More Reviews of The Son I Knew Too Late: A Guide to Help You Survive and Thrive
More than a guide to suicide prevention and parenting skills, Sally speaks to our hearts. As a psychotherapist, Sally has dedicated her career to helping young people believe in themselves and go beyond their perceived limitations. The Son I Knew Too Late sensitizes us to our children’s struggles, whether hidden or in plain sight, and teaches us how to reach them before it’s too late. . . . It’s brilliant, touching, informative and essential. Yes, it should be required reading for everyone!” A must read!”
~ Deborah DeCamaret, M.A., M.S., LMFT, France.
I read The Son I Knew Too Late in a day because I couldn’t put it down. The author’s style is compelling and the story makes the reader want to keep going to see the pieces put together that led to this tragedy. The book uses Erikson’s Stages of Life as a structure for events in Jon’s life and how his life experiences compared with the challenges and expectations of each stage Erikson explains.”
~ Lois Moore, M.Ed., Special Ed Educator, Ret., Reading Teacher, Parent, Grandmother.
She begins with birth and takes us through the ups and downs of Jon’s life until age 23 when it ended. She relates what happened at different stages and how people’s behavior or communication may have impacted Jon unfavorably. She compares this with how situations might have been handled differently. She is brutally honest about her own shortcomings as well as those of other people. The author is now a practicing family therapist so she has many insights she did not have when she was a homemaker with two young sons and no degrees. She explains in the book’s final chapters that she wrote it to honor her son and to help parents and other people working with kids avoid a tragedy like she’s had to endure. The combination of Erikson’s framework and her experience as a therapist provide a worthwhile tool. I recommend this book to anyone with a child or who works with children. It is excellent.
I just finished your book. I just want to thank and congratulate you for the great work you have done. I felt very sad hearing Jon’s story, but after reflecting on all what you have done because of it, it made me realize that Jon’s life wasn’t lost or wasted. I am sure that he is very proud of you. I am honored to know you. God bless you.”
~ Kaoutar X., Iran
This book is written with heart, soul and professional perspective, and is very powerful. It documents the author’s personal quest to find out why her son felt so desperate (as to commit suicide) and uses the work of Erikson to add lifespan perspective.”
~ Valerie Eurman, M.A., LMFT, City College Student Health and Wellness Center.
Jon’s story is hard and painful, although certainly not entirely.What you have done with this book is really to show people there is this better way. Ways to change an outcome, or to give a tragic outcome a meaning that helps humanity . . . Personally, your discussion of death and how the finiteness of life is the very inflection that gives life its meaning, its poignancy, its visceral essence (when it’s not cut short) is such an important perspective. …I commend you for your bravery, while knowing that this book was also something you had to do.”
~ Dr. Christopher Myers, Psychologist
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I couldn’t find anything to dislike about this book. The author’s candid interpretation of each stage, the relatable illustrations from her family life, and the relatively few errors I found made this a pleasant and educative read. Parents, educators, and counselors would benefit from this book to help children achieve emotional and psychological success at each stage …Sally A. Raymond invites readers to learn about our emotional and psychological development based on Dr. Erik Erikson’s Eight Stages of Human Development. “
~ Vernita Naylor, Professional Reviewer, Readers’ Favorite.
I enjoyed the book’s format a great deal. The author opened each chapter with an overview of Jon and what she remembered about him at each stage. She gave honest descriptions of how she and others responded to Jon’s development and crises. After explaining what to expect at each stage of growth, she explained Dr. Erikson’s description of the stage. This was followed by practical suggestions of activities and questions to apply either to yourself or your child. The author reflected on how she could have better handled Jon’s circumstances. Her honesty about how she believed she had succeeded or failed with her son astounded me. I think her honesty is what makes this book so compelling. She carried each concept from theory to reality by sharing her family history.