There She Goes

I'm at a loss for words to review this series but I simply must. I have no experience with autism personally but my child is severely disabled with special needs. I could relate so well to the general theme of parenting a special needs child that it really touched a nerve. Watching Hynes portray the pregnancy, the early stages of bonding and a special needs mother's isolation - especially the scene at a reading/singing group - were parts that I could relate to so fully it broke my heart. I cried and cried. But there are so many laughs in there too. The opening of episode one where they end up driving Rosie to the park is brilliant. People on the outside of these situations just don't realise how the smallest tasks with a special needs child can seem like moving the earth. And if we didn't laugh at these struggles sometimes, we would undoubtedly lose our minds. It all becomes so "normal" eventually that what might seem shocking to someone else is completely run of the mill for us! This series should be so enlightening to someone with no connection to a family coping with a life like this day to day. I recommend it to so many people for them to get an insight into my families highs and lows - and other families for that matter. For so many of us, this is real life and the series is perfect for raising awareness of another taboo subject. Hynes and Tennant do an outstanding job. It's brilliant. Watch it.

I can't tell you what a relief it is to see our story represented, although imagine how much harder it is for working class parents, this couple was extremely lucky they had 1 able bodied child, extended family to support and provide help, and they had flexible well paid professional careers to help take care of the financial stresses.

One of the most relieving features of this show was the illustration of just how clueless 95% of the world is to the difficulties of raising a disabled child, one of the most patronising experiences is when parents of able bodied children empathise with your experience by comparing their well behaved children to your relentless nightmare of a life, sorry, BUT YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHATSOEVER, raising an able bodied child is a cakewalk and you have nothing to complain about, so watch this show and get some perspective - I know they mean well but it's just so patronising, so it was extremely gratifying to see this experience reflected through the relationship with the neighbour and his perfectly behaved child. It was great to see that none of this "able bodied prejudice" nonsense was included, anyone that wouldn't want a better life for their disabled child is a child abuser imo. It was also great to see the nurses, family and friends telling the parents that they're just imagining that they're child has issues, this is done purely because these people do not want to face the consequences if the parents are right, they don't want to have the awkward conversations or offer their condolences because that would take extra effort on their behalf, meanwhile it isolates the parents and makes them feel like they're going insane, every parent of a disabled that I've spoken to has gone through this exact experience and what's worse is that there are no support services or counselling for the parents that basically have to go through the stages of grief - whilst everyone is telling them they're just neurotic, or "over convened first time parents", it really is a traumatic experience especially for first time parents.

An amazingly accurate portrayal of the lives of families with disabled children. Well done to the bbc.

And to all the reviewers that said they couldn't stand listening or watching because the child was too " annoying",what cowards you are, I'd hate to think what would become of you and your children if this was your life and yes this does make you a terrible person , I mean try to imagine what the parents have to go through considering they can't just turn off their tv and block it out of their mind. At the very least I hope it helps illustrate what a fortunate existence you live.

6.5 years into our own Autism journey, made official only 3 weeks ago, this programme couldn't have been timed more perfectly for us. The early year scenes are harrowing to watch and the up to date years are positive, joyful chaos, with comedic value. Although our child is verbal, this is still accurately spot on to how we muddle our way through daily. This is a valuable 150 mins for all to watch if they want to get a more realistic view of day to day life with an Autistic member of the family. Thank to all involved.

I adored this. It has a brutal honesty to it, and moments of great pain, but leavened with very realistic wins that give the family reason to find what happiness they can. The acting is wonderful, particularly Jessica Hynes, who probably has the most demanding role, but there's not a duff one amongst them.

I really loved it.

The enormous strain that having a mentally disabled child is on full display. The courage, patience and the stamina of the family is well performed, written and screened.

But despite all that, this is a challenging program to watch. There's a feeling that you are living alongside the desperate frustrations that each family member have to go through and the unthinkable sacrifices that they have to make and the way that the father, mother and brother have to come to terms with the fact that they can't do what most 'normal' families can do.

There's also a lot of "What would I do in that situation?" Would any of us react the same way to given situations and disasters? Would we have the mental (and physical) fortitude to endure the relentless punishment of having a child that's "...wrong, but not wrong enough to die"?

Reviews from people who live life like this are probably more appropriate to take notice of than mine and I'd be interested in reading them. In the mean time I'll probably tune in for more because of the performances and the writing, despite it being very depressing to absorb.