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this is how it always is

this is how it always is

When Claude, the youngest of Rosie and Penn’s five boys, decides at a young age that he wants to be a girl, (Poppy) the entire family is faced with a challenge for which they were not prepared. Lovingly, they stumble through this new reality of handling gender dysphoria, while making mistakes along the way. When the family relocates to a new city, they decide not to tell anyone else that Poppy is a girl with a penis. She thrives in her new life until the secret comes out.

this is how it always is is a beautifully written story by Laurie Frankel, whose own son is now her daughter. It is not an autobiography, but because of her closeness to the situation, she can profoundly convey the raw, emotional turmoil the parents and siblings go through in order to protect Poppy’s right of privacy.

This paragraph from pages 84 and 85 of the book accurately describes the dilemma every parent faces.

You never know what is wrong, what should be done to fix it or how to make that happen. “You only guess. This is how it always is. You have to make these huge decisions on behalf of your kid … You never have enough information. You don’t get to see the future… It’s impossible. It’s heartbreaking. It’s maddening. But there’s no alternative.”

5 Stars. Book Club Recommended. This is a very thought-provoking book about a subject that has long been uncomfortable to discuss.

And now for my Recipes For Readers Recommendation:

Peanut Butter Balls. Thanks to Sarah for making these for our family!

Peanut Butter Balls
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Book club recommended Favorite Books of 2019 gender dysphoria parenting Reese Witherspoon pick this is how it always is transgender
October 25, 2019

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Clementine Bundt Cake → ← Peanut Butter Balls

3 thoughts on “this is how it always is”

  1. Stephen R Parris says:
    October 29, 2019 at 5:53 pm

    I loved the Peanut Butter Balls

    Reply
    1. kerrinhp says:
      December 13, 2019 at 8:19 pm

      We are so lucky to have Sarah Parris as our daughter-in-love

      Reply
  2. kerrinhp says:
    November 6, 2019 at 8:40 pm

    I was sad to learn of all the hate mail the author Laurie Frankel has received because of the controversial subject matter. I decided to send her a nice email. She sent me a lovely response and thanked me for my review. She also thinks that Sarah’s peanut butter balls look amazing!

    Reply

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