Rock Center
The central question of Andrew Solomon's new book, Far From the Tree, is: How do parents love children who are different than they are? Solomon talked to 300 families over 11 years about deafness, schizophrenia, even child prodigies. In the hundreds of cases he examined and documented on tape, life doesn't always turn out the way it's planned. One chapter deals with the spectrum of Autism.
Solomon told Rock Center's Kate Snow, "With an autistic child, you have to learn a different emotional language."
READ: An excerpt from Andrew Solomon's Far From the Tree
Another chapter, he titles, "Dwarfs." When doctors told Clinton Brown's mother her child had growth hormone deficiency and probably wouldn't survive, she was frightened and refused to see her child for three days.
"She thought for a couple of days and then she said, 'That's my child. And I want to take my child home,'" Solomon said.
Watch more of the family interviews after the jump.
Videos courtesy of Nick Davis Productions.
Leave a Comment:
I just finished watching the segment about how parents/familes cope with the diificulties and imperfections that come with their child simply being human. I was a child given up for adoption-the reasons-not easily made clear to me-but I did survive,and yes I turned out to be gay and have some issues like the author himself. It was a really generousity of spirit to have the author, and when I read the boook, those who shared their stories. It is so important to put that lesson out there, that depite what you may perceive, assume, or be told about you or your child's place in the ranking and current or future participation in the life of society, there is hope and yes pain, but that fault and fraility of life is part of the beauty and truth of life simply itself..
Mr Solomon is an angel. The nuclear family is not dead, just expanding.
Mr Solomon is an angel. The nuclear family isn't disappearing it's expanding!
This story was in very bad taste to run in prime time. I think the last time I heard less than 5 % of the country is gay. I know many gay couples and this is not the norm, it must be a shock issue for ratings for NBC. Statistically this is such an outliner, it doesn't matter, why would you put this on the air? The story comes off as this is the new norm, not the people I know. Sorry, NBC but you did such a deservice to the country and the gay community. I think there are much more important issues in the gay community that would have been of much more interest. I had to change channels cuz I didn't want my children exposed to such poor TV.. What ever happened to common sense??
This IS a story about love. It is also a study in human nature, and a study in how, in the complexities of family definitions, we have common denominators. Some factors do not change: caring, and the desire to love, communicate, articulate, and bond. Mr. Solomon has done an outstanding job in honoring the myriad ways families travel their souls and their communities to support their children in spite of the ways our traditions and our families turn against us. Bravo, Andrew Solomon! Bravo, NBC!
When I worked with stopSIDS.org, only about 300 children a year died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. It was never about *how many* people dealt with the dilemma. It was about understanding it. We have also seen that as the stigma has been lifted, regarding homosexuality, we are learning that far more people are gay than we had ever imagined. We still don't know how many. Homosexuality goes way back... it wasn't just invented when it came into vogue in the US.
We have learned through science, that animals also have a segment of the population that is gay -- if it is against nature, the animals didn't get the memo.
I am not condoning or condemning homosexuality or asking anyone else to. I am asking people to look at the facts, and the accounts of homosexuals and people with various challenges and differences, instead of antique propaganda. I'm asking them to accept that this is indeed part of our world, and that we can learn to allow others the freedom to live as they chose without making the world uglier by our careless words or actions.
This book allows us to walk a mile in the shoes of parents and children who have been marginalized by society. Homosexuality is only one facet of this riveting and insightful book. I can already see, having begun to read this book, that I will be a better person for having read it.
When I worked with stopSIDS.org, only about 300 children a year died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. It was never about *how many* people dealt with the dilemma. It was about understanding it. We have also seen that as the stigma has been lifted, regarding homosexuality, we are learning that far more people are gay than we had ever imagined. We still don't know how many. Homosexuality goes way back... it wasn't just invented when it came into vogue in the US.
We have learned through science, that animals also have a segment of the population that is gay -- if it is against nature, the animals didn't get the memo.
I am not condoning or condemning homosexuality or asking anyone else to. I am asking people to look at the facts, and the accounts of homosexuals and people with various challenges and differences, instead of antique propaganda. I'm asking them to accept that this is indeed part of our world, and that we can learn to allow others the freedom to live as they chose without making the world uglier by our careless words or actions.
This book allows us to walk a mile in the shoes of parents and children who have been marginalized by society. Homosexuality is only one facet of this riveting and insightful book. I can already see, having begun to read this book, that I will be a better person for having read it.
When I worked with stopSIDS.org, only about 300 children a year died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. It was never about *how many* people dealt with the dilemma. It was about understanding it. We have also seen that as the stigma has been lifted, regarding homosexuality, we are learning that far more people are gay than we had ever imagined. We still don't know how many. Homosexuality goes way back... it wasn't just invented when it came into vogue in the US.
We have learned through science, that animals also have a segment of the population that is gay -- if it is against nature, the animals didn't get the memo.
I am not condoning or condemning homosexuality or asking anyone else to. I am asking people to look at the facts, and the accounts of homosexuals and people with various challenges and differences, instead of antique propaganda. I'm asking them to accept that this is indeed part of our world, and that we can learn to allow others the freedom to live as they chose without making the world uglier by our careless words or actions.
This book allows us to walk a mile in the shoes of parents and children who have been marginalized by society. Homosexuality is only one facet of this riveting and insightful book. I can already see, having begun to read this book, that I will be a better person for having read it.
Is there a way to delete duplicates?
This story is not about homosexuality. This is a story about how to love people different from yourself. Many parents who might have been the quarterback or cheer captain in HS now have kids who are more into goth or academics, or might have a disorder which causes them to process thought different. Regardless of the difference, we have to learn how to love each other & how to communicate that love to our children.
Dakota, I hope that the children in your care are not gay or lesbian, and internalized the obvoius disgust and resentments you expressed. As a 10 year old Catholic school boy who had his suicide planned out, after sleeping with a rosary in my pillow case, hoping to "ifx" all that was wrong and evil about me, I prefer the lesson of acceptance and understanding, and not poisoning children with hate and irrational fear... "The Wrong Child", an insightful song from a child's perspective about being different and ostracized, by REM:
I thought the story was in very poor taste for prime time TV! It came off as the new norm in todays society, I hope not? I think ther are much better issues to cover for the gay community. Sorry NBC, my grade "F"!
You should read the book. It's not about the uniqueness of their family and the pitch for everyone to embrace it as the norm. It is about many types of families with various challenges -- the bottom line being, love.
It is VERY EXTREMELY normal to have children that are different from yourself. If you disagree then you are probably living in a bubble or in denial. Whether children be autistic, have down syndrome, are homosexual, or maybe just have different interests than yourself, there is a lesson to be learned here about how to connect and love those that you do not understand.
DakotaUSA - you missed the point. The story is about love.
Fantastic show tonight, thank you and only part way through. Anne Curry excels in interviews of the type featured tonight, she was wonderful and I loved the interview with Mr Solomon and feel the need to read the book.
Sorry, I get that Donna. Just didn't like the way the intro went. We all love our kids regardless of their oreintation. It's just too much media drama!!
Wonderful, beautiful, touching story. I loved everything about this segment and I can't wait to read 'Far From the Tree'.
Clint Brown, should have his own segment! This man is dynamic, positive, insightful, and has inspired many. Don't let this story go untold!
I have begun reading this book and it will be a life-changer for so many -- I was in tears from the first page. It is impeccably researched and documented, and Andrew approached it with a level of sensitivity, intelligence and honesty that is to be commended. For me, the bottom line is to remember that we need to love our children and our parents, first, and go from there.