Not My Boy!: A Father, a Son, and One Family's Journey with Autism
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Former pro football star Rodney Peete presents a touching story about living with an autistic son. Publishers Weekly Former NFL star quarterback Peete sheds his macho gridiron side and pours his heart out in his no-holds-barred family memoir, recounting the stresses of having a child with severe autism and the daunting challenge of realigning parental expectations. Recollecting golden memories of a supportive father's role in his successful life, he imagines a similar time with his son, R.J., but everything changes for the worse when R.J. is diagnosed with autism at age three. His marriage almost collapses under the weight of the diagnosis while his valiant wife, Holly Robinson Peete, emerges as the child's advocate amid Rodney's overwhelming anger and denial, ultimately triumphant in getting R.J. the proper attention. This invaluable parental primer on guiding an autistic child through the medical and therapeutic maze along with strengthening a besieged marriage will give renewed hope to all those in the same situation. A portion of this book's proceeds will go to autism charities. (Apr.)
Contents Acknowledgments....................ixPrologue....................11. Dreams of Every Dad....................72. The Wake-up Call: The Diagnosis....................183. Denial, Anger, and Everything In Between....................344. Team R.J....................505. In the Mainstream....................746. You Do the Math....................977. Epilogue: Singing His Song....................1128. Marriage: You've Got to Get the Man Right....................1219. Siblings: Little Brothers and Big Sisters....................13710. Tough Love: Discipline and a Special Needs Child....................15511. From Butterflies to Beckham: Part of the Team....................17412. Making Friends....................19313. The Other Spectrum....................21114. You're Not Alone....................224Afterword....................233Appendix: The Welcome to Autism Handbook....................237
