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    January First: A Child's Descent into Madness and Her Father's Struggle to Save Her
    January First: A Child's Descent into Madness and Her Father's Struggle to Save Her
    January First: A Child's Descent into Madness and Her Father's Struggle to Save Her
    Audiobook8 hours

    January First: A Child's Descent into Madness and Her Father's Struggle to Save Her

    Written by Michael Schofield

    Narrated by Patrick Lawlor

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    A brilliant and harrowingly honest memoir, January First is the extraordinary story of a father's fight to save his child from an extremely severe case of mental illness in the face of overwhelming adversity.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTantor Media, Inc
    Release dateAug 7, 2012
    ISBN9781452674797
    January First: A Child's Descent into Madness and Her Father's Struggle to Save Her

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    Reviews for January First

    4/5

    204 ratings57 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Working with mentally ill children, I was instantly intrigued. Jani's story is compelling & it mirrors stories I've heard and even some I've witnessed. Having worked with a few children with the diagnosis of child onset schizophrenia, I get it- I get what Micheal was dealing with. What I don't get is his pure narcissism. He is the reason I rated this 4 stars. Michael's obsession with being the only one who can help Jani is tiring. As is some of the tactics he uses. I can sympathize with his plight, but I still can't get over some of the things he did and some of the things he chose to overlook and ignore. He was either sticking his head in the sand or screaming from the rooftops that he (and he alone) is the solution to Jani's struggles.
      Overall, January First is an interesting look into the eyes of child onset schizophrenia... as well as a look into the eyes of a father who happily takes on the role of martyr.
    • 1/5
      People should know that Jani and her younger brother have been removed by CPS, and found to be overmedicated, and not schizophrenic.

      This family has huge problems that do not start with the kids. Hopefully both kids are doing better now.
    • 1/5
      In reality this should be a story about a woman with munchausen by proxy who used her children. She should be in jail. Please read about the true of Jani and Body and the horrors they endured. May they find healing.
    • 5/5
      This is such a powerful book. I read it in one sitting – just couldn’t put it down. It’s a horrific family story of a remarkable child who suffers from child-onset schizophrenia. January was different from infancy – alert and requiring little sleep. Both parents spent endless hours filling her days with enough stimulation to get her to sleep. Walking and talking at 18 months, they were sure Jani was a genius. And they were right – her IQ was so high when she was tested at 4 years old that it really was off the charts. Michael Schofield, Jani’s father, doesn’t pull any punches. He relates the weariness, confusion and anger that he and Susan feel towards the professionals whose help they seek and with each other. This is a remarkable book and I highly recommend it.
    • 1/5
      I read and added this book to my LT account when it came out in 2012, but did not review it at that time, in part because I wasn't sure what to make of it. On the surface, author Michael Schofield and his wife Susan seemed like dedicated, self-sacrificing parents to "schizophrenic" January and her brother Bodhi, but something seemed a little off. The parents seemed to bask in their children's alleged mental illnesses. The family also made the rounds of all the daytime TV talk shows (I missed all of these appearances). As I write this review, it is seven years later, and I've read that the now-divorced Susan and Michael have lost custody and are being investigated for medical abuse of their children. Both children had been fed high doses of anti-psychotic drugs for years. Allegedly, Susan Schofield even took her son Bodhi to fifty different doctors to try to get him a diagnosis of schizophrenia like his sister's. This book is readable, but it represents further exploitation of Jani and her brother.I rarely give a book one star; I reserve that low rating for books that have something morally wrong about them. I now consider this to be one of those few books.
    • 1/5
      Münchausen syndrome by proxy
    • 5/5

      Every now and then I picked up a book which so absorbs me I read it almost
      without pause. January First was one of these. While it is subtitled A child's
      descent into madness and her father's struggle to save her, it is so much more
      than that. I first became aware of January (or Jani as she insists on) through
      the wonder of daytime television, and when I discovered her father had written a
      book I couldn't wait to get it.



