Book Nook: Differently Wired - Raising an Exceptional Child in a Conventional World

As mother of a “2e” (twice exceptional) son, with the trifecta diagnosis of ADHD, Asperger’s, and gifted, Deborah Reber is well aware that parenting an atypical child in a conventional world is an often lonely and difficult journey. Like her son Asher, 5 percent of school-aged children (2.4 million) in America are identified with having neurological differences— whether it is a learning disability, dyslexia, autism, or anxiety; and as a result are looked at as outliers growing up in a world that doesn’t respect, support, or embrace who they inherently are.

Fueled by a desire to change that, Reber founded TiLT Parenting in 2016 as a first step in shifting the conversation and to help parents find more peace, joy, and support along the way. Debbie's ideas shift the whole paradigm that “different” does not equal “deficit,” as she's done so well with the TiLT podcasts (20K+ downloads). Her stories, specific tips, and key "tilts" show parents a way to find a happier, healthier family dynamic, and allow kids to fully realize their best selves. What first started as a weekly podcast has grown into a thriving global community dedicated to embracing and supporting who their kids are, no matter what.

DIFFERENTLY WIRED: Raising an Exceptional Kid in a Conventional World by New York Times bestselling author Deborah Reber expands on TiLT’s mission, offering a new path for parents of neurodiverse kids. Laying out a vision for redefining how differently wired children are perceived in the world, Reber asks parents to alter their thinking and actions in a way that will not only change the family dynamic but will allow for these children to fully realize their best selves.

Combining personal stories with practical advice, Differently Wired’s frank and powerful discussion of the challenges facing families with neurodiverse children is followed by 18 shifts – called “Tilts” – aimed to offer parents tangible, doable changes that are small day-to-day tweaks with exponential effects.

In Differently Wired, author Debbie Reber offers a new vision for parents of "atypical" kids - the 1 in 5 (2.4 million) children who struggle with ADHD, dyslexia, autism, anxiety, and other neurodifferences, and whose families struggle along with them.

About Deborah Reber

Deborah Reber is a New York Times bestselling author, certified life coach, and speaker who changed her career dramatically in 2016 when she founded TiLT Parenting, a website, weekly podcast, and social media company for parents like her who are raising differently wired children. The TiLT Parenting Podcast has grown to be a top podcast in iTunes’ Kids and Family category, with more than 150,000 downloads and a slate of guests that includes high-profile thought leaders across the parenting and education space. Debbie’s next book is Differently Wired: Raising an Exceptional Child in a Conventional World (Workman Publishing, 2018).

Prior to launching TiLT, Debbie spent the past fifteen years writing inspiring books for women and teens. In doing so, she built a successful brand as a teen authority, was frequently interviewed and spoke about issues like media literacy, self-esteem, and confidence, and consulted for clients including the Girl Scouts, the Disney Channel, McGraw Hill, and Kaplan.

Before becoming a writer and coach, Debbie worked in TV and video production, producing documentaries and PSAs for CARE and UNICEF, working on Blue’s Clues for Nickelodeon in New York, and developing original series for Cartoon Network in Los Angeles. She has an MA in Media Studies from the New School for Social Research and a BA in Communications from Pennsylvania State University.

In the summer of 2013, she moved from Seattle to Amsterdam, where she currently lives with her husband Derin and homeschools her 13-year-old son Asher. You can read more about her at debbiereber.net and tiltparenting.com.