Chasing Lee - by Jennifer Gay Summers (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

For parents walking the path of raising a neurodivergent child, this memoir brings courage and hope--revealing that beyond ADHD and other complex challenges lie the gifts of resilience, purpose, and unfathomably profound love.

The moment Jennifer Gay Summers's adopted daughter, Lee, took her first steps, joy filled the house--and the chase began. Jennifer was swept into a whirlwind of motherhood with a bold, curious child wired without brakes.

Drawing strength and wisdom from her years of teaching at-risk high school students, Jennifer became Lee's fiercest advocate. An ADHD diagnosis was just the beginning. Sensory and learning disabilities, along with anxiety and depression, followed, creating a mountain of neurodivergent challenges. With Lee stuck in a school system ill equipped to handle children with mental health struggles, Jennifer was forced to come to grips with losing every last traditional parenting expectation--and in doing so found a deeper meaning to her life, turning hardship into joy.

More than a memoir, Chasing Lee encourages parents of neurodivergent children to shift perspectives and find valuable survival tools using compassionate guidance and hard-won hope. Jennifer's inspirational story shines a light on the humanity that connects us, no matter the disabilities or labels--and is a testament to the power of unconditional love and the freedom found in letting go.

About the Author

Jennifer Gay Summers is a writer and advocate for parents raising neurodivergent children and a former teacher of at-risk high school students. Her essays on motherhood have appeared in Chicken Soup for the Soul and Conscious Women, Conscious Mothers anthologies, as well as Adoptive Families and ADDitude magazines. Recently, she has contributed to Mom Egg Review, Dorothy Parker's Ashes, and L.A. Parent magazine. She has also been a guest on leading ADHD parenting podcasts, including Parenting with Impact and ADHD Kids Can Thrive. Summers has deep roots in the LA area, where she still lives.