What we’re into

Book Review

Shtum by Jem Lester, published by Orion Books

This brilliant book was first published in 2016, but if you’ve not yet read it then we highly recommend that you do – it’s a great book in so many different ways.

Whilst Shtum is a work of fiction it was inspired by the author’s own experience of parenting his son. One of the things I loved most about this book was that it gave an honest, at times unflinching, but also often darkly funny insight into the world of special needs parenting. A world that can often feel distinctly Kafkaesque. Throughout the book Ben, the narrator of the story and the father of 11 year old Jonah, charts the often paradoxical fight his family faces to try to ensure that Jonah receives the support he needs in order to thrive. It’s not always an easy read, but it is an important one. Families like Ben’s should not be invisible, but they so often are, which is why it is so incredible when a book like this one comes along!

Tv Series Review

There she goes

As with our book choice this groundbreaking TV series is not a new series, but in June 2023 the BBC broadcast a one-off hour long special which the Guardian review described as ‘a beautiful, cathartic return for David Tennant and Jessica Hynes.’ This, possibly final, episode offers some truly moving moments of growth, hope and indeed happiness for Simon and Emily, the often overwhelmed parents of the central character Rosie, impressively portrayed by the young actor Miley Locke.

The first episode of Season 1 was aired in October 2018, the success of the show saw it return for a second series in 2020. All too often shows are described as groundbreaking when often they might merely be shocking in some way, but this series actually has managed to be truly groundbreaking, and has done something that very few TV shows manage – it made the viewers care about it’s central characters, despite them not always being easy to like. We are all flawed and complicated at times, and perhaps never more so then when we are being tested to our limits by the challenges of parenting, especially when our parenting journey is not the one we expected to be on.

The series was created and written by writers Sarah Crawford and Shaun Pye, and based on their own experiences with their daughter who was born with a chromosomal disorder. They have been open in sharing that they borrowed heavily from their own experiences and feelings in creating their characters, and were brave enough to share the often hidden truth, that many parents of complex children whose behaviours can be deeply challenging do wish that things were different. Parental love is not always instant, it is not always easy, and it does not always mean loving everything, every moment, or every part of your child. But it is love that gets us through, or indeed love and humour often, and that is what this show illustrates so brilliantly, and with such integrity. The Yates family are far from perfect, but no families are, and this wonderful show gives a hugely important insight into the chaotic world of special needs parenting.

Blog Review

Simply Emma - One of the UKs Leading Disability Travel Resourcesproviding comprehensive reviews and advice on accessible travel

When Emma is not travelling she lives with her partner Allan and her two cats in a small town in Scotland. She set up her blog, Simply Emma, to share her experiences, insights and knowledge of accessible travel and it has gone from strength to strength, becoming one of the leading travel and disability blogs. Emma lives with limb girdle muscular dystrophy, and as she puts it her wheels are her legs, Emma loves to travel, to enjoy new experiences and adventures, and hopes that her experiences will encourage others, both with or without a disability, to try to travel more, to seek out new horizons, make new discoveries and to enjoy all the sights, sounds and experiences the world has to offer.

Emma’s brilliant website combines her personal stories with accessible travel guides, accommodation reviews, a range of lifestyle reviews, as well as handy hints and resources. It’s a brilliant way to get some travel inspiration, to help you plan your trip or just lose an hour or so enjoying her engaging and informative website – overall a fantastic blog and resource!

Visit the blog www.samebutdifferentcic.org.uk