Mother Of The Year And Other Elusive Awards

“Kalyn throws open the doors into the world she shares with her autistic son, Noah. While she is frank about experiencing the darkness of grief and worry, her story is remarkable for exposing the laughter, the deep connection with others, and the optimism that so obviously buoy her. In telling her story, Kalyn reminds the reader, and in particular every parent who has faced challenges with a child (and truly, few have not) of the hope and joy that is to be found even amidst isolation and struggle."

Dr. Kent Somers, Clinical Psychologist

 

"This honest portrait of motherhood fundamentally changed by severe autism, with its hardships and triumphs, showcases Kalyn Falk's love, resilience and humor.  It will resonate with other moms whose kids are faced with significant and life-long challenges, and give professionals a glimpse of the emotional circumstances faced by parents on similar journeys."

 Daniela Fazzio, PhD, BCBA-D 

The idea for this book began as I was being interviewed on TV, asked to justify why my child had jumped in the river, requiring a flotilla of police and inadvertent volunteers to save him. “Our house burned down six weeks ago, and we’ve had a lot of stress,” I began. And, as I paused, wondering how to explain the fire, and the river rescue, and the fact that my son was smiling delightedly as he was wheeled away from the scene instead of looking deeply penitent and regretful, I could see my Mother of the Year Award slipping out of my grasp. 

 How can you condense a 14-year relationship with a diagnosis of profound autism into a manageable sound bite? As my life with my son flashed before my eyes, like a demented nightmare of a family brag book, I knew that it just didn’t sound... like nomination material.