Consumer Critique: The Spark

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What do you do if you feel that the "experts" are going about your autistic son's therapy all wrong? That was the dilemma faced by Kristine Barnett, and the journey she explores in The Spark: A Mother's Story of Nurturing Genius. Her son was diagnosed with autism at age 2, and as she watched his special education teachers stifle his interests in favor of of more basic skills, she saw him become more withdrawn. Pulling him out of special programs and using her daycare experiences and belief in play, she nurtured his inherent interests and had amazing success.
Although neither of my kids are autistic, I can empathize with her. Although experts, therapists, and teachers are highly trained, and do wonderful things, they may not always do exactly what's best for every child. This comes not because we don't want to, but because sometimes the parents see things we don't and are able to grab on to that and work in ways we can't. The same can be said of my daughters - I know their strengths and weaknesses better than anyone, because I spend the most time with them. I'm glad I had the opportunity to read Kristine's story, and I think it's very inspiring for anyone who feels their child doesn't fit the mold and isn't getting what they need - whether they're gifted and talented, autistic, have learning disabilities, or just have some other quirk.