The Fun Master

A Memoir

by Jeff Seitzer

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Pub Date 16 Aug 2022 | Archive Date 01 Aug 2022

Biographies & Memoirs

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Description

A self-involved academic struggling to cope with his own neurological problems, Jeff could hardly take care of himself, let alone a child with special needs, when his son, Ethan, was born. But despite multiple surgeries, hospitalizations, serious breathing and swallowing problems, hearing loss, and a challenging social environment in his first months of life, Ethan thrived—all the while teaching Jeff to take things as they came. And eight years later, the arrival from China of adopted baby sister Penelope took Jeff's on-the-job training to a whole new level.

Ethan's instinct for fun proved the perfect complement to Jeff's determination to live life fully. He died too young, but not before he, Penelope, and their mother, Janet, taught Jeff that the true path to happiness was putting other people's needs before his own—and living in the moment rather than trying to control it.

A self-involved academic struggling to cope with his own neurological problems, Jeff could hardly take care of himself, let alone a child with special needs, when his son, Ethan, was born. But...

A Note From the Publisher

Jeff Seitzer was an expert on the care of the self, himself in particular, before he unexpectedly became a stay-at-home dad. Accounts of his on-the-job training as a full time parent have appeared in the Omaha World-Herald, Hippocampus, Brevity, Adoptive Families Magazine, and elsewhere. An award-winning teacher, he is also the author of a number of books and articles on law and philosophy and a regular contributor to the CMTA Report. Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, he now lives with his family in Chicago, where he teaches at Roosevelt University.

Advance Praise

“In this poignant memoir, Seitzer takes us inside the grueling day-to-day of parents turned inside out by the arrival of a child with intense medical needs, while reminding us that even in the most challenging times the joy and humor that children bring always shines through. And the love. The big, life-changing love.”

—Nicola Kraus, co-author of The Nanny Diaries

“Jeff Seitzer combines compassion, humor, and hard truths in this artfully written and beautiful story of a father’s dedication to his son, Ethan. It is a compelling story of personal growth, triumph over adversity, and love simultaneously both heart wrenching and heartwarming.”

—George Bodenheimer, former President and Executive Chairman, ESPN

“Jeff Seitzer shepherds readers through charming, poignant, and also heartbreaking tales of parenting, adoption, and the loss of a child. Through ‘The Fun Master,’ I learned valuable lessons of love and resilience from the point of view of both parent and child, and I am reminded of why I pursued a career in medicine in the first place. This is a must-read for parents and medical professionals alike.”

—Ron Bahar, Adjunct Associate Professor of Pediatrics, USC Keck School of Medicine

“Jeff Seitzer writes beautifully about the love between parent and child. You will laugh, cry, and ultimately understand why children are our greatest teachers. Above all, this moving memoir honors his son's incredible impact on everyone he met.”

—Nadine Kenney Johnstone, author of Of This Much I Am Sure

“If life is learning, Jeff Seitzer is uniquely equipped. Bringing to bear his philosophical voice on the minutiae of raising a child with special needs, Seitzer has created a memoir as self-effacing as it is fearlessly honest.”

—Sarah Terez Rosenblum, author of Herself When She's Missing

“‘The Fun Master’ brings us face to face with the daily life of parenting a special needs child. Through inspirational writing, you will be taken to the most creative places in your mind and soul following this dad’s transformation through the complex role of fathering. An extraordinary, heartfelt story of loving and letting go.”

—Anna Penenberg, author of Dancing in the Narrows