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Normal Schmormal
- My Occasionally Helpful Guide to Parenting Kids with Special Needs
- Narrated by: Ashley Blaker
- Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins
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Normal Schmormal
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Summary
The heartwarming and hilarious part-memoir, part-guide from comedian and father-of-six Ashley Blaker, on parenting, adoption and raising children with special needs.
‘We had such a variety of experts visiting our home, we really needed a revolving door. All these professionals would watch our son playing while shaking their heads and making tutting sounds, like builders considering a bad job you wanted them to fix. “Tut tut tut. No speech, disordered social skills, sensory issues. This is going to cost you!!”’
Ashley Blaker has six children, three of whom have an SEN diagnosis. Between endless meetings, countless therapists, public humiliations, failed playdates, surreal monologues and occasional violence, it’s certainly not what anyone would call a ‘normal’ household – but would he want it any other way?
Normal Schmormal is part-memoir, part how-to guide, highlighting the many challenges, as well as the hugely rewarding elements, of parenting children with additional needs. Written with humour, compassion and a lot of love, it’s a must-read for parents, carers and teachers of children with SEN, either looking for a bit of support or in need of a very big laugh.
Critic reviews
‘A very funny and honest account of Ashley’s extraordinary ordinary life. There is treasure here for all parents, non-parents and children of parents, and that is surely most people.’
Alex Horne
‘Great insights and advice for any parent, from a unique and fascinating family and their brilliantly funny dad.’ Katy Brand
‘Absolutely hilarious and yet so poignant. This book is going to both entertain and bring comfort to so many people, giving them hope for the future.’ Matt Lucas
What listeners say about Normal Schmormal
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Linda Price
- 26-07-23
Learned a lot
Wow, Ashley Blaker is reading this book. You get entertained by him, his real life and real family for over 7 hours. it’s sometimes a difficult read. It’s his life after all. Laid bare it’s the stresses and strains of family life only magnified by the numbers and zappers which are overwhelming to the uninitiated. The pace of the prose is addictive and a must read for everyone. Written with great humour, he discusses serious issues of health, education, mental and physical resilience, gratitude and wellbeing. It makes you think and makes you want to be more like a Blaker if you can. Taking life in your stride and always loving a surprise.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 22-03-24
Super refreshing laugh out loud ah ha moments!
This audiobook was Just what I needed! I listened to the whole thing in 3 days and laughed out loud a lot as well as feeling validated, inspired and supported along the way. We have a super fuelled zapper and when we explained the difference between a cold play and a zapper to him by playing him the two artists on you tube so he could see what we meant, he turned around and said no I’m neither of those, I’m a rose. It took us a little time to work it out but in the end we figured out he meant that he was an axel rose! From guns and roses! So from now on, inspired by this fantastic book, our son is now known as ‘the rose’.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Mandy Higton
- 28-07-23
Great insight into SEND
I loved it. An insiders view of parenting a diverse family written with love and humour.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- _designandinternet
- 18-10-23
A great listen, a lot of laughter
Really enjoyed Ashley’s journey with his extraordinary family. I love the humor throughout. Totally relatable even if you don’t like a McFlurry!
Hysterical moments, enjoyable stories, lots of fun. The book is a great listen. Thank you, Ashley!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Sarah
- 02-04-24
Honesty
Thank you!!! This is going to help so many children, young people and their families.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Gemma Walley
- 15-03-24
Laugh out loud funny, but enormously helpful too.
Written with an incredible balance of humour, heart and helpful reminders that as parents were all trying really hard, this is a brilliant read.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- M. Pemberton
- 18-04-24
loved it!
As we begin to realise our two kids are more Zappas than Coldplays, this was such a great book to read (well, listen to).
The Blaker household sounds several degrees more chaotic than ours, and their ability to thrive brings us hope. For this, I am very grateful, thank you Ashley.
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- tattyhead
- 13-01-24
Great
I liked this book, but having listened to Ashley's radio program there is a huge overlap and I'd heard a lot of it before
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- Amazon Customer
- 26-03-24
Interesting, funny and relatable listen!
Heard about Ashley Blaker's family setup on the parenting hell podcast and really enjoyed the interview and subsequently this book. As a teacher and mum of a quirky Coldplay, I found it touching, honest, funny and relatable as well as sad and darn right frustrating (re getting into a school...no disgusted would be a better word...Ashley and Gemma show themselves as being the bigger people, I'm not sure I could have stomached an institution behaving in that way!).
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- Ms
- 11-03-24
Funny refreshing a must read for all parents
I loved this book after listening to Ashley’s radio 4 series. Full of love and hilarity and useful tips for how to stay sane as a parent of all children alike. Write more please.
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