I’ve never written a post title like that before. It’s just not me. But on the other hand, it’s been a long time since I’ve read a book that touched me as much as “Easy to Love but Hard to Raise” edited by Kay Marner and Adrienne Ehlert Bashista.

The rest of the title tells you a lot: “Real Parents, Challenging Kids, True Stories”. You’re bound to find yourself or your family somewhere in this book.

You know, one of the worst things about having ADHD (and other disabilities) is that you so often feel different from everyone else; set apart, not quite fitting in, isolated.

If we could put ourselves in a room with the people who helped write and bring this book into being, not only would we feel at home, we’d have a great time, too.

“Easy to Love but Hard to Raise” is a collection of true stories from 32 parents and 25 experts. In most cases, the parent’s true story is supplemented at the end with comments from an expert, but sometimes you hear from Eve – the “every parent” that you meet at the beginning of the book. She could be any of us. She is us.

I loved this book because reading it felt like being with an old and trusted friend – a friend who knows all my secrets and loves me anyway. A friend who’s seen my child at his best and his worst and still doesn’t judge. A friend who truly, really understands, because she’s “been there and done that” too.

You have to get this book and read it. And if you’re lucky enough to have a friend raising a truly lovable but sometimes difficult child, buy her a copy too.