      From birth, Jani is a challenging child. She never slept for more than 20-30
      minutes at a time and then only if her parents, Michael and Susan, spent the day
      stimulating her and taking her to places to tire her out. By the time she was
      one she was speaking in complete sentences, by the time she is two she is asking
      about negative numbers. She has a number of imaginary friends, particularly a
      cat called 400 and seven rats named Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,
      Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and they all live on Calalini. Convinced she is a
      genius, her parents are finally able to get an IQ test done which shows that it
      is 146 - not quite as high as they were expecting but given her age, still
      significant. At the same time Jani is showing very different behaviours from
      that expected of a toddler, and she is quite antisocial. Her parents put this
      down to the disconnect between her chronological age and her mental capabilities
      and her father is determined to protect her potential often clashing with his
      wife who wants her to socialise in the way that regular pre-schoolers do. It
      becomes a cause of friction between them, and in some ways, blinkers Michael's
      approach.



      Only when her brother Bohdi is born and Jani is so violent towards him from the
      day they bring him home that neither child can be left on their own, do alarm
      bells start to ring and Michael and Susan begin to search for answers. Jani is
      assessed by psychologists and psychiatrists, hospitalised, medicated at levels
      which would turn an adult to a zombie, yet her behaviour scarcely changes.
      Nothing can stop Jani obeying Wednesday's commands to hit Bohdi, and even though
      Michael and Susan put themselves in harm's way to protect him, nothing will
      distract her until she has carried out what needs to be done.



      January First is Michael's story of his daughter's life, the battles he took on,
      the mistakes he made, his roller-coaster relationship with Susan as both seek to
      give Jani a stable, if not ordinary, life and a safe haven for Bohdi. It is a
      story of frustration, despair, hope and faith.



      But it is also the story of a society that still sees mental illness as a stigma
      rather than accepting a broken brain in the way it accepts a broken leg. It is
      a story of a society where there appears to be little support for parents of
      mentally ill children so there only respite is when the child is in school in a
      situation never designed to cater for such extreme needs or when she is
      hospitalised in circumstances that make your draw drop at the lack of empathy
      and care. It is a story of a system that is not geared to cater for and manage
      mental illness in children. It is a story of a system where health care is
      dependent on your ability to pay and the health insurer's willingness to do so,
      so that as well as battling the illness, you also have to battle bureaucracy.
      It is a story that will break your heart and make you want to fight for the
      rights of Jani and others like her.



      When I was at teachers college as a young mum, we had to visit a local hospital
      where severely physically and mentally disabled children lived and I gave thanks
      that my newborn son was so healthy. As a grandparent, I give thanks that my
      little people are not Jani. As a teacher, I gained great insight into what it
      must be like for parents living with a child with a mental illness. Jani's
      story puts things into perspective. There's a saying that there is always
      someone worse off than you, but in this case, it would be hard to know what that
      would be particularly as it now seems that Bohdi is following Jani's path



      I thank Michael Schofield for writing it - there is so much we can learn from
      his baring his soul in this way. I hope he and Susan continue to have the
      courage and strength and love that shine through this book on every page, and
      that the rest of us listen and do what we can to make life better for parents
      and children in this situation.



