Their child is diagnosed with autism. What's next for families?
Ephrata native's new book offers 'roadmap' for parents navigating neurodivergence.
Posted
Ephrata native Greer Monson Jones has published a new book which offers guidance for families with a child newly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
Perhaps you’re a parent whose young child has just been diagnosed with autism. Perhaps that diagnosis gives a name to their concerning behaviors. But perhaps that leads to the next big question:
So, now what?
Which is the title of a newly published book by Ephrata native Greer (Monson) Jones, now a resident of Great Britain, a married mother of two boys ages 7 and 5 whose oldest is neurodivergent.
“The book is designed as a foundation for parents in the early days,” Greer said in recent emails with GCJ.news. “It explains what is happening for a neurodivergent child and walks parents through practical steps to calm the chaos at home and build routines that fit how both the child and the parent are wired.”
“So, Now What?” was released Wednesday, Nov. 11. The 251-page book is available in Kindle format on Amazon and in paperback from various retailers including Barnes & Noble.
Greer, 35, and her husband Chris thought their son’s diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) “would finally give us answers. And it did, sort of. It answered one question and opened up about a hundred more.”
“Where do I start? What do I change first? Why does every day still feel like chaos?” she wondered, noting that “nobody hands you a manual for what comes next … I went looking for something that would just help me find my feet, and I couldn’t find it. So I wrote it.”
She describes her book as “a roadmap for parents navigating neurodivergence and building a joyful and regulated home.”
It seeks to “decode the meltdowns and behaviors,” build calming daily rhythms without rigid schedules, help parents regulate their nerves so they can help their child, release guilt and comparisons to others, and “create a home where your whole family feels safe, seen and celebrated.”
Greer is the daughter of Greg and Chalky Monson and grew up in Ephrata with brothers Trygg, Brandt, and Stenn. After graduating from Ephrata High School in 2009, she attended Dallas Baptist University and received a degree in church ministry and early childhood development.
Greer originally went to Great Britain on a one-year work-exchange program. That was 15 years ago. She and Chris now live in Birmingham, England. Greer said she has also been diagnosed with ADHD while her husband is on the autism spectrum.
According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the exact cause of autism is not entirely known, but genetics “clearly plays an important role.” The developmental disorder can be diagnosed at any age but symptoms generally appear during the first two years of life.
ASD, at varying levels, affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave. Some people may display repetitive behaviors, have difficulty with social communication, and symptoms which affect their ability to function in school, work and other areas of life. While it can be a lifelong disorder, there are treatments, services, and supports which can improve a person’s health, well-being, and daily functioning. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children receive screening for autism.
After her son’s diagnosis, Greer said she left “typical work” because of the increased time, demands and support needed in raising a neurodivergent child. Since then, she founded “The Unfinished Idea” - a community of mothers in similar circumstances - and began hosting a podcast called “Neurodivergent Conversations.”
“… it kinda snowballed into creating a space/community for other moms raising neurodivergent kids that lead to writing and getting a book published,” she said.
“I wrote it for the parent sitting in the car after the appointment, wondering where on earth to start. It's not a deep dive into labels. It's the practical, foundational steps for calmer days at home,” said Greer.
Along with those challenging days came the judgments of others, she said.
"I was told over and over that I was a bad parent because my son couldn’t sit still or would often flutter between activity to activity, and I believed it because they were the ‘experts’," Greer said. "What changed things wasn't trying harder. It was understanding how my family is wired and finding other parents who got it, too. I want families to know they're not failing. They're carrying a big load often on their own."
The Jones family visited Greer’s hometown of Ephrata this summer and attended the Grant County Fair, where their eldest son wore a “sunflower lanyard” — a discreet, internationally recognized symbol of someone with an invisible disability such as autism, PTSD, hearing or visual loss, or other cognitive or physical health issues. Photos courtesy of Greer Jones
Greer and family returned to her “old stomping grounds” in Ephrata this past summer, when she showed them “some classics like Time Out Pizza, The Bookery and … the high school.” They were impressed that, as a middle schooler, she had a paper route with the former Grant County Journal.
“We don’t have paper routes here in the U.K. (United Kingdom),” she said.
Greer thought both nations share similar awareness of autism, but she felt an initial diagnosis may come more quickly in the U.S. than in Britain because wait times are longer under its National Health Services system. Conversely, she thought public acceptance of the disorder may be higher in the U.K.
