Sachiko, Masato, and Hikaru have come a long way since Hikaru was diagnosed with autism. Sachiko has found the support she needs and managed to place Hikaru in an understanding school with an autism classroom. There are still bumps along the way--people who do not understand what autism is and want to blame the parents for how Hikaru behaves, but they are generally in a very good place. He's in a classroom with an excellent teacher and a supportive principle, and even Masato is dealing with Hikaru's particular behaviors better. He has reduced his expectations for his job and become more supportive of his wife and son.
But Hikaru is growing and some of his behaviors are changing. He's starting to wander more and be harder to keep track of, which gets him, and his parents, into trouble with neighbors and local businesses. And when Hikaru's teacher marries a fellow teacher at the same school and gets transferred to another school, and the principle dies of a heart attack, new problems begin. The new teacher doesn't understand her special needs children--a position she took because she thought it would be easy. And the new principle is more concerned with appearances with his bosses than with the needs of the children or the concerns of the parents. Sachiko and Masato find themselves struggling once again to make sure their son's needs are met.
Impression: As with Vol 1, I'm quite impressed with With the Light. I'm particularly in touch with that feeling of needing support and struggling to find it. I think my only problem with it is how frequently Hikaru gets away from his mother--I think most parents of disabled children who "get away" frequently tend to be more aware of where their child is and more watchful than Sachiko was made out to be. But even that does not reduce the enjoyment or informative nature of the story. The plight of parents with autistic children is still very clearly portrayed. As in the previous volume, there are cultural differences that are both interesting and sad since they show how the experience of parents of autistic children is so much harder in Japan. Overall, though, it's a wonderful book that I highly recommend. I am anxious for volume 3, which comes out in September.
Unless otherwise noted, all books reviewed have been purchased by me.
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