Developmental Challenges Quotes

Childhood is a tricky business. Usually, something goes wrong.

When I was a child, my behavior was far from being what most people would label 'intelligent.' It was often limited, repetitive and anti-social. I could not do many of the things that most people take for granted, such as looking someone in the eye or deciphering a person's body language, and only acquired these skills with much effort over time.

Appalling things can happen to children. And even a happy childhood is filled with sadnesses.

Effectively, what we are saying to the governments of Europe is, 'OK, after 300 years, you have left these islands in a pretty bad state. You've left them with terrible developmental challenges, and we believe you have a responsibility to return to the Caribbean and participate in the rebuilding of the Caribbean.'

The period of greatest gain in knowledge and experience is the most difficult period in one's life.

I think everyone has their awkward phases. Growing up isn't easy for everyone.

Being a teenager is complicated.

When I tried to hit puberty I swung and I missed.

Because like so many people who were victimized directly or indirectly by crime, I blamed myself. If I hadn't been able to find closure, I never would have overcome those early developmental challenges.

I think it is unnatural to think that there is such a thing as a blue-sky, white-clouded happy childhood for anybody. Childhood is a very, very tricky business of surviving it. Because if one thing goes wrong or anything goes wrong, and usually something goes wrong, then you are compromised as a human being. You're going to trip over that for a good part of your life.

So by the time I got to Michigan I was a stutterer. I couldn't talk. So my first year of school was my first mute year and then those mute years continued until I got to high school.

Sometimes growing pains are by fits and starts.

I had three miscarriages, then, at forty-eight, a child with serious developmental difficulties. He is a blessing and a jewel. He is my teacher. From him I get and give unconditional love.

With few exceptions, the publishing industry has come to a consensus: if a book has a young protagonist, and if its worldview is primarily interested in the questions that crop up when coming of age, then it's a young adult novel.

I feel like I flunked at adolescence really badly. I found it really difficult.

Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability in our nation.