Book Review: House Rules, by Jodi Picoult

Picoult's astounding ability to drag me into the mind and awareness of others has astounded me once again. Jacob, and 18 year old young man who has Asperger's Syndrome is more than just quirky. His current obsession with crime scene invetigation is about to land him in trouble like he's never seen.

All his life, Emma has been attempting to get others to accept her son Jacob in mainstream society. She doesn't want his schools to treat him as if he is simply a label, but to accept him and help him to learn and grow and feel successful. Jacob, just wants to belong. He has no concept that others do not have the same interests as he does. He doesn't understand social norms or that others have expectations of him on a social level. He cannot imagine anybody thinking other than the way he thinks.

Theo is Jacob's younger brother. On the verge of manhood, yet having no father figure, Theo has always fell by the wayside. He often is put into a situation where he is more of a big brother to Jacob than the other way around. His compulsion to belong to a family leads to some criminal behavior and ultimately turns his family of origina inside-out.

The details and research that Picoult puts into her works is truly amazing. Her stories are gripping, and current. House Rules offers the reader an inside look of what could happen when somebody who seems so alien tries to fit into the mainstream world, and how that world misunderstands frankness for admission of guilt. Finally, adults with asperger's can begin to see that they are not alone in this world. Being misunderstood comes with the territory and sometimes even having an interpreter isn't enough to get the message through properly. It is a frustrating way to live.

What is the proper response?

Somebody please help me know what to do in these situations. They seem to be recurring and I am confused at what the proper response should be.

1. The radio is on when you enter the room, you begin to enjoy the radio and laugh along with the quirky Car Talk guys while preparing your breakfast. After about 10 minutes, once you are getting into it, the radio is suddenly and worldlessly turned off.

2. You're having a discussion with somebody who (1) doesn't like to be interrupted and (2) tends to take extremely long pauses. You have been the last one to speak, suddenly he says "why the long silence?"

3. You're sitting in the living room with at least one other person. A third person comes into the room and greets only the other person.

I think we'll start with these three and see what kind of advice I receive before moving on.

Student voted out of his KINDERGARDEN classroom

My good friend Cindy sent me the following link:

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-flpkindergartner0525pnmay25,0,5392670.story


I wanted to share this story because I know it's going to keep me up at night. I want to go down to Florida, find this child and let him know that he is worth something and that his teacher was WRONG for what she did. I think we should organize some kind of card-shower to give this kid back his self respect and self-love.



My response:
That "teacher" has no business being around children. What a disgrace to our education system. People with Asperger's are often acutely sensitive to criticism. This makes me sick. How could anybody justify humiliating a young child like that? That's not punishment, that's cruel and abusive. It would be torture for any kid to endure that! She should be stripped of her license, and the entire class should receive in-depth counselling. The behavior she encouraged was completely unacceptable. Bullying a kindergardener like that should be a crime! What kids (and adults as well) need to realize is that it doesn't matter whether or not you like somebody, that person still deserves respect for being a human being. If there isn't at least one thing you can find to like about a person, then you need to examine your own values and find the problem within yourself, that's what I believe! Children need to learn to tolerate differences, not mock them by voting a class member out of the class. Ugh! It's not SURVIVOR people, it's preparation for first grade! I hope to God, Allah, Yoda, or whoever is listening "up there" that that woman does not have children of her own. I don't know if I'm making much sense because I am on anger overload right now!

Ten Things Tuesday (spying edition)

Here are 10 things that my elderly live-in mother said to her other daughter on the phone today when she assumed that I wasn't home.


1. I sent you a letter with some money in it, you should get it tomorrow
2. They were gone all day yesterday and didn't tell me what they were doing
3. I stayed in my room all day doing nothing. Nice Memorial Day, huh?
4. I was sweating all night last night. I think they still have the furnace on!
5. When I got home from my walk, they went on a walk and I didn't see them again
all day.
6. It was in the paper that the
7. SHE went to meet Liz for lunch AGAIN
8. SHE wanted me to go to Savers with her today, but I didn't want to go
9. They just leave me here to sit and wonder what they're doing
10. She's supposed to babysit at 2 but those kids will still be in school until after 3 so I think it's a story