Autism Dad: Adventures In Raising An Autistic Son: Autism Dad, #1

By Rob Errera

"An amazing window that makes you love this family and embrace your own."  — Goodreads

Autism is a challenging puzzle ... but Autism Dad has a clue! 

Follow the adventures of Autism Dad in this collection of essays by award-winning syndicated columnist Rob Errera. 

Funny, informative, poignant, and engaging, Autism Dad, Vol 1: Adventures in Raising An Autistic Son explores the initial devastation of an autism diagnosis, the autism/vaccine controversy, autism in the media, education, therapy and treatments. Above all, Autism Dad, Vol. 1 is about living with, raising, and loving a child with autism, told from a father’s perspective. 

These columns are revised and updated in Autism Dad, Vol. 1, along with three new essays and extensive behind-the-scenes notes that reveal the personal struggles and triumphs of raising a special-needs child. 

Autism Dad, Vol 1: Adventures in Raising An Autistic Son, Essays by Rob Errera is available in print and digital formats wherever ebooks are sold online.

• Language: English
• Publisher: GiantDogBooks
• Release date: Oct 4, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465799814

Rob Errera

Rob Errera is a writer, editor, musician, and literary critic. His fiction, non-fiction, and essays have earned numerous awards. He lives in New Jersey with his wife, two kids, and a bunch of rescued dogs and cats. He blogs at roberrera.com, tweets @haikubob, and his work is available in both print and digital editions at all major online booksellers.

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Testimonials

What people are saying about Autism Dad! 

It takes a special person to raise an autistic son, and a gifted person to be able to write about it in such a moving, compelling, and often humorous way — Amazon review

There are few books on autism written by fathers, and this one is informative, poignant and engaging. I won’t give away the ending – but it is priceless! — Smashwords review

A Dad’s perspective on raising an autistic child told in a very insightful and engaging way. A powerful story told with humor and grace. — Amazon review

An amazing window that makes you love this family and embrace your own.  — Goodreads

"A long-time, successful writer, Rob has opened his heart on these pages, and maintained the humor it takes to cope on a daily basis while living a differently-directed life. Autism Dad is a book to share and admire." — Amazon review

An awesome compilation of an amazing family and an amazing little boy. — Amazon review

INTRODUCTION

THE BOOK THAT SHOULD NOT BE

I’M NOT SUPPOSED to write this book. I’m supposed to write science fiction and horror stories. That’s what I’ve always wanted to do, what I’ve been doing since age seven. I’m supposed to be the next Stephen King!

But life had other plans for me, as it does for many of us. A long, strange trip led me to publishing this collection of essays, practically demanded it. I take the old adage, write what you know to heart. I write what I live.

There are nearly three million people in the United States who have autistic children, and countless more across the globe. Half of them are fathers, Autism Dads, and chances are many of them have experienced—or will experience—some of the same things I have. This won’t be a book of answers, or a how-to book. You won’t find out how to recover your child from autism here (but you might elsewhere, so I encourage you to keep researching after you’ve finished reading this book).

I hope these essays show what it is like to live with and raise a child with autism. It’s different from raising a typical child (I have one of those, too). The highs are higher, the lows are lower, and everything’s more intense. At times this is a horror story (Note to Self: be careful what you wish for), but it’s also a drama, a comedy, a political manifesto, a surreal farce, and a personal diary. Ultimately, it’s a love story, as all good tales should be. Love is the engine that drives us all.

This is a book that should not be, yet already is. Most of these essays have already been published over the last eight years. I’m playing Dr. Frankenstein, sewing the pieces together, and waiting to see what rises from the slab.

Rob Errera

October 2011

DIAGNOSIS & BEYOND

IN THE BEGINNING...

