much better than trying to attribute unjustified levels of intelligence to a kid, bad for both sides.
this post was submitted on 13 Oct 2025
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My mom had something like, 'How To Love A Troubled Child' in her bedroom bookshelf.
Always hoped it was for my sister.
I once gifted my friend a book that was called: how to deal with difficult people. I saw it at some second hand bookshop and thought it would be funny, you know, because she has to deal with me. Ahe got super upset and kept telling me that she's not difficult.
Those books from the latter half of the 1900s about how to deal with kids just sucked. They all had various ways of trying to force kids who were any other shaped peg but round into a round hole while making the parent(s) feel justified and right about it.
“How to make your child inconvenience you less and not diverge from societal conformity requirements”
We still have similar books today, but those are bought by parents who refuse to acknowledge their kid is different and want conformity for who knows what reason…personal prejudice, religion, personal failure because of the aforementioned, etc.
I'd love finding this book. In fact any book other than the book I found on my parents bookshelf "Modern Childbirth (1972 edition)".
“Modern Childbirth (1972 edition)”
Interesting. I wonder what it deemed modern that would be deemed the sheer opposite today.
I was born around that time, and I know that baby "formula" didn't really exist back then, it was mostly milk powder and sugar. No healthy mommy milk for me.
I don't remember the text in the book; being in kindergarten or 1st grade just learning to read. But discovering (with pictures) what crowning was at that age was, was quite ablative.
They probably figured you couldn't read it. You sure showed them! Nice job, buddy!
I need to buy that book just to have it for my kids to find.
Just print the cover and wrap any existing book.
Get them back... keep a copy of "Toxic Parents" prominently on your bookshelf.
True story: I was reading that book way back in the early 1990s and my stepdad came over for some reason. I went to put on shoes and when I came back, he had the book in his hands, looking at the cover. He dropped it like it was on fire, we traded an awkward look, then never spoke of it again.
Hey, at least it was not "Help! My child is stupid" .
Put these two next to each other for maximum emotional damage
Right next to "Lowering your expectations when raising an ugly child."
One of my favorite decorations is a bookshelf with very prominently featured titles that make people question either my sanity or their own.
Like what?
Atlas Shrugged
Right next to Jack Kerouac
Handbook for the Recently Deceased
My mom had all sorts of books on mental health and disability. I remember one on abnormal childhood development (it had neat examples of pictures kids might draw) and multiple with now-outdated but then-clinical terms in their titles. These were textbooks from her attempt at an MS in social work in the 1980s. Didn't keep the neighborhood kids from teasing me that they were my mom's way of coping with having me.
Now put it on your bookshelf for your children to find. Keep the chain going until it's antique and expensive enough to start making them happy.
Best place to hide their weed.
The Fragrant Pharmacy
the Fargrant Lharmãcy
No matter how you feel about your child, its important to check
If you bought it you already know the answer.
Your child is neurodivergent, and so are you.