      This book is an absolute must-read - just ensure that you give yourself a long,
      interrupted time to do so, and give every child in your life a warmer smile
      today.
    • 3/5
      I have NO IDEA what to say about this book. I have so many questions after reading it, and not many of them have answers several years later. I can't imagine what's under the surface, because what we can see is so outrageously controversial and hard to believe. Three stars because I could NOT stop reading it. Some books are like that.
    • 5/5
      This is a raw, sad, yet inspiring book written by a father who so deeply loves his four year old daughter, he will do anything to help find resources for her bizarre and violent behaviors. Hearing voices of pretend friends, January (Janni) drops in and out of reality.After a long, arduous journey, and many trips to hospitals and institutions who were at a loss to help, finally Janni was diagnosed with the worst-case early onset schizophrenia case on record.Highly recommended, primarily because it gives a very telling description of this nasty severe mental illness, and affirms the depths of love of parents who will go to the ends of the earth for the child they love.
    • 4/5
      This is a raw, heart-wrenching story of a family struggling to cope with their young daughter's violent schizophrenia. Narrated by the father, Michael doesn't spare any punches as he takes the reader on an emotional journey as he and his wife battle with the symptoms of Janni's mental illness. With painful honesty Michael talks about his fears, hopes and dreams for his little girl. Having a close relative with schizophrenia I can totally empathise with Michael. My family and I have had to deal with the emotional roller-coaster, hallucinations, violence, endless doctors and hospital visits for many, many years. Although I didn't always agree with the parents' decisions, their unconditional love for Janni is clearly evident on every page. A powerful and fascinating read.
    • 4/5
      Sad and honest account of a father's struggle to maintain his family's sanity while his small daughter succumbs to her psychosis. The thought of having to deal with the mental health system, insurance and the violence of your own child is terrifying, and the book details the long struggle of a family with a severe case of childhood-onset schizophrenia - a diagnosis the medical community (and insurers) are more than hesitant to consider. The book focuses on the father, the family and Janni herself - but side issues, such as the reluctance of Blue Cross to pay for treatment and the inhumanity of a mental health facility towards Janni and the family are also highlighted. The school comes out a bit better, which is remarkable considering their supposed lack of expertise compared to the doctors and hospitals. I did find myself wishing the mother could stop trying to set up "play dates," which were obviously going to result in madness…and wishing the father could detach a bit as well, but it's easy to judge an impossible situation from the outside when you're not the one living it. I did think their solution at the end - living in two apartments for the safety of the little brother - was clever. I hope they continue to create solutions for the unmarked territory they have to travel through.
    • 4/5
      A gripping memoir of a family's harrowing journey through child-onset schizophrenia, told from the perspective of the dad. Never in my life have I read a memoir that left me so strongly wishing I could read someone else's perspective. The author was so very enmeshed with his daughter and her mental illness, I wished I could read what the mom, or the professionals who diagnosed January, had to say. I'm curious about the family and how their "solution" to the problem has panned out for them. Maybe there'll be a sequel one day.
    • 5/5
