I discovered this in a disability display of books at my local library. I’d never heard of it before – I’d never even thought about looking for a book that shared stories about the intersection of disability and parenting. But once I saw that it existed, it was one of those moments of instant recognition. Of course this book exists, and of course I needed to read it.
Let me back up and introduce it. We’ve Got This is a compilation of essays by parents who have a variety of different types of disabilities. In these essays they share their experiences both before and after becoming parents, what it’s like to live with disability, how the world views and treats them, and how they learned that they could still be amazing and capable parents – if they had the support and confidence they needed to do so.
As a parent with multiple disabilities myself, this book was such a wonderful read. Reading it, I felt a weight lifting from me that I hadn’t even realised was there. I saw that I am still a valid parent, even a good one, even if some days I can’t run around outside or manage my emotional regulation perfectly. We’re all dealing with our own challenges, visible or not, and we all must allow ourselves forgiveness and grace for the things we cannot do and the days we are not at our best, for whatever reason.
I love that this book exists in the world, and I love that it offers acceptance and belonging to any parent who reads it. Parenting is difficult, some days nearly impossible. Every family, every parent, every child is different. There is no perfect, but there is also the opportunity for infinite variation and creativity. In this book I saw parents who found ways to be amazing parents from wheelchairs, without sight or hearing, with chronic pain or neurological differences. Yes, there were challenges, but there were also opportunities. Opportunities to find creative ways around the things they could not do, opportunities for their kids to learn compassion and empathy, and above all never-ending opportunities for love and acceptance. I think that the challenges I’ve faced, though they haven’t been ones I would have chosen, have made me who I am. I’ve learned from them, I’ve grown through them, and my perspective on life is different because of them. I don’t take the good days for granted, I am working on giving myself time to rest when I need it, and I’m trying to learn with my kid how we can work with our brains instead of against them. I’m not a perfect mother. But that’s okay; I’m doing the best I can and I’m learning every day.
So this book, with everything it offers anyone who is struggling to believe that they can be a good parent – or even a parent at all – is one I’d wholeheartedly recommend everyone read. If you’re a parent with disabilities, you will find acceptance and support for whatever challenges you’re facing. If you’re disabled and struggling to believe that you could be a parent, you will find encouragement and testimony here that yes, if you want to, you can. And if you are not disabled or a parent, you will find the opportunity meet those who are both and are sharing their lives, pain, struggle and joy with you. Whatever you’re looking for, this book has something to show you that you will want to see. It’s a testament to what human beings are capable of achieving, no matter who they are or what their situation is. And that if we come together, we can make any situation better.
The first major anthology by parents with disabilities.
How does a father who is blind take his child to the park? How is a mother with dwarfism treated when she walks her child down the street? How do Deaf parents know when their baby cries in the night?
When writer and musician Eliza Hull was pregnant with her first child, like most parents-to-be she was a mix of excited and nervous. But as a person with a disability, there were added complexities. She wondered: Will the pregnancy be too hard? Will people judge me? Will I cope with the demands of parenting? More than 15 percent of people worldwide live with a disability, and many of them are also parents. And yet their stories are rarely shared, their experiences almost never reflected in parenting literature.
In We’ve Got This, parents around the world who identify as Deaf, disabled, or chronically ill discuss the highs and lows of their parenting journeys and reveal that the greatest obstacles lie in other people’s attitudes. The result is a moving, revelatory, and empowering anthology that tackles ableism head-on. As Rebekah Taussig writes, ‘Parenthood can tangle with grief and loss. Disability can include joy and abundance. And goddammit — disabled parents exist.’ – Goodreads
Book Title: We’ve Got This
Author: Eliza Hull, ed.
Series: No (but I wish there were more!)
Edition: Paperback
Published By: Scribe UK
Released: February 9, 2023
Genre: Non-fiction, Anthology, Disability, Parenting, Activism, Kickass!
Pages: 288
Date Read: July 16-22, 2025
Rating: 9.5/10
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.48/5 (484 ratings)