She’s Just Spirited

Parenting a Neurodivergent Child and the Diagnosis That Changes Everything

A much-needed, empathetic guide for untangling the complex world of parenting a neurodivergent child

One diagnosis can change everything. That is what Nefertiti Austin discovered when she was told her daughter Cherish had ADHD and SPD. After much learning, on both their parts, Nefertiti and Cherish finally found the letters that worked for them, chief among them M-O-M.

In She's Just Spirited: Parenting a Neurodivergent Child and the Diagnosis that Changes Everything, Nefertiti captures the failures and triumphs of raising a neurodivergent child. Alongside relatable anecdotes from her own experiences, Nefertiti offers insight from experts and easy to digest strategies she wishes she had had from the start. She also shines a light on why many neurodivergent children and teenagers are overlooked and undiagnosed-often due to hurtful stereotypes, gender bias, racism, and homophobia in the healthcare and education systems-and what parents can do to ensure their child is evaluated by the right people at the right time.

With tips for navigating the mental health and educational systems, deciphering psychological jargon, advocating for your child, and encouraging family and friends to get on board, She's Just Spirited is an invaluable and relatable guide that empowers parents to fully love and support their neurologically diverse child in all aspects of life.

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Motherhood So White

In America, Mother = White

That's what Nefertiti, a single African American woman, discovered when she decided she wanted to adopt a Black baby boy out of the foster care system. Eager to finally join the motherhood ranks, Nefertiti was shocked when people started asking her why she wanted to adopt a "crack baby" or said that she would never be able to raise a Black son on her own. She realized that American society saw motherhood through a white lens, and that there would be no easy understanding or acceptance of the kind of family she hoped to build.