      Those of us with special needs children will often tell you that having a disabled child is a life changing event. It is both the worst nightmare of any parent and an eventual blessing in disguise. All previous expectations are thrown to the side and reality forces the parents to adopt newer hopes and dreams. However, even in the darkest of times no parent could imagine being without their child. The idea of their child not existing is both nauseating and horrific. As a parent of two special needs children I have experienced all spectrums of emotions when it comes to my kids. I have learned to take life day by day and to move with the waves of chaos. This book is about another family struggling with a daughter who has profound emotional disabilities. She is a beautiful child that is both gifted and tortured by the brilliance of her mind. Her name is January and she is schizophrenic. This book is a constant demonstration of how her parents have juggled both the violence and peace of mental illness. It is a challenging book that raises awareness on the lack of support for all parents struggling with special needs children. There is a constant sense of despair in this book, but also a well of hope. Will January receive the help that she desperately needs? Will her parents manage to balance both marriage and care? Most of all, will January show the world that she truly is an undiscovered genius?This book was challenging for me on many levels. As a mother of two special needs children I could really relate to what the author was writing about. I found myself having to put the book down for an emotional break, since I wanted to strangle the people in the hospitals due to their lack of education. At times I wanted the author to leave his wife, who I found to be almost useless during the entire book. I kept a constant vigil for January and her father as he worked hard to save her mind. This book is an excellent example of what parents of children with mental illness struggle with every day. My seven year old daughter is similar to January and we have found ourselves at wits end time and time again in the last 3 years. However, we have not had to endure the rounds of hospital stays that January has endured. I highly recommend this book for any parent of a special needs child. I believe that it is important to support all families in our community. There is an invisible bond that binds parents with challenging children. It is an unspoken understanding that causes the heart to move to patience when watching another parent struggle with their child. I honestly believe that January is going to go far in life and she will surprise many people. I personally want to tell the author that he is both a talented writer and an excellent father. I believe with every fiber of my being she is going to outwit her illness and tame it to her satisfaction. Where there is faith there is hope and that is a powerful weapon. I send much love and light to the author and am truly looking forward to an update on January and her brother.
    • 5/5
      I did not want to put this book down. Mr. Schofield writes beautifully of his struggle to figure out what is going on with his five year old daughter. She has invisible friends that she insists are not imaginary. She lashes out if you say they are pretend or call her by the "wrong" name. She becomes incredibly violent at the drop of a hat.Just heartbreaking. The book was impossible to put down and get anything done. I cannot imagine going through what the Schofields did. The writing was amazing and the story is horrific and beautifully told.
    • 4/5
      This is the true story of a very young girl who is diagnosed with schizophrenia and her parents struggle to help her. I found this story heartbreaking and difficult to read but also extremely interesting. I found some of the author's rationalizations and behaviors difficult to take but do not wish to criticize him. I think this story accurately portrays exactly what is wrong with the mental health system today especially in regards to children and young adults. Because this story and the story of our mental health system need to be known, any criticisms I have with this book or the author are not important. What is important is that you should read this book.
    • 5/5
      Note: I received this ARC for free from the publisher. This book is due to be published in August 2012.



