About The Book
Lisa DeMario’s “Not Retarded Enough” is a profoundly emotional memoir about raising her son Jason, a child who falls between the cracks of society’s labels and systems. From the joy and shock of a second pregnancy to the life-changing moment of Jason’s autism diagnosis, Lisa opens her heart to share the unfiltered truth of motherhood that doesn’t go by the book.
Jason is bright, sweet, and full of potential, but the world doesn’t know where to place him. He’s “not typical” but also “not impaired enough” to qualify for the help he truly needs. Through school challenges, social isolation, and the constant noise of others’ opinions, Lisa learns that love isn’t about perfect outcomes; it’s about meeting your child exactly where they are.
The story also highlights the emotional toll on the entire family, especially Jason’s older brother, Jaden, whose quiet sacrifices often went unnoticed. It’s a journey of love and grief, of letting go of the picture-perfect dream and embracing something more real, more honest.
Through therapy appointments, sleepless nights, financial hardship, and heartbreak, Lisa still finds beauty in Jason’s passion for animatronics, their Halloween traditions, and building a world that fits her child instead of forcing him to fit into someone else’s.
This book is not just for parents of special needs children. It’s for anyone who has ever faced a future they didn’t plan, has had to fight for someone they love, and has learned that real strength is found in showing up, even on the hardest days.
