My first book: All Across The Spectrum
“To all the parents trying their hardest to give their children the best life possible despite the circumstances, you are not alone. This book is for you.“
Eileen Lamb, founder of The Autism Cafe, takes us on a journey of love, acceptance, and self-discovery in All Across the Spectrum. As the mother of a severely autistic nonverbal son, and as someone living with high-functioning autism herself, Eileen’s unique story, coupled with her stunning collection of photography, is an inspiration and tribute to all who overcome the impossible and persevere for those they love.
Get a hardback copy here: All Across The Spectrum
Get the Kindle version or hardcopy on Amazon: All Across The Spectrum
Excerpt 1:
Charlie,
Today was one of those days. We got the results back from your PPCD speech assessment. They evaluated your ability to communicate. If your delays in speech and communication were significant enough, you’d be eligible to attend the special-needs classroom. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that you would qualify. Still it hit me kinda hard when the speech therapist called back with the results. You scored in the 1st and 2nd percentiles for the two speech and communication tests. The bottom of the scale. “The gap is quite severe”, she said.
You know what Charlie? Those tests are stupid. Albert Einstein said, “If you judge a fish by its inability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid”. I wish they would have evaluated your amazing ability to sort objects by size and color! I wish they’d evaluate your creativity when playing with blocks and the shapes you make. I wish they would evaluate your ability to make high towers and be so delicate when doing so. I wish they would evaluate your great taste in music.
Your inability to communicate and speak doesn’t define you. Autism doesn’t define you. You are unique, and you can do so much more than they saw at first glance. Let’s just forget about the numbers and focus on what you can do. I have a feeling that one day you will show them – one day you will tell them what you can really do.
Excerpt 2:
To the mom running her child to ABA therapy while her friends are driving their children to soccer practice, you’re not alone.
To the mom carrying around a PECS book, you rock!
To the dad avoiding milestone conversations with his friends because his child is years behind, your child is perfect just the way he is.
To the mom embarrassed by her son’s screams at the grocery store, I’ve been there too—yesterday, actually.
To the mom on her computer researching what kind of therapy is best for her child, your child is lucky to have you as his advocate.
To the dad afraid of taking his child to a restaurant, park or any kind of public place, I know—it’s difficult.
To the mom still mourning the dream of taking her son to the movies or baseball practice, it may not happen how you pictured it, but it will.
To the dad feeling silly because he celebrated when his son said “buh” for bubbles, every single victory is worth celebrating. Open up that champagne!
To the mom holding in her tears after another therapy report that makes her feel like her child is not progressing, don’t lose hope!
To the dad wishing his daughter would talk, me too—you’re not alone.
You are not alone! We are not alone. When you feel hopeless, when you’re struggling to keep going, remember that you’re not alone. When you feel like nobody notices you unless your child is screaming… when you’re wondering how you’re going to do it any longer, I want you to remember that you’re doing an amazing job. I know you love your child—you’re doing the best you can. When you feel like nobody understands what you’re going through, remember that I do and there are a lot of us out here.
It’s okay to have bad days—we all do. To all the moms and dads out there who are trying their hardest to give their children the best life possible despite the circumstances, you are amazing and your child knows it even if he/she can’t say it. Here’s to you!
Eileen Lamb – All Across The Spectrum
My second book: Be The One
I’ve written this book for you who feels so deeply or “too much,” as others have said. In this book, I celebrate deep feelings and show you the power in their vulnerability. Whether you’re searching for who you are or for someone else who gets you, this book is for you. The short passages inside will inspire you with their themes of friendship, love, and self-discovery. You are not alone. We are not alone.
Eileen Lamb – Be The One
Get Be The One on Amazon as Hard Copy or Kindle Version: Be The One
Get Be The One on Shop Catalog (worldwide shipping):
