Rating: 
Summary: I Laughed, I Cried
Review: I, too, have a high-functioning very smart son with autism about the same age as the boy in this book, so I ordered "A Different Kind of Boy" as soon as I heard about it. I loved it. The way the author showed the events in his family's life and the evolution of his and his wife's perspective was wonderful. I identified with most of the author's experiences, especially those involving interactions with schools and teachers. Besides my autistic son, I have two other sons with different disorders. The frustrations the author in had dealing with trying to get the world to "get it" applies to all three of my sons' situations. I highly recommend this terrific book for teachers, medical professionals, and especially for parents of children with any special needs.
Rating:
Summary: For anyone raising a child
Review: This is a beautiful memoir of committed parents raising a special child but there is much to be learned in it about being attentive to your child's needs and being an advocate for your own child.The honesty of this book is a gift to all of us. It lays bare the struggles, self doubts, trials and errors, as well as successes this family has experienced. The author opens a window for us into the life of his family, involving his wife and their younger child who does not have autism, his parents, and his own siblings. The author describes how they sought resources, worked with the school systems and strategized. Although encounters with unkind, unfeeling or clueless individuals are shown, there are many instances of kindness and support by children and adults that surprised this reader. One comes away amazed by the resourcefulness and committment of these parents. The book is also enjoyable and interesting. I read it the day I received it and was up until 2am to finish it.
Rating:
Summary: For anyone raising a child
Review: This is a beautiful memoir of committed parents raising a special child but there is much to be learned in it about being attentive to your child's needs and being an advocate for your own child. The honesty of this book is a gift to all of us. It lays bare the struggles, self doubts, trials and errors, as well as successes this family has experienced. The author opens a window for us into the life of his family, involving his wife and their younger child who does not have autism, his parents, and his own siblings. The author describes how they sought resources, worked with the school systems and strategized. Although encounters with unkind, unfeeling or clueless individuals are shown, there are many instances of kindness and support by children and adults that surprised this reader. One comes away amazed by the resourcefulness and committment of these parents. The book is also enjoyable and interesting. I read it the day I received it and was up until 2am to finish it.
Rating:
Summary: Don't Mourn for Alex
Review: Totally fascinated with the mathematically gifted autistic Alex, his parents, and the strength of their marriage, I empathize with them as they learn to deal with his uniqueness. Not without humor, Daniel and Nanette Mont show fierce determination as they grapple with the necessity to socialize and school their extraordinary child, while Alex' "NT" (neurologically typical or "normal") younger brother Simon finds his ways of reaching him. I couldn't put the book down.
Rating:
Summary: Don't Mourn for Alex
Review: Totally fascinated with the mathematically gifted autistic Alex, his parents, and the strength of their marriage, I empathize with them as they learn to deal with his uniqueness. Not without humor, Daniel and Nanette Mont show fierce determination as they grapple with the necessity to socialize and school their extraordinary child, while Alex' "NT" (neurologically typical or "normal") younger brother Simon finds his ways of reaching him. I couldn't put the book down.
Rating: 
Summary: A Father's Memoir about raising a Gifted Child with Autism
Review: While reading, A Different Kind of Boy: A Father's Memoir About Raising a Gifted Child with Autism, I found myself stopping early on to recall how my two children were as babies and toddlers before the diagnosis of autism arrived. The author, Daniel Mont, shares his frustrations along with observations as the primary caregiver to Alex, his first born son. While his wife Nannette was working outside the home the first few years, Daniel was spending hours reading books to Alex.
When Daniel got a teaching position at Cornell they moved to upstate New York with Nannette taking over the daily duties pertaining to Alex. They noticed that Alex did not take any interest in other children when at the playground and had difficulty at the store. Since this was their first child when Simon was born a few years later they realized with regret how much slower Alex was with milestones and the lack of social skills.
Daniel shares the relief once the diagnosis was made and the steps taken to get there, including the time a preschool teacher accused them of being abusive parents. There are a few choice words at this point in the book when Daniel incites the rage he was feeling from this attack and how he and Nannette focused on getting some assistance with Alex instead of getting on the defensive. For most families that have a child on the autism spectrum this is a predicament that happens often, and due to the lack of awareness for those who work with small children. Many of his colleagues and family members thought they were spoiling Alex, but later they learned how additional measures need to be put in place to help the autistic child fit in with society and how things work.
Daniel wrote about growing up with a sister who had a disability, but never received a formal diagnosis for her handicap. When Alex was diagnosed Daniel was able to reach out to his mother and learn from her experience. Alex received speech therapy early on with the therapist assisting him in social situations, guiding him in the art of the conversation and how to relate to others.
There is no mention about vaccinations or questioning why Alex is the way he is. Time is spent trying to get inside the world of Alex and how he thinks. The book is written in a style that is easy to comprehend for anyone who lacks information on autism. Daniel mentions a few books that helped him early on and how he joined some internet groups and the guidance he received from adults with autism. The family accepted autism and made adjustments to accommodate Alex so that he could thrive being himself. Daniel and his family grew up in New Jersey, which is where I was raised as well and have a sibling with a disability.
A Different Kind of Boy: A Father's Memoir About Raising a Gifted Child with Autism covers the time from when Alex was born to fifth grade. At this point in time Daniel is picturing life when his sons have moved on to college and their own lives. This was something he was not sure would happen, but now he believes that Alex will have success in life. Family relationships are mentioned and how they handled the loss of Daniel's mother.
I felt the second half flowed smoother than the first. The beginning chapters I had to go back and see what age Alex was at the time since I was confused with the timeframe, due to chapters being out of sequence. Every so often when reading a chapter the author would refer back to his childhood or a few years back with either Alex or Simon.
The author does not gloss over any issues and gives honest feedback on how he felt at pivotal times in his life and the anxiety about school, plus finding friends for Alex. He finished this book after his mother passed on and pursued his acting career further.
This book is perfectly suited for anyone who wants to know more about living with a child who is autistic and would be beneficial to family members who have someone on the spectrum and may live out of town or in another state. This will help parents know what struggles other families have gone through and give guidance on how to navigate the system to enable your child to thrive in their surroundings.
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