Differently Wired: A Parent’s Guide to Raising an Atypical Child with Confidence and Hope

It's like Debbie wrote this book just for my family and I know so many other parents will feel the same. Having navigated three schools by the time we ended first grade (a neighborhood school, a highly-capable program, and a thankfully short stint in a contained classroom for "social-emotional learning"), Debbie's similar experience in attempting to find a school fit for her own child several years older than my own was incredibly validating, and her guidance is invaluable as the search for "fit" becomes a much larger task encompassing all aspects family life, community life, and outward. I have a huge stack of "should-read" books in my office that I've attempted to begin and stopped because it was too much work to glean too little helpful information. Debbie's book is the *only one* that I have literally gobbled and could not put down as every page felt relevant and truly compelling to read. Debbie is a leader in the paradigm shift that our twice exceptional families need so fervently as we navigate the many challenges of parenting without a roadmap for our exceptional young people. In reading an advance copy of the book a few weeks back, I realized that Debbie has provided us with an invaluable tool for navigating the murkier, emotional, gut-level decision making for our children. A process that is often lonely, isolated and confusing because conventional thinking on parenting and education do not apply, she shines a searchlight on. Her approach has echoed my own in finding that a positive, affirming approach goes so much further than the common behavioral approaches used in school and more traditional therapy which can be triggering and unhelpful for our kids. The message to lean-in and support our exceptional children's strengths while supporting them in other thoughtful ways is loud and clear and we'll be shouting from the rooftops to share all the goodness compiled in this book.

I'm not actually done with this book yet, but so far I've thoroughly enjoyed the content and have found it reassuring and helpful. There is a lot of information with mention of resources for further research on specific topics, and lots of tips regarding parenting approaches to possibly shift one's parenting style of an atypical child. In addition, I appreciate the focus towards embracing individuality in our kids and the encouragement of blocking out the judgement of others as a parent. Very affirming and supportive.

Reading this book and leaning into the community Debbie Reber has inspired with her honesty, integrity and wisdom has helped me more than anything else I have done in the past three years of struggling with the positive and negative intensity/challenging behaviors of my now 13 year old child. Her website and resources have become a daily practice for me. Her focused questions and reframing, and lens shifting, along with very practical advice for navigating through this overwhelming space continue to give me the hope and confidence I have been seeking to parent a child wired so differently from my other more neurotypical child. I am so grateful to her for writing the book and for all the energy, commitment, structure and support she provides with her ongoing podcasts, deep dives into specifics, book reading and parent support groups and advocacy in this space. Finally, I truly appreciate her openness and curiosity and her tone which is somehow deep and philosophical yet genuine and funny- and always compassionate and practical- all at the same time!

Nothing has spoken to my parenting soul as much as the community Debbie has created through Tilt Parenting and now with this book. I was a parent who read EVERYTHING to get a handle on what was going on, to figure out how to best raise my child, and nothing, NOTHING, spoke to my reality. There was a glimmer here and there that I latched on to, but ultimately, they failed; ie. we failed. For years, I was certain that either I was manipulating all of the tools incorrectly or that my daughter wasn't capable. A lot of shame. Nobody around me was having the same issues or feeling the same way. Tilt Parenting, and now Differently Wired, gives much needed space for an honest, uplifting conversation about the complexity and the beauty of raising an out-of-the-box child, especially for this neurotypical, very much in-the-box mom. There is such relief in finding your tribe and bolstering your confidence so that you can advocate and ultimately meet valid needs for both yourself and your people. I wholeheartedly recommend Differently Wired for everyone. Parents, school employees, camp counselors, law enforcement, librarians, grandparents, neighbors: everyone. You will see community members in this book and get the privilege to better see their lives. You will find your tribe in this book. Families like mine are everywhere, more often than not struggling on the fringe, and the conversations that can be born out of this book are exciting. Debbie has orchestrated a resource pool like no other. All those years ago, I needed exactly this and here it is. It's an easy, although emotional, read that will lead to broadening our scope of awareness and acceptance of ourselves and others.

I cried through the first quarter of this book. A lot of it is pretty common sense, but there are a few good tips in here, plus a ton of empathy. Also, for those starting on this journey, there is a lot of justification of what you're feeling. I wish it had more info on how to educate the reluctant educators in your child's life (the author ended up home schooling her child) but otherwise, it's very helpful and I love the "let's make this a movement" attitude -- it's right on!

Very helpful and necessary.

“Your child [has ADHD, Autism, PDD-NOS, is gifted, has sensory processing disorder…]” The day you hear these words, whatever they are, everything changes. Looking back, you were navigating day to day, doing the best you could with hands full of challenges. Now you’ve stepped into a world of treatment and politics and debates about cures or whether what you’re experiencing even exists! Welcome to the world of the differently wired. Debbie Reber, founder of Tilt Parenting and the Tilt Parenting podcast, is here to greet you with open arms. She’s bravely stepped into the big conversation on neurodiversity with a friendly, judgement free catch-all: “differently wired;” and an armload of “tilts” offered to help parents reframe some of the challenges that come with these gifts as opportunities. Imagine looking at, say, a spilled pitcher of milk not as a disruption but with curiosity, “What was he trying to do?” and you get the idea. In “Differently Wired,” Deb offers eighteen accessible, thought provoking Tilts, each focusing on one aspect of life with an atypical kiddo; each offering a way to maybe just look at things from a slightly different angle – and see what happens. Woven throughout with stories of her own experience and that of many others in similar situations, the whole package is encouraging, empowering, and kind. Sweet validation, with some new ideas and strategies thrown in. It’s a fun, engaging, and valuable read – and Deb brings a wonderful new voice to the conversation.

Really enjoyed this book. Easy to read, informative and interesting stories shared

As a father of a 5 yr old boy, that has not been diagnosed with any particular behaviour/s, I have to say that I am extremely grateful for this impartation. It couldn't have come at a greater time. I've learnt from this book that it is way better to seek understanding of what your child is going through and adapt in order to enhance, not only your child's learning experiences but also, your child's overall wellbeing and happiness whilst growing up. Stop blaming your child and accusing them of being the spawn of satan and start embracing who they are. The book helps and advises all parents to 'check themselves and unlearn' in order to change the trajectory of your child's future and your entire family.. and so.. life. Kudos to the author.. how wonderful is it to share knowledge and experience in this way. Amazing read.. especially for those who are dealing with issues that others cannot recognise as being 'normal'. This book will wake you up from the start of your reading and it through commonality in the reading you will find peace in this book. Trust me on that (struggling) parents(?). invest now and save yourself years of stressing aimlessly!!

I love everything about this book. It helps me feel less alone in the 2e "battle" and is inspiring me with new ways to advocate for my son.