Another Place at the Table: A Story of Ravaged Childhood and the Redemption of LoveFor more than a decade, Kathy Harrison has sheltered a shifting cast of troubled youngsters-the offspring of prostitutes and addicts; the sons and daughters of abusers; and teenage parents who can't handle parenthood. What would motivate someone to give herself over to constant, largely uncompensated chaos? How does she manage her extraordinary blended family? Why would anyone voluntarily take on her job? Harrison is no saint, but an ordinary woman doing heroic work. In "Another Place at the Table," she describes her life at our social services' front lines-centered around three children who, when they come together in her home, nearly destroy it. Danny, age eight, is borderline mentally retarded and a budding pedophile (a frequent result of sexual abuse in boys). No other family will take him in. Tough, magnetic Sara, age six, is dangerously promiscuous (a typical manifestation of abuse in girls). Karen, six months, shares Danny's legal advocate, who must represent the interests of both. All three living under the same roof will lead to an inevitable explosion-but for each, Harrison's care offers the greatest hope of a reinvented childhood. For readers of "The Lost Children of Wilder," "Expecting Adam," and "Somebody Else's Kids," this is the first-person story of a woman whose compassionate best intentions for a child are sometimes all that stand between violence and redemption. |
Other editions - View all
Another Place at the Table: A Story of Shattered Childhoods and the Healing ... Kathy Harrison No preview available - 2003 |
Common terms and phrases
7-Eleven abuse adoption Angie and Neddy answered asked attorney Audrey baby bath began behavior better Bonnie Bonnie's Brenda Bruce called child couple Dan's Danny Danny's David diapers door dress Ellen eyes failure to thrive feel felt foster care foster children foster home foster parents Gracie guess hair hand happened hard heard hospital hurt Juanita Karen Kathy keep kids knew little girl living looked Lucy Lucy's Marisol minutes months mother move needed never night Nora pick pretty princess crown problems psychiatric hospital pulled Sandra Sara Sara's seemed Sesame Street Shamika Sharon sleep smile social services social worker someone spent stay sure talk tantrum tell therapist things thought told took tooth fairy Tyler voice wait week worry Yolanda
References to this book
Children and Youth in Adoption, Orphanages, and Foster Care: A Historical ... Lori Askeland No preview available - 2006 |