Would You Teach a Fish to Climb a Tree?

by Anne Maxwell, Gary M. Douglas, Dain Heer

Would You Teach a Fish to Climb a Tree? A Different Take on Kids with ADD, ADHD, OCD and Autism provides us with a refreshing and new perspective on these children who are so different from their peers. Co-authored by three practitioners who have had remarkable success working with them, this book is filled with practical tools, stories, observations, and life changing questions that can be used by anyone who has one of these kids in their life and who is looking for something different. These children are magical and you are sure to fall in love with many of them. There are many magical adults as well ... those who are willing to step beyond what so many experts in the field advocate, into what they actually know to be effective with the children. Parents and siblings and relatives; teachers and therapists and administrators; peers and loved ones and friends ... all will benefit from this groundbreaking book.

Genres: Parenting

208 pages, Paperback

First published February 14, 2014

Reviews

[Orbs n Rings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and thought provoking perspective on ADD, ADHD, OCD, and Autism.

Originally, what first caught my interest on wanting to read this book was the title of the book. Personally, I found this book to be very informative, even if I didn’t agree on everything written in it. I certainly agree on one thing, how those with autism and ADHD are unique individuals that fall into a category all their own. Being one of them, I didn’t need this book to tell me I am unique and different in a good way, however, what this book did help me with was confirming what I already knew.

There are a whole lot of X-men in my family, too numerous to name here. Like many with ADD/ADHD, I have struggled to fit in all my life and have had people look at me differently. One theory in the book I really connected with is how us ADD/ADHD’ers have minds that are always rushing. Personally, I have my days where my thoughts are moving so fast that it causes me to be more anxious, while other days I am better able to control and calm myself. Just as with autism, I feel those with ADD/ADHD have their good days and bad, while normally are more stressed due to their environment and trying to fit into this world. Another connection for me in this book is in regards to my thought process. Something I knew before reading this book is how I have always been ahead of people during conversations, which often times has me missing out on what the person is saying. This is often labeled as a lack of concentration, when instead it is just the ADD’er thinking ahead.

I would have given “Would You Teach A Fish To Climb A tree?,” five stars if not for the clinical format which I found difficult to follow. This is something the authors of this book should have taken into consideration had they given any thought that some people with ADHD would be reading this book. Otherwise, this book is very informative and thought provoking and includes exercises, tools, and helpful questions to allow the reader to explore the concepts provided. I totally recommend this book to anyone who may struggle with any one of the disorders this book addresses, or have a loved one who does.

[Hollie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I agree with the authors, you should see beyond a child’s diagnosis. All children have different needs and respond better to different approaches, find the approach and listen to your child.

The authors lost me when they spoke to a pet wolf who had anxiety about their owner leaving. The owner was going on vacation. The wolf thought the owner was dying and would come back as a reincarnated different being. The therapist (three people write the accounts, forgive me as I don’t remember who specifically addressed the wolf) was able to calm the wolf by explaining the owner was simply going on vacation and not dying and being reincarnated.

The next chapter focuses on a four year old autistic child with a limited vocabulary of forty words. The mother sought help for her son. The child mentally downloads his information to the therapist. The child learns a new word during the session. The mother goes on to say, she believes her child is really one of her grandparents. The therapist asks which grandparent. The mother says, “Bill.” The therapist then turns to the child and calls him “Bill.” The child instantly looks at the therapist and makes direct eye contact with him. (Eye contact is uncommon for autistic children). They go on to say the child rarely responded to his own name but continued to respond to Bill.

I was not looking for a book about telecommunication and reincarnation. Page 30 of the book specifically states, “This is the way these children communicate. They are psychic or telepathic or whatever you want to call it.” (These children refers to those who are ADD, ADHD, OCD, and Autistic). The authors further write...” Do you remember that we told you he doesn’t have a past present or a future? He’s all awareness. He is willing to pick up everything out of your head. You are reading up on the symptoms of autism, and he’s picking them up out of your head and manifesting them.” The mother was told to stop researching autism and the child will stop manifesting autistic behaviors.



This book is garbage.

[Emesskay · Rating 1 out of 5]

So I have a son with autism and I am always looking for new perspectives, new therapies, etc. This book was recommended to me by another parent, without any explanation of the therapy involved. Fortunately, I only paid 99 cents for it, because if I had paid any more, I would have been seriously annoyed.

The author's premise is basically that children with autism, add/adhd can read minds, and the reason they have behavior problems, language problems, etc. is they can't filter out everyone else's thoughts. The author offers suggestions like for the parent to form in their mind a complete vision of what the child should do, or the child's schedule for the day, and the child will "read" that and do what is required and have a great day with no struggles!

Um, yeah. This is just me, but I prefer behavior-based therapeutic approaches rather than ones which rely on ESP. I believe the author believes in the theories she is proposing, and I do not believe it was written with the intent to scam money out of parents desperate for a way to communicate with their autistic children. But I personally found it useless.

[Lacey Caselman · Rating 1 out of 5]

This woman is nuts. She thinks psychic powers and reincarnation cause autism and that to help a child with autism you must communicate telepathically. There is no actual science or rationality in this book. Avoid.

[Amber · Rating 1 out of 5]

I prefer my ADHD advice biased off scientific research and results rather than personal opinions. Whether you choose to medicate or not medicate your ADHD child, you should never be made to feel wrong of your decision. The author hints to medicated “zombie” children (as so many against medication do) and that a low sugar diet & outside play daily will bring focus to an ADHD child. No. Just no.

I also do not think my child has a form of ESP that we are not in tuned to, or that envisioning things I’d like her to do through out the day will help our lives run smoother. Yes there are some great ideas about looking at ADHD as more of a gift than a curse but the ESP aspect of this book just has me shaking my head thinking what am I reading?!