“There have been various times we have traveled across the U.S. and received judgement or comments from passersby,” she said. “That isn’t to say it doesn’t happen in the U.K., but a lot less.”
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Their child is diagnosed with autism. What's next for families?
Ephrata native's new book offers 'roadmap' for parents navigating neurodivergence.
Perhaps you’re a parent whose young child has just been diagnosed with autism. Perhaps that diagnosis gives a name to their concerning behaviors. But perhaps that leads to the next big question:
So, now what?
Which is the title of a newly published book by Ephrata native Greer (Monson) Jones, now a resident of Great Britain, a married mother of two boys ages 7 and 5 whose oldest is neurodivergent.
“The book is designed as a foundation for parents in the early days,” Greer said in recent emails with GCJ.news. “It explains what is happening for a neurodivergent child and walks parents through practical steps to calm the chaos at home and build routines that fit how both the child and the parent are wired.”
“So, Now What?” was released Wednesday, Nov. 11. The 251-page book is available in Kindle format on Amazon and in paperback from various retailers including Barnes & Noble.
Greer, 35, and her husband Chris thought their son’s diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) “would finally give us answers. And it did, sort of. It answered one question and opened up about a hundred more.”
“Where do I start? What do I change first? Why does every day still feel like chaos?” she wondered, noting that “nobody hands you a manual for what comes next … I went looking for something that would just help me find my feet, and I couldn’t find it. So I wrote it.”
She describes her book as “a roadmap for parents navigating neurodivergence and building a joyful and regulated home.”
It seeks to “decode the meltdowns and behaviors,” build calming daily rhythms without rigid schedules, help parents regulate their nerves so they can help their child, release guilt and comparisons to others, and “create a home where your whole family feels safe, seen and celebrated.”
Greer is the daughter of Greg and Chalky Monson and grew up in Ephrata with brothers Trygg, Brandt, and Stenn. After graduating from Ephrata High School in 2009, she attended Dallas Baptist University and received a degree in church ministry and early childhood development.
Greer originally went to Great Britain on a one-year work-exchange program. That was 15 years ago. She and Chris now live in Birmingham, England. Greer said she has also been diagnosed with ADHD while her husband is on the autism spectrum.
According to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, the exact cause of autism is not entirely known, but genetics “clearly plays an important role.” The developmental disorder can be diagnosed at any age but symptoms generally appear during the first two years of life.
ASD, at varying levels, affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave. Some people may display repetitive behaviors, have difficulty with social communication, and symptoms which affect their ability to function in school, work and other areas of life. While it can be a lifelong disorder, there are treatments, services, and supports which can improve a person’s health, well-being, and daily functioning. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all children receive screening for autism.
After her son’s diagnosis, Greer said she left “typical work” because of the increased time, demands and support needed in raising a neurodivergent child. Since then, she founded “The Unfinished Idea” - a community of mothers in similar circumstances - and began hosting a podcast called “Neurodivergent Conversations.”
“… it kinda snowballed into creating a space/community for other moms raising neurodivergent kids that lead to writing and getting a book published,” she said.
“I wrote it for the parent sitting in the car after the appointment, wondering where on earth to start. It's not a deep dive into labels. It's the practical, foundational steps for calmer days at home,” said Greer.
Along with those challenging days came the judgments of others, she said.
"I was told over and over that I was a bad parent because my son couldn’t sit still or would often flutter between activity to activity, and I believed it because they were the ‘experts’," Greer said. "What changed things wasn't trying harder. It was understanding how my family is wired and finding other parents who got it, too. I want families to know they're not failing. They're carrying a big load often on their own."
Greer and family returned to her “old stomping grounds” in Ephrata this past summer, when she showed them “some classics like Time Out Pizza, The Bookery and … the high school.” They were impressed that, as a middle schooler, she had a paper route with the former Grant County Journal.
“We don’t have paper routes here in the U.K. (United Kingdom),” she said.
Greer thought both nations share similar awareness of autism, but she felt an initial diagnosis may come more quickly in the U.S. than in Britain because wait times are longer under its National Health Services system. Conversely, she thought public acceptance of the disorder may be higher in the U.K.
“There have been various times we have traveled across the U.S. and received judgement or comments from passersby,” she said. “That isn’t to say it doesn’t happen in the U.K., but a lot less.”
Locally, information for families about resources, services and support is available from the Autism Support Group of Grant County.