Jennifer Gay Summers
Author | Journalist | Inspirational Speaker
ADHD and Neurodivergent Parenting Advocate
“Summers offers a loving memoir about raising a neurodivergent child…A moving remembrance that clearly renders both a parent’s and child’s journeys.”
—Kirkus Reviews
Available October 27
For more information, Learn More Here
Are you a grandparent, parent, or caregiver raising a neurodivergent child with mental health challenges? Are you feeling alone and overwhelmed on your parenting journey? Are you searching for a deeper connection with your child and more effective parenting strategies?
Well, you’ve come to the right place! I’m a fellow parent, a longtime journalist, an author, a parenting advocate, a former high school teacher, an ADHD mom blogger, and an inspirational speaker.
I’m passionate about helping YOU build a deeper connection with your neurodivergent child and giving them the tools they need to succeed, in their homes, classrooms, and communities.
But first, let me share with you MY STORY:
The minute my adopted daughter, Lee, learned how to walk, the chase was on. To the top of jungle gyms, through amusement parks, down the aisles of a plane. Telling Lee to sit still or keep her hands to herself wasn’t an option. It wasn’t in her DNA. At 18 months old, Lee’s impulsive rocket launch down a slide into a Mommy and Me circle time, full of kids, landed us into a time-out on a chair in a parking lot. When a seagull flew overhead, and Lee tumbled out of my lap and followed, right into the path of an oncoming car, I still didn’t get it. “This was my fault, somehow. I just had to be a better mother.” Sound familiar?
Hoping my child was typical, despite her inability to develop at the same rate as her peers, I plunked her down into public elementary school. I tried to convince myself that she just needed time to develop at her own pace. Then came the day in first grade when I walked into the classroom and found Lee cowering under a desk. I crouched down and she said, “Mommy I’m the dumbest person in the class.” My heart broke in a million pieces.
Feeling alone and scared, I reached out for help. Lee’s ADHD, sensory processing disorder, anxiety, and other learning disabilities meant I had to let go of any traditional ideas of motherhood. Through acceptance and ADHD education, I found the support I’d needed all along! And, I discovered joy in celebrating the beauty of Lee’s neurodivergent strengths. When Lee revealed she was not my daughter but my son, I realized and embraced the power of unconditional love.
I became Lee’s fiercest parenting advocate, from elementary school through high school, demanding support: accommodations, resources, and coping mechanisms for a child struggling with a host of disabilities. In the process, I started a popular blog for ADDitude magazine that would last almost a decade, chronicling the ups and downs of our daily lives. I loved connecting with parents across the country who were also searching for ways to feel empowered and help their children, just as I hope you and I can here! Together, we can spread neurodivergent awareness and help our children thrive.
Wonderful news! My Book Chasing Lee is now up for pre-order on Simon and Schuster and Amazon.
More information to come soon, stay tuned.
News
An Interview in Bold Journey magazine!
An interview about having a career filled with purpose, the qualities that make a difference, and my inspiration to write.
Interview in LA Voyage magazine!
An interview about my writing career, the winding road that brought me there, and my author journey with its rewarding challenges.
Parenting A Child With ADHD: Insights from a Parent and Advocate
I'm so excited to be a guest on ADHD Kids Can Thrive podcast which aired January 14, 2025. Join us as Kate Brownfield and I discuss my motherhood journey, from denial through advocacy. Kate’s podcast is a beacon of light for parents, grandparents, and caregivers of kids with ADHD!
My article in the Sept/Oct issue of L.A. Parent!
I’m so excited to have an article in the Sept/Oct issue of L.A. Parent, my second article for them this year!
An excerpt from my memoir published in February's Mom Egg Review
The Ages/Stages MER Online Folio, This is a wonderful literary journal about motherhood and all its complexities. In my essay, “Mothers Come First,” I face both the fears and joys of becoming a new adoptive mother.
My article in the Jan/Feb issue of L.A. Parent!
What an honor to write an article for a magazine that I turned to so many times in my own parenting journey.
Honored to have an essay published this month in Dorothy Parker's Ashes!
My essay focuses on a time I lost my neurodivergent child in the mall at the same time I was losing my mother to Alzheimer's disease
Ep 125 Success! A Mother’s Journey From Shame to Acceptance
Thrilled to be a guest on the Parenting with Impact Podcast that aired on 8/30/23! Here’s a quick preview of our interview that focuses on the moment when I knew I would need to leave behind my traditional expectations of motherhood and embark on a whole new journey.
Hope you can join me and the wonderful Impact Parents coach, Elaine Taylor-Klaus, as we discuss the challenges and joys of parenting complex children.
Blogs
Blogs
I welcome you to check out some of my recent blogs below or click on one of the following buttons to read blogs with these themes:
Bold Journey
Honored to have a new interview in Bold Journey magazine on my upcoming memoir about raising a neurodivergent child, having a career filled with purpose, the qualities that have made a difference in my author journey, and my inspiration (my father, of course!) Meet...
On My Own
I’m so excited to have an article in the September/October issue of L.A. Parent—my second article for them this year! In this one, I profile five fantastic groups that help neurodivergent young adults transition to independence.
Taking Chances Pays Off for My Daughter
Summer school can pose a huge challenge to kids with ADHD. Back when Lee was a teenager and considered it, the thought of fitting a semester’s worth of learning into just a few weeks seemed like a recipe for failure. But, the trade-off of one less class in ninth grade won the day, although that meant accepting help from me, not easy for my headstrong, independent kid. In this blog I wrote for ADDitude magazine when Lee was about to start high school, we find the unexpected rewards of summer school’s challenge.