      Quote from Foreward:
      "During one stay in the hospital, while my wife, Susan, and I were visiting our daughter, Jani looked down from her fourth-floor window and said, "I want to jump down."
      [...]
      "You don't want to do that, " I replied, as calmly as I could. "Come here and play with me and Bodhi". Out of the corner of my eye, I could see she was still looking down.

      "I want to die," she said softly."


      This story is truly hard to read at times, you can feel a persistent lump in your throat throughout the book's entirety. The story of a father's desperate attempt to save his daughter, starting at age 4, while simultaneously in denial that she may not be able to be rescued.

      Janni, as some will know, has been the subject of at least 2 documentaries and numerous newspaper articles. Seeing as how I was already semi-familiar with who she was and what her family was going through, I was even more interested in reading this story. I could see her eyes as he described their blank glaze, I could see her blonde curls as she shook them in rage and I could hear her voice describing her hallucination-driven pets.

      I would say that it's obvious he is not a natural writer but he is a natural storyteller, for whatever that's worth. He tells his story the only way he can and that is through his eyes, his feelings and his version of what happened. He is so deeply raw and honest during the entire book, including his own misplaced anger at his wife Susan and his severe depression that led him to swallowing a bottle of his medication in an attempt to escape the misery his life had become.

      I was moved by this story, I think it's an important one to tell. Mental illness is a controversial topic in many circles particularly in children. When you read/see/hear this story of Jani (as her name is later changed to in a hospital) your heart may shatter but I still you should read it.
    • 4/5
      I couldn't put this book down. It was gripping in an awful, tragic train wreck kind of way. As a parent, it's scary to even consider the possibility that your child could have schizophrenia at the age of six. As a para-educator, it's frustrating to see yet anther parent who is in total denial about their child's issues. Having said that, the memoir is written in a such a raw and honest way, I feel like Michael Schofield is baring his own early missteps and shortcomings in an effort to help others in seemingly hopeless situations. The fast pace of the book had me looking back, towards the end, amazed at ALL that had transpired in this family in such a short period of time. The only hint that there might be a happy-er ending for the family was the tiny, beautiful photo of the author and his daughter on the back cover. It seems a little inappropriate to say that I "liked" this book, but I did, a lot.
    • 4/5
      This is such a fascinating story. Michael Schofield's memoir, from the point of view of a desperate father who struggles to help his violently schizophrenic yet brilliant 5-year-old daughter, is indeed a frustrating read simply because his own frustration is so evident. Like other readers, I was angry and put-off at times (the constantly screaming that he & his wife seemed to do is frustrating enough), but I realize that Schofield was making me feel exactly the way that he felt as he dealt with Jani's illness. I'm sure no parent would know how to handle the situation the Schofield family found themselves in. I had never heard of Jani's story before now. The book brings awareness to the growing need for better mental heath care and more social services to help families dealing with mentally ill children.
    • 2/5
      I was rather put off by this book. The father's constant self-aggrandazation, as if he were the only one willing to do anything to help his child, was bothersome. So we're his constant portraits of his wife as a hysterical woman. It's probably a book that needed writing on a subject that needed treatment, but not in this off-putting matter.
    • 4/5
      Agonizingly real portrayal of mental illness from the father's perspective. January aka Janni is only six years old when diagnosed with schizophrenia, but her disease manifests itself practically from birth. Her father authors this book and chronicles his journey through the years of struggling to get the diagnosis. This book is very hard to put down despite the father being completely unlikable. another reviewer suggests that he is just portraying himself as "real" and "honest." While at times this is true; I think he is egotistical, narcissistic, and arrogant. I have a child with bipolar disorder with psychotic features, I understand the process that he has gone through that is why I found the book to be a good read for me. I hate to say enjoyable because it's hard to read about the journey and not be grief stricken for January and her parents. He isolates himself from his wife acting as if he alone "gets" Janni and knows what's best for her. In doing so he rid himself from the strongest ally he could have for Janni. It broke my heart when he suggests that his wife leave him so that their baby son could be kept from harm. She is the one who kept that family together. Overall if you can get past the father's personality and immerse yourself in the Janni's battle this is a rarely seen intimate look at the struggles a family goes through when mental illness enters the life of their child.
    • 5/5
      This book was amazing!!! I could not put it down. I think the best thing about the book is that you really can feel for the author. He brings the story to you in a way that as a parent you can see it happening to you and you can understand why he made the decisions he made. It feels like this is a must read for any parent with a child with a mental illness because it just lets you see that you are not alone.Reading other people's reviews I notice people are annoyed with the author because he (1) keeps reminding everyone how smart his daughter is (2) keeps insisting he is the only one who can keep his daughter safe and (3) is horrible to his wife at times. To me these are the things that make it real. Often parents with severely disabled children are in so much denial. When I read the book I felt like he now knows that he was in denial, but at the time it was happening those were his reactions. He isn't portraying himself as a "perfect parent" but rather as a real person who was put in an impossible situation and he is being honest that this is how he reacted to being put into that situation.
