From Left to Write Book Club: Cowboy & Wills: A Remarkable Little Boy and the Puppy that Changed His Life, by Monica Holloway

I suspect every parent worries about their child. Some of us have teeny-tiny children, so we worry about growth charts. In fact, if I had a dollar for every time I cried or stressed about Connor's weight when I was a new mom, I might have been able to take an even longer maternity leave. And if it's not the weight and height we're worrying about, it's those damn milestones. Except for moving, ahem...Helen, Ed and I have been lucky on the milestones. Connor and Helen pretty much kick them to the moon.

Yes, Connor most certainly has OCD along with every other toddler/young child, and yes, he has a penchant for memorizing and repeating, but there's never been cause for worry.  (I think.) but what about when that's not the case?

What about when you start noticing small things that just seem different about your child, and in a potentially worrisome way? How do you react as a parent? How do you react as a friend? These can be really difficult situations.

In the book, Cowboy and Wills, Monica Holloway documents the discovery of some of these things that are different about her son - her son who would ultimately be labeled as having high functioning autism. The book recounts the journey the author takes with her son, as she helps him figure out how to maneuver through this sometimes difficult world. It's something we all do as parents, but something that's probably a lot more difficult for parents who know their children need things just a little bit (or a lot bit) different.

The thing I love about this book? Monica Holloway loves animals, and she and her son, Wills, decide to get a dog. This is one of those incredible stories about how a dog becomes a family member. In some ways, I think you have to be a dog person to really appreciate this relationship, and I am not a dog person. Yes, I grew up with dogs. And yes, I liked having a dog to cry to when things didn't go quite right. A dog, I might add, that was always willing to sit and listen as she was patted. But I don't need them in my life like my sister does. I do, however, appreciate how incredible it is when a parent finds exactly what a child needs, provides it, and in so doing, makes life just a little bit easier. That's pretty magical, and this book documents that magic.

Will we ever have a dog in our house? I'm leaning towards no, though certainly stranger things have happened. Do we have magic in our house? Sure. It's second hand to not let Connor see when we throw something away that he might think still has value. We have lots of objects of comfort around that ground both Helen and Connor. Ed and I know when Connor needs to vent about the unfairness of life and Helen needs someone to note that imaginary injury. We also know that both Helen and Connor have an innate need to get outside, to run, to swing high, and to find pebbles, pine cones, and all matter of seemingly insignificant things on walks. We know they need to explore, ride fast on the merry-go-round at the nearby park, and try to run faster than they ever thought they could.

And the magic returns a thousand-fold when eyes twinkle, laughs ring, and stories come rushing out so fast they are almost incomprehensible. The road differs for everyone, and I love it when I see a parent connect with their child as perfectly as this book details. May every child and parent have lots of these moments.

Elaine

Disclosure: As a member of the From Left to Write book club, I received a free copy of this book. I was not obligated to write about the book, but I do recommend reading this book. I really enjoyed it. Thanks for the book! I'll be passing it along to a friend.