Educating Eddie by Heather Hebbard and Meryka Alexander

Educating Eddie focuses on Heather Hebbard’s personal quest to educate her son Eddie, who has severe autism, and integrate him into everyday life and society.

Heather realised early on that she’d need to advocate for Eddie to secure appropriate inclusion, care and education options for him. This book describes her experiences not only as Eddie’s mother and advocate, but also as his program and life coordinator. It was co-written with Meryka Alexander, who has known Eddie since he was diagnosed with autism at age three-and-a-half. Meryka has shared the Hebbards’ family life for 25 years, as Eddie’s teacher and advocate, and Heather’s ally, adviser, collaborator and great support.

From first meeting Eddie as a pre-schooler struggling to communicate and make sense of his world, the reader is taken right up to the incredible young man Eddie is today, who takes part in voluntary work, having completed his schooling, and enjoys many varied interests. After realising that Eddie, who requires 24-hour care, couldn’t manage a whole school day, in 2009 Heather and Meryka created a hybrid education program of ‘home schooling’ and education at Carey Baptist Grammar School in Melbourne – a first at the time. This saw Eddie socialising with and learning from his peers, and also learning one-on-one in a local community centre, setting the scene for other children with additional needs to access personalised education options.

In Educating Eddie, the many ups and downs of everyday life with Eddie are shared through the eyes of a devoted mother, teacher and family who overcome the challenges all parents face – like toilet-training, school transition, and even having haircuts! These moments provide entertaining glimpses into the world of a family and community committed to Eddie’s wellbeing and inclusion. The difficulties of managing Eddie’s safety, and his many rituals, obsessions and phobias, are navigated with honesty and humility to produce a positive memoir of what can be achieved through love and unwavering dedication.

Educating Eddie by Heather Hebbard and Meryka Alexander ISBN: 9781764378802