Forever Boy: A Mother's Memoir of Autism and Finding Joy

by Kate Swenson

Overview

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

With her popular blog, Finding Cooper's Voice, Kate Swenson has provided hope and comfort for hundreds of thousands of parents of children with Autism. Now, Kate shares her inspiring story in this powerful memoir about motherhood and unconditional love

When Kate Swenson’s son Cooper was diagnosed with severe, nonverbal autism, her world stopped. She had always dreamed of having the perfect family life. She hadn’t signed up for life as a mother raising a child with a disability.

At first, Kate experienced the grief of broken dreams. Then she felt the frustration and exhaustion of having to fight for your child in a world that is stacked against them. But through hard work, resilience and personal growth, she would come to learn that Cooper wasn’t the one who needed to change. She was. And it was this transformation that led Kate to acceptance—and ultimately joy. In Forever Boy, Kate shares her inspiring journey with honesty and compassion, offering solace and hope to others on this path and illuminating the strength and perseverance of mothers.

Look for Kate Swenson’s new book, Autism Out Loud – a moving narrative of resilience and love in which three mothers share their experiences and learnings about life alongside autism.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781638084433
Publisher:	Center Point
Publication date:	09/01/2022
Series:	Platinum Nonfiction
Edition description:	Large Print
Pages:	408
Product dimensions:	5.81(w) x 8.68(h) x 1.25(d)

About the Author

Kate Swenson is the creator of the blog and Facebook page Finding Cooper’s Voice. She speaks regularly about autism, parenting, and motherhood, and is a contributor to TODAY Parents, The TODAY Show, and the Love What Matters blog. Her mission is to create a safe space for families of children and teens with special needs to come together and laugh, cry, and support each other. She lives in Minnesota with her family.

Editorial Reviews

"Until the late twentieth century, autism was hidden in plain sight. Now it’s a public health priority and focus of extensive research. However, it remains a black box. While we wait for answers, extraordinary people like Kate Swenson, through their dedicated and resourceful efforts have taken it upon themselves to create a nurturing environment in which children like Cooper can grow and thrive. Forever Boy will be an inspiration to all who face the challenge of caring for special needs children." —Dr. Jeffrey A. Lieberman, Lawrence C. Kolb Professor and Chairman of Psychiatry, Columbia University

“Forever Boy is a candid journey through the beauty and battles of having a child with autism. Kate blends wit and wisdom in an unapologetic account of marriage, motherhood and unconditional love. She captures the struggles, expectations and reality all parents face while advocating for their children. It's a story of unexpected loss; enduring hope and most importantly, newfound understanding. It should be mandatory reading for teachers or for anyone who has children or is thinking of having children.” –Colin Balfe, founder of Love What Matters


"Kate Swenson has pulled the curtain back to show first-hand the challenges of life with a child with severe autism. For those who are in the dark about the disability, or know little about it, her story will be an eye opener." —Valerie Gilpeer, co-author of I Have Been Buried Under Years of Dust

“This wise, inspiring book will appeal to not only parents of children with autism, but anyone interested in stories about the selflessness and endurance of maternal love. A candid and hopeful addition to the personal literature on pediatric autism.” —Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

This wise, inspiring book will appeal to not only parents of children with autism but anyone interested in stories about the selflessness and endurance of maternal love.”

Kirkus Reviews

2022-01-05
An advocate for autistic children reflects on life with her son, Cooper, who was born with severe autism.

When a premarital counselor asked Swenson and her boyfriend at the time, Jamie, how they would cope with the challenges of caring for a child on the autism spectrum, they balked. “What a silly question,” she writes. “That would not happen to us. He went on to briefly talk about the stress of hav­ing children, and how a child with special needs intensifies it. I remember not being jarred by the question, not in the slightest. I mean, we were healthy and invincible.” After suffering a miscarriage, the couple’s second pregnancy resulted in Cooper, who could not be comforted by touch. Cooper mystified the author and made her an outsider to the “exclusive club” of mothers with so-called “normal” children. As she struggled to make sense of her situation and the attendant personal and financial challenges, Jamie distanced himself. Though they divorced, they became more committed to giving their children—especially Cooper, who had been diagnosed with severe, language-impeding autism—“their best life.” Finally able to work as a team, she and Jamie fought doctors and schools to give Cooper what he needed, and they remarried each other. Despite their loving care, Cooper was subject to fits of rage so violent that they feared for the safety of their other children. The author, creator of the blog Finding Cooper’s Voice, finally decided to medicate Cooper to ameliorate the anxiety that stalked him, despite her fear that drugs would turn him into a “zombie.” The result was miraculous. Much calmer in general, Cooper began to build a small vocabulary that helped him emerge from the lonely world in which he had been trapped. This wise, inspiring book will appeal to not only parents of children with autism, but anyone interested in stories about the selflessness and endurance of maternal love.

A candid and hopeful addition to the personal literature on pediatric autism.

Kirkus Reviews