Parenting Children with Mental Health Challenges

September 17, 2018
Vlock brings her personal experience as the mother of two children with mental health challenges to a realistic, empathetic guide targeted at ensuring her parenting peers “don’t try taking this trip solo” and “feel stronger and better,” rather than isolated and overwhelmed. She presents her material in multiple formats suited to different circumstances, including bulleted action lists, factual info boxes, resource guides, q&as with experts on specific topics, and personal narratives from herself and others, creating a “read what you need” volume that can come off the shelf in moments both of introspection and of crisis. Vlock avoids jumping into clinical and diagnostic material; she uses her family’s stories for illustrative purposes rather than full-blown memoir and recounts distressing case studies compassionately but without sensationalism. Chapters about daily management of behavior and emotions at home, school, and out in public are spot-on, and Vlock’s advice on working with educators and clinicians is practical. Her advice feels both relatable and reliable, coming from personal experience—her own as well as that of other parents—and from mental health professionals. Parents in the same boat as she will find this a valuable addition to their self-care toolbox.

November 1, 2018
Readers who feel overwhelmed by the numerous and ever-present challenges of parenting a child with mental health issues will find opportunities to feel connected, supported, and hopeful in this book. Vlock has been living with these challenges since her four-year-old started talking about suicide. Her willingness to share her experience along with the stories of other parents, input from psychiatric experts, and open mic time with children who live with a range of mental health struggles will help others navigate life at home and in public. Parenting Children with Mental Health Challenges is a good supplement to the many diagnosis-specific titles by medical and psychiatric specialists. Vlock includes resources to help connect parents with groups, maintain their own mental health, and keep their own healthy relationships throughout the struggle and stigma they may be feeling. If the real life sections are too heavy, readers can focus on the lists of books, online resources, crisis hotline numbers, and suggested ways to be a good advocate and consumer.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)