I GRADUATED FROM Rutgers University in New Jersey in the early 1990s with a journalism degree, and landed a job as a staff writer for the local weekly, The Wayne TODAY. The newspaper served the northern New Jersey communities of Wayne, Totowa, Little Falls, West Paterson, and others. The job taught me to meet tight deadlines and hone my writing chops. And, thanks to my editor, Nancy Rubenstein, I also got the opportunity to write my own opinion pieces twice a month. Thus, my bi-monthly column, Hmm… was born.

What does Hmm… mean? It’s a sound of consideration, the sound you make when you’re thinking deeply about a subject. Plus, I like that it’s a word (and an ellipse) that can be pronounced with dozens of inflections to convey a variety of meanings, yet only when it’s read does it encompass all of those meanings.

Hmm…

I got pretty good at writing columns, and won a bunch of awards from the regional journalism clubs. In 1996, I left the newspaper to take a job at a national magazine, but Nancy Rubenstein was kind enough to let me keep contributing two columns a month to Wayne TODAY.

Twenty years later I’m still hacking away, espousing my opinion, spreading my wisdom, and generally annoying the fine people of North Jersey. It’s an awesome gig, because Nancy, and her successor at TODAY, Christa Limone, let me write about almost anything (as long as my topics and language stay suitable for a family newspaper – a challenge at times). Looking back over two decades of columns is like looking at snapshots of myself over the years. That’s my life on those pages.

I’ve done a lot of living over the past twenty years. Milestones include getting married, getting divorced, getting remarried, and siring a son and a daughter. My wife and I were riding high and loving life when our son was born in January 2002. Check out this column and see how happy we were…silly fools!

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GRADUATING FATHERHOOD BOOT CAMP

SIX WEEKS OF fatherhood, and already I'm defining myself by the way my kid sees me. I am Thick Hairy Arms that lift him up and down (which is different from Mom's Soft and Smooth Arms). I am Smiling Moon Face with Glasses at other times of the day. I am Stinky Breath at 4 a.m. Beard Stubble Man. I am Waiter, Maid, Chauffeur, Personal Assistant, and Wipe-My-Butt Guy.

Actually my wife is all of these things and more. I'm just the Assistant Waiter, Assistant Maid, etc. But in the past six weeks, I've gotten a good dose of fatherhood.

And I like it.

Like any new job, it's all fun and exciting right now. I'm sure there will be days ahead that won't be so much fun. But after completing six weeks, I'd say that fatherhood is shaping up to be one of the most interesting and rewarding jobs I've ever had. Like I said, it's early yet.

My son, Rocco (hey, no laughing at the name!) has taught me many things in only a short time. We already have a couple of things in common, big meals and long naps among them. Roc's not much for TV at this point, but he does enjoy watching the ceiling fan. Sometimes we'll watch it together for hours. Pretty lights... spinning things... ooohhh... aaahhh... Rocco has also helped me rediscover some of the little things that are easy to overlook in life. A warm blanket is good. A wet bottom is bad. A big dog licking your face is startling at first...but funny!

Rocco has taught me to appreciate sunrises, which I have seen more of in the last six weeks than in my entire 34 years prior. In fact, the whole sleep deprivation aspect of parenthood is something my wife and I severely underestimated. It's brutal. Over the past six weeks we've often wondered if our deceased relatives were aware of Rocco, watching over him like guardian angels. Thanks to the hallucinogenic properties of extreme sleep deprivation, our dead relatives actually drop in from time to time for a visit, if only to point and laugh.

The outpouring of generous gifts from well-wishers has pleasantly surprised Rocco and I. I'm also his Accountant and Asset Manager, heaven help the boy. That kid's

Reviews for Autism Dad

[poac2autism2services · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Autism is a challenging puzzle ... but Autism Dad has a clue! Follow the adventures of Autism Dad in this collection of essays by award-winning syndicated columnist Rob Errera. Funny, informative, poignant, and engaging, Autism Dad explores the initial devastation of an autism diagnosis, the autism/vaccine controversy, autism in the media, education, therapy and treatments.