Latest Articles about Claudreen:

Motown Widow Pens Book
about Autism

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. - The widow of a Motown great says there were many tears, challenges and struggles, but now she is finally learning to be inspired by autism.

In 1975, the Spinners were a huge success and Pervis Jackson seemed to be on top of the world, but at home life had hit rock bottom.

"He was in denial for a long time, as was I," said Claudreen Jackson.

Claudreen had given birth to their fourth child, Pervis Junior. He was beautiful baby boy who looked like the others, but on the inside he seemed tortured. Eventually P.J. was diagnosed with autism. Click here to read more.

 

More Articles by Claudreen:

The Realization

A mother of an autistic son realizes how important a positive attitude can be.

 July, 2008

I remember when we achieved the American dream. It was in 1972 and the group that my husband sang with finally had their first hit record. All the hard work and sacrifice had paid off. We felt like we had gotten our reward. 

Though life became a series of shopping, traveling and parties, we also gave to charities and helped friends in need. I felt that God had blessed us and there wasn't a problem we couldn't solve. 

We decided to have another baby, the first one we could afford. This child would have advantages that our older children did not have. This was to be our first planned-for child.  

Our son was born in July, 1975. We were all excited about the new addition to the family and he was greatly loved. On his first birthday, I said, "We are over the hump. We have another heal! thy, well adjusted child." I breathed a sigh of relief. 

That was my last sigh of relief about him. He started losing the gains he had made. He was angry and destructive. He didn't sleep nights and began screaming all the time. He was diagnosed with autism.

I first decided to find a doctor who would cure him. Then I discovered that there was no cure. He was destroying the house and me, so I looked for a facility for "people like him." I went from doctor to doctor and they all sent me back home with my son. 

One day I thought, nobody wants my son. A little voice said, "Not even you." What a revelation! If I did not want him, who would? I was so exhausted and depressed that I did not know how to care for him. I could not do it.

Then came my great moment! Another parent of an autistic child gave me a copy of Norman Vincent Peale's booklet, Thought Conditioners. Dr. Peale said that you could ch! ange your life by changing your attitude, that attitude was mo! re impor tant than facts. Could this be true? I wondered, How do I change my attitude about my son? 

I read Thought Conditioners faithfully, over and over and over again. I read The Power of Positive Thinking by Dr. Peale over and over. I started learning all I could about my son's disability. I became an advocate for people with disabilities in our state. 

My son could not speak, so I learned to speak to him and others like him. I went back to college and became a special education teacher. God had not cured my son, but He had cured me.

I continue to read Dr. Peale's books and booklets, but Thought Conditioners is the one that saved my sanity and helped me to be a mother to a difficult son. He is still difficult and unpredictable. He is now 29 years old, and I love him for the person he is instead of the person I wanted him to be.

Attitude is more important than facts.  

Dr. Peale was rig! ht when he wrote that by changing your mind you can change anything. Thank you Dr. Peale, for guiding me when everything looked hopeless.