Normal Schmormal cover art

Normal Schmormal

My occasionally helpful guide to parenting kids with special needs

 Preview

Get 30 days of Standard free

£5.99/mo after trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options

Normal Schmormal

By: Ashley Blaker
Try for £0.00

£5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for £14.64

Buy Now for £14.64

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.

‘A funny, irreverent and loving book’ Daily Express

‘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.

©2023 Ashley Blaker Children's Health Fatherhood Parenting & Families People with Disabilities Relationships Special need Funny Comedy Witty Adoption Health
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_c

Critic reviews

ADVANCE PRAISE
‘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
‘There’s so much love and good energy in this book. It had me smiling from the very first words.’
Adam Hills
‘Normal Schmormal is a laugh-out-loud, touching memoir of advice, where embracing the weird becomes something wonderful. Every parent should have a copy.’
Emma Kennedy
‘Hilarious, fascinating, and moving. A very special book about a very special family. I laughed and learned so much.’
Elis James
‘This is a must read. Ashley Blaker has a special brand of comic magic. His gift is in making the toughest life challenges seem relatable and even joyous.’
Rob Rinder
‘Funny and warm hearted, this book is a godsend for neurodivergent parents like me.’
Josie Long
‘Inspirational, moving and massively funny. A beautiful schmeautiful book.’
David Schneider
‘Ashley is a superb comic writer and this is a brilliantly funny and often incredibly emotional memoir.’
David Walliams
‘Full of love, this book is a unique and uplifting document of a remarkable everyday life. God knows how Ashley found time to write it.’
Mark Watson
‘Funny, moving and incredibly useful. This book can teach us all something about parenting.’
Lucy Porter
‘A vivid record of a father’s love for his children and a plea for others to follow suit, whatever their kids may be like. A gorgeous book.’
Jeremy Dyson
‘Chipped away at my ignorance and made me laugh at the same time. A neat trick.’
Mike Wozniak
All stars
Most relevant
I’ve never felt so seen as a parent! Great book. Highly recommend to all parents with kids who differ from the norm.

Loved this

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Written with an incredible balance of humour, heart and helpful reminders that as parents were all trying really hard, this is a brilliant read.

Laugh out loud funny, but enormously helpful too.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
On occasion I found this to be stating the obvious.. but I’m guessing, since he had to say it, not obvious to all! Short and entertaining as well as getting over the sheer frustration of dealing with the bureaucracy of having a SEN child and what some of us may be in a position to be able to do to make life less tough, should be a compulsory read for all in or on the edge of this world , it would save a lot of explanations!

Accessible, humorous, informative

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Thank you!!! This is going to help so many children, young people and their families.

Honesty

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
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’.

Super refreshing laugh out loud ah ha moments!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews