Susan Senator

Susan Senator is mother of three sons, the oldest of whom has fairly severe autism. Senator is the author of one novel "Dirt: A Story About Gardening, Mothering, and Other Messy Business," and two autism parenting books, "Making Peace With Autism: One Family's Story of Struggle, Discovery, and Unexpected Gifts," and "The Autism Mom's Survival Guide: Creating a Happy and Balanced Life While Raising a Child With Autism." Senator's third book is "Autism Adulthood: Insights and Creative Strategies for a Fulfilling Life." She began her writing career in 1984, as an escape, while working on her Master's Thesis at the University of Pennsylvania. She ultimately wrote four novels, and in 1997 published her first autism parenting article in Exceptional Parent Magazine. This led to many, many articles on various aspects of autism, parenting, and family life in places like The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and The Washington Post, all of which, along with her blog, can be found at susansenator.com. Senator has appeared on the Today Show, CNN, MSNBC, and NPR's Weekend America. She was also a guest at a dinner at the White House in honor of Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Special Olympics, where she met the President. Senator's first book, "Making Peace With Autism," was given the Exceptional Parent Magazine Award of Distinction. Senator's philosophy is that it is certainly possible to have a happy family life even given the difficult context of autism -- it's just not what you might have expected.