Aug 30 2008
Recommendations for the Weekend
I’ve recently come across a book and a movie that I think are worth checking out if you have some time over the weekend.
First a movie: Snowcake. I reacently learned about this movie in which Sigourney Weaver magnificently plays an autistic adult who has just lost her daughter. Aside from being a very moving film about redemption (not hers), the performance gives a fascinating perspective on the world of a person with autism and also the way neurotypical people interact with them. One scene in particular got me a bit riled. After the wake for her daughter, she starts to behave in a way that might be considered by some to be inappropriate to the situation, but she was in her own home. A neighbor tries to stop her. This annoyed me - I hate to see someone go into another’s home and then control what goes on there. If you don’t like it, go the hell back to your own house! Anyway, it’s an excellent film.
Kid, Parents, and Power Strugglesby Mary Sheedy Kurcinka - I read this about 2 months ago and I think I will flip through it again. Some very concrete strategies for interacting with children sans power struggles. What I found most compelling was that Kurcinka spends a lot of time looking at how a parent’s issues will influence their interaction with their child. Although this book does not directly deal with parenting a child with autism, she does address how special needs change the playing field, unlike some other parenting books I’ve read.
If you’ve got any other recommendations, please feel free to share a comment! Have a great Labor Day Weekend!
