Different:
The Story of an Outside-the-Box Kid and the Mom Who Loved Him
By Sally Clarkson & Nathan Clarkson
Reviewed by : Ashley Davis
Whether you are a parent or not, you’ve likely interacted with a child that seemed… different to you, like something about them just wasn’t typical. In their book Different, mom and son duo, Sally & Nathan Clarkson, share their personal experience of growth and discovery. Sally knew from an early age that Nathan was different. His unique preferences and wiring led the Clarkson family to seek help that resulted in a formal diagnosis of anxiety, OCD, and more. Sally determined not to view her out-of-the-box child as “troubled” or in need of “fixing” but chose to view his differences as parts of him that God could use to make him great.
This book begins with an invitation to celebrate our uniqueness and the special imprint of God’s divine hand on each of our lives – and the lives of our children. Oftentimes, we view disorders as singularly “bad,” but in truth, they can serve to help individuals with challenges, and those around them, grow and learn in a variety of ways. In the bulk of this book, readers will experience what it was like growing up different in the Clarkson home specifically. That being said, Sally & Nathan’s intention with this book is not to create a copy/paste formula for other families. They simply share their experience, philosophy, and what worked well (or not so well!) for their family.
The specificity of the content is this book makes it hard to share much more information, but if you have a child that you think may be out-of-the-box or if you work regularly with children, Different will prove to be an eye-opening and empathy-increasing read for you. It’s reassuring to hear about a child that “made it” from being a young child struggling intensely with OCD, ADHD, ODD, and other learning challenges into an accomplished, independent adult that is coping well.
Please note that the quotes I liked from Different do give a somewhat one-sided view of the book because I am coming to the text as a parent. If you read this because you feel like you’re an out-of-the-box or different person, I’m certain you would be noting different things!
Here are some quotes I like from Different:
“Clay and I had looked at Nathan's disabilities and measured the possibilities of his life by what he couldn’t do, the we would indeed have limited his life and doomed him a failure” (120).
“But I knew that no one could thrive under constant correction and criticism, so I tried hard to give grace as well. Knowing when to correct and train, when to overlook, and when to enjoy and praise is a constant balancing act for a parent, but I tried to err on the side of compassion and sympathy…” (145).
“I had to learn that God never intended me to judge my children's value by how well they fit the assembly line of cultural expectations or my own dreams of what I thought motherhood should be like” (193).
Audience:
Mothers, people that work with children or youth, or those who feel they may be out-of-the-box
Usefulness Rating:
This book is useful because it can provide some practical ways for families to learn to cope with unique personalities and disorders and reassure the reader that they are not alone or without help during a challenging season.
Entertainment Value:
The Clarksons have an entertaining writing style in this book, but it’s not intended for mere entertainment.
Good For Groups:
This book is not designed for groups.
For more information about this book or other reading suggestions, feel free to contact me directly.
