Featured Guest—Kim NixAuthor—No One is Perfect: YOU are a Great Kid
I hope you enjoy Kim's story.
When I began writing this story, I simply needed to remember conversations and situations that involved my son and his desire to understand why he felt the way he did. My son's experiences dealing with overwhelming emotions and at times uncontrallable/confusing behavior made this story easy to write.
We wondered if it was fair to our son for me to tell the story accurately. Would doing so cause embarrassment for him when others realized the depth of his emotional disabilities?
We let him decide. He told us, "If it can help other kids it's okay with me".
We, my son and I, told his story hoping that children who face similar challenges will realize they are not alone. I feel quite certain millions of other children feel isolated, rejected and different due to a multitude of reasons, yet quietly suffer alone and wonder "Am I the only one?"
Truth telling is necessary. It is the only way to let others know our children should not feel shame if they have emotional, neurological or physical disabilities. Our children should not feel "less than" if they are not great athletes or scholars, if they are not perfect in every way, which no one is.
It is up to the adults to teach tolerance, acceptance and embrace the broad range of personalities and idiosyncrasies of others. Isn't it our differences that make us each unique and interesting?
My son is not perfectly well mannered. He's not a high achieving child. Zack is a boy who brings his own gifts to this world. Zack is also a boy who was born with complicated neuropsychiatric disabilities that manifest in behavior that is very difficult to understand.
A disability does not make a person, it is simply a part of who they are. Understanding, kindness and acceptance can speak volumes to someone, especially a child, who may be quietly struggling, suffering and living with challenges that are not obvious, apparent or outwardly visible.
When we started our project, we had good intentions. We wanted to share his struggles, our story, with others with the hope of helping other children realize they are okay just as they are.
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Bio: Kim Hix is a native of Columbia SC. She worked at various capacities at Marshall Pickens Hospital in Greenville SC from 1990 until 2004. She is now employed part time by Greenville Hospital System as a Patient Family Liaison (Advocate) and also as a part time personal trainer for Sportsclub Simpsonville.
Kim Hix's website: Intense Kids, Great KidsBook: No One is Perfect and YOU are a Great Kid
Best Children's Book Award: Reader Views
Allyn Evans
info at allynevans.com
http://www.allynevans.com/
http://www.allynevans.com/
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Kim Hix, No One Is Perfect, WOW!, children with disabilities
Kim Hix, No One Is Perfect, WOW!, children with disabilities
