now a positive shift in how he views his differences from others.

[B E · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Amazing insight into the consciousness that most of us don't utilize. Must read again. Gary has a wonderful talent and insight.

[Oana Merisescu · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I am sooo greatful for this book. The perspective that special kids are actually the X-men is really empowering. I actually changed my perspective of my own body capacities, and even realized that i could comunicate with images and thoughts. This opens up so many possibilities, and i thing it gives ease and a sense of confort to caregivers and parents. So greatful ❤

[Chad Merk · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was so eye opening and amazing. I will probably listen and relisted to this book many times in the future. It is great for Nerodivergent adults or adults with kids or who know someone with kids that are also Nerodivergent!!! Thank you!