Here's a blurb about Making Lemonade: Parents Transforming Special Needs from the author's website:
When life gives you lemons, how you approach, process, and transform them makes all the difference. Especially for parents facing the sour experiences of raising a child with developmental, behavioral, and/or health needs.
Mirroring the steps of a recipe for making lemonade, the book covers the pucker reaction, the juicing process where it can feel as though one’s guts are being ripped out, adding the sugar of hope, adding siblings to the mix, watering down with life, stirring it all together within a pitcher of support, chilling, sipping, and sharing the end result.
Incorporating practical strategies from a Christian worldview and the emotional stories of parents, including the author, busy in the kitchen of life, readers will find hope and encouragement as they face their own lemons.
If there is one thing I can say about this book, that is that it's heartfelt and honest. Candee doesn't shy away from the strong, many times conflicting emotions that come from having a child diagnosed with special needs (autism, rare genetic disorders, etc). She's quick to point out that children aren't lemons (and that lemons aren't defective fruit). They are simply sour experiences, and that the challenges that come from parenting these children often can be "sour."
As a counselor, reading this book gave me a lot of insight into the emotional processing that happens behind the scenes when parents facing these special challenges. Sometimes in session, it can be hard to put words to some of the experiences they face.
But for a parent who has a child with special needs, I can only imagine the camaraderie and support they would receive from reading it. To know that they are not alone in their journey would be like opening the doors to a literary support group every time they crack the pages.I really appreciate the faith element that Candee included. I understand that she was told by various people to tone down the God-aspect of the book so that it would have a more far-reaching audience, but the God-aspect is what makes the lemonade! It's what brings the hope. I'm so glad Candee left it as is, and I have no doubt it will be a great affirming book for parents in need.
Candee has offered to give away an ebook copy of her book of a voucher for 50% off the print version (winner's choice). So if you have a child with special needs, or simply want to better empathize with parents who do, leave a comment below to be entered for this book.
Let's Analyze: How would having a child with special needs be like making lemonade from lemons?