[Kaylin Worthington · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is certainly interesting. Instead of disabled, kids with autism, ADD, ADHD, OCD, etc are all “X-Men” accessing a consciousness that the rest of us don’t have, including telepathy. Before you ride it off as cooky though, they actually have a lot of anecdotal evidence as to how their minds work and how their therapies work. This book sure opened my mind into different possibilities, but even if they are able to communicate without speaking, it is still necessary for them to enter the world of the rest of us, because we cannot understand them. I am curious where this research will end up in the years to come. Definitely worth a read, but take it with a grain of salt.

[Charmaine dela Cruz · Rating 1 out of 5]

How did this get published? I have read better fanfiction. Lol

[Fatima. B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enlightening and easy to follow
I might not agree with everything mentioned, but I managed to get emersed

[Jess Searcy · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF (33%) This book started out ok but when it started talking about solving problems by communicating with your children telepathically, I realized it wasn't going to help me.

[Edwin Van Leeuwen · Rating 4 out of 5]

beetje zweverig, wel interessant.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pros

-A fair intro to Access tools for anyone, and many tips for parenting neurodiverse or gifted children through a more conscious and less limiting lens.

-Offers a new perspective in framing neurodiverse communication styles as different due to a preference for the innate “first language of awareness”, suggested to be better for the neurodiverse due to a non linear style of thinking and perceiving that can be compared to concepts like 5D perception versus 3D, where time is not linear, and there is no separation (space).

-These kids are compared to xmen, marvel’s mutants who represent evolution of the species. This is an excellent reframe for anyone who’s been boxed into a limited mindset about their children due to the deficit based diagnostic medical model.

Cons

-Unintentionally disempowers the neurodiverse by speaking only to those who work with them. The book reflects a time when parents and readers were expected to be struggling with and othering their neurodiverse children. This overlooks the fact that anyone with neurodivergent children is extremely likely to be neurodiverse to some degree themselves - whether their life experience, and societal attitudes about mental health stigma have ever permitted them to consider it. We now know for instance that the leading instigator of adult diagnosis is recognising ADHD or ASD in your own children.

-Reflects many dated ways of thinking about ADHD and ASD that may be seen to undermine the current neurodiversity movement.

[Shayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely thought provoking. I came across this in my library's digital book app, Hoopla. My 11 year old was diagnosed with ADHD at 6 years old, but we continued to see other symptoms. We've recently had him tested more extensively, resulting in severe OCD and borderline autism as well as ADHD. I love that the author hopes to help people think of these conditions as different rather than disabilities. The book has gotten me to ask different questions and think of my son not as someone that needs fixing, but someone with great abilities no one has recognized yet. Some of the things the author writes about, like telepathically sending my son the whole movie instead of verbally telling him to do things step by step, seem to be ideas more far fetched than most people will want to engage in. My child isn't fully autistic, so that part might not apply to our situation. However, most of the questions have helped my son and me communicate better! So all in all, the book has helped!

[Alicia Dunlap · Rating 2 out of 5]

It initially seemed like a book that would be helpful to read, but quickly I realized the authors started speaking on things that caused me to pause and question their perspectives. Immediately I knew I would need to take this book with a grain of salt. This book as an audio book was interesting enough to listen to with the stories shared, but I didn’t agree with a lot of what was said to be truths. I gave the book an extra star purely because I was able to finish it and I appreciate that I could learn about a perspective even if I didn’t agree with it. That alone can help me understand some group of people better who would believe in this area.

[Donna Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I set this book aside and then started over.

This book deal with children on a spectrum and is written in terms anyone can understand. I use the tools for myself, my clients, my grandkids, and the general population.

Recommended reading for anyone who is dealing with children who have diagnosis of ADD, ADHD and Autism.

[Wren · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dangerous, rambling, unedited nonsense. This book positions itself as being written by professionals that are part of the neurodiversity movement, but they are just scammers just trying to get confused parents to pay for their "access consciousness" seminars. I worry people will be turned off from real mental health care and autistic advocates by this embarrassing imitation.

[Marieke · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has some good and interesting points. But she talks a lot about sending pictures, but doesn't explain how to do that.
And that is annoying. If I believe in it or not doesn't matter, just explain how it has to be done.

[Flo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting approach. I don't agree with everything in her approach, but there are many ideas that are useful in working with children, with or without special needs.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life. Changing! I wish I had read this 27 years ago but I've read it now and the difference already is noticable!

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty out there, but some interesting ideas if you frame it as heightened intuition rather than supernatural.

[Jonathan Bentvelzen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just explain how

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING!! Such simple yet PROFOUND concepts and questions. A book to be read every few years.

[Fed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fabulous!

[Carrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not so sure. I like the alternative perspective, but it really didn't have any actual data to support it.

[Simone Lees · Rating 1 out of 5]

What I'm the non evidence based whackadoodle is this book.

[Tanya Boulter · Rating 2 out of 5]

OMG what started out as a promising read quickly went to the occult. Yes these children are gifted but to say they are ALL psychic and tuning into people all around them from 8 to 800kms is a bit far fetched even to someone with an open mind. Found this interesting that the 3 authors all have degrees. Am struggling to say the least.
I did finish the book and I did get something out of it. I liked teach your children to be aware not careful. Love to people means different things like 'if you loved me you'd do that' or in an abuse household 'I did that because I love you'

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book definitely made me think outside the box. Walked away with the knowledge that my son can sense what I am feeling and how important it is for him to pick up all the positive feelings I have about him. It's important to look at his hyperactivity as a gift and build off of it instead of trying to shut it out.