Every parent who is expecting a child has dreams and ideas of what this child will be. Will it be a boy or girl? Will he look like his Dad? Will she have the mannerisms of Mom? Will you see traits of the grandparents and great grandparents in the way that he talks and acts? Parents who are thinking and dreaming about their child don’t think and dream about the unexpected- a child born with a disability.

Boris Vujicic and his wife Dushka had their dreams shattered when their first child- Nick- was born with no limbs. Nick is now a world famous inspirational speaker. He’s encouraged and inspired many disabled and normal bodied people. He has a unique ability to connect with people, and he has a heart for those who are hurting. But when Nick was born, the Vujicics didn’t know how his life could turn out. All they knew was that this child who had been born to them was not the child they expected.

Raising the Perfectly Imperfect Child is Boris Vujicic’s story of Nick’s childhood and growth to adulthood. It’s the story of how he and his wife had to turn again and again to their belief that God had something special for Nick and for their family.

Boris’s story is written to encourage parents who have children who aren’t the perfect ideal they dreamed of. He walks parents through the birth of their child and then shares how the Vujicic family dealt with the situations they encountered after Nick’s birth.

Boris encourages parents who are dealing with the shock and grief of the birth of a child with special needs. He shares how he and Dushka felt during these trying times and the discussions they had about how they would ever care for Nick. Several specialists encouraged them to put him up for adoption. But, ultimately, their strong faith in a God who has a perfect plan carried them through and into parenthood of this special son.

Boris’s story of Nick’s childhood encourages parents in becoming advocates for their children- both medically and academically. Sharing some of Nick’s experiences in childhood and adolescence, he describes how he and his wife learned to advocate for Nick while still encouraging him to live his life without limits and encouraging him to be as independent as possible.

Raising the Perfectly Imperfect Child spoke to my heart. Whether our children have medical needs or learning needs or emotional needs, they seldom turn out exactly as we had dreamed and planned. Boris’s telling of their family’s journey is an encouragement to any parent and family to live a life of faith in God’s plan for their children and an encouragement to parents to give their children a strong foundation and the tools they need to grow and move forward in life.

If you’re the parent of a child with special needs- or even if your children wouldn’t be labeled as special needs- Raising the Perfectly Imperfect Child will encourage you and inspire you to parent your children while faithfully trusting God to make them into the people He wants them to be.

—Product review by Leah Courtney, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, June, 2016

Another review:

 
In this book, Boris Vujicic tells the story of his son Nick, who was born without arms and legs.  Nick is now an inspirational speaker and author, a testimony to the God he trusts and the diligence of his parents. Boris tells the story with the intent to encourage other parents of special needs children.  He emphasizes giving the child as normal a life as possible. He also guides the reader through some of the pitfalls in getting the child mainstreamed in school and also in dealing with all the medical costs / insurance issues / negotiating your child’s case with doctors and caregivers.

Boris also walks the reader through the situations that develop with siblings and encourages the reader to work at making the siblings feel that they are an integral part of the family, much loved and appreciated, and not hindered by the special needs child. Preserving the husband and wife relationship is also a great challenge in these stressful scenarios but most important to all parties involved.

Getting the disabled child ready to face the world in adulthood is the goal. Nick is now married and has a child of his own.

I was inspired and in awe of the way these parents dealt with the situation they found themselves in. As a grandparent of children with disabilities, I can only try to emulate these parents and follow their example to help my charges make the most of their lives. I recommend this book to everyone because no matter what the situation, there is inspiration to be found in this book.

-Product review by Christine Hindle, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, August, 2016