    • 5/5
      "January First" is an eye-opening, heart breaking and hope inspiring memoir. I had seen a bit about this story on Dateline 20/20 last year, and it shook me to the core. I had never thought that children could have schizophrenia. Why? I am not sure. Mr. Schofield writes from the heart. Their anguish, frustration, and love pour out on every page. After reading this book I have great respect for any parent that has a child with a disability and is just trying to create a normal life for them. A perfect well written memoir that everyone should read.
    • 4/5
      “January First” by Michael Schofield is a remarkable story of a young girl who has full-blown schizophrenia. The story is told from the father’s perspective, Michael Schofield. I had seen the documentary on Jani and so I already knew the story before reading the book. This family is remarkable. Instead of hiding their daughter away, they decided to tell the world about her so that maybe the world would be a little kinder to children with disabilities.I did enjoy reading the book and seeing what it was (and is) like from the father’s point of view. What I didn’t expect, and I felt it was distracting, were the pot shots taken at the mother throughout the book… as though it was only the father who fought for Jani. I truly expected that the last page would say they were divorced, but instead he talks about Susan, his wife, and how he wouldn’t have wanted anyone else by his side.When the book focused more on Jani and what she was going through, that was when it was hard to put down. It would have been so easy to have her institutionalized, but the family decided that she was to stay part of the family and made some amazing sacrifices so she could.This book was an amazing peek into what life is like for schizophrenia. I think it would be an interesting read for parents and people who have family or friends with mental disorders. *** I received this book through GoodReads First Readers Giveaway. It had no influence on my review. ***
    • 3/5
      Definitely a fast read for me - read in a few hours late into the night. I'm sure I had a different take on January's story based on my job. I'm a school principal who has worked with Severely Emotionallly Disturbed children and have had my share of violent elementary age students who have been hospitalized in UCLA on occasion. With that in mind, I cringed at the accounts of the family's dealings with the school. In some ways, they were very accepting of Jani's illness, but in the case of school, they really struggled and kept going back to how brilliant she was. I've watched parents struggle as they try to support their child only to be called repeatedly or told about behaviors - sometimes, they just need that break. It is a controversial issue to balance the needs of the one student with the needs of all others. As for the descriptions of Jani's behavior, it was quite believable. I have watched students (this age or slightly older) do similar things in a disassociative state, hitting, kicking, and even destroying the inside of vehicles or rooms. Scary doesn't begin to describe it, even when you are "used to it." I am glad she finally got some positive support through the team at UCLA - I have heard the same thing about these experiences and they have a great reputation. There were two things that I had difficulty with while reading. 1) Michael seems to be the ONLY one he trusts to take care of his daughter. I realize that the story was autobiographical, but he pushed all other people away who he didn't agree with, and he came across as a jerk in many ways as a result. 2) He was very condescending of his own wife. It was as if she was weak and couldn't do any right by him. To be honest, I am amazed that they are still together in their "out of the box" way.
    • 4/5
      It took me a long while to pick up this book. I was terrified to read it. It sounded horrific and sad and scary -- to watch your child descend into the pit of madness, and not know what's going on, or how to help her. And then, one day, I DID pick it up, and found I couldn't put it down. And during the times when I actually did need to put it down, I thought about the characters (those real people) and what would happen next in the story. I had to get back.January First is well-written, engaging, and riveting. I would recommend it to anyone.
    • 1/5
      I don't watch television. I had no idea about this story and Oprah, etc., etc. What a self-centered schmuck! That poor child. I could not get past the sixth chapter. After looking into the story a bit on the web I see that I am not a flinty-hearted bitch. The mind and all its workings, including mental illnesses, have always fascinated me. I have read a lot about schizophrenia. This child's symptoms don't compare to other descriptions I've read. I wish for two things: my money back and that the Schofield children find healing and peace against all odds.
    • 4/5
      Very interesting book. Michael Schofield's daughter January is a brilliant child--but she quickly becomes difficult to handle. Schofield tracks the families progress as they try to determine what is wrong with their daughter, and how they can help her.
    • 4/5
      Moving story of a struggling father dealing with a child with Schizophrenia. The situation of helplessness, frustration, fear, giving up (and fearing at the same time), self-doubt.

      Overall book is well written and gripping - the book is written from a care taker point of view (describing their frustrations). The book will move you specially if you have a loved/known one with this dreaded disease.

      It was very sad to read that this disease also effects a child so young. I hope they find a cure for this disease.
    • 4/5
      Totally harrowing and unforgettable. It is hard to imagine living this family's life and even more amazing that they all survived the stress of Jani's psychosis. The voice of the reader of the audio book will stay in my ears forever, as will the lives of Michael, Susan, Jani, and Bodie.I send them all my best wishes for continued recovery. I also hope for a sequel.
    • 5/5
      This is the true account of a child tormented by mental illness. It is written with the intensity and emotion that only a parent can feel.From infancy, Janni had conflicts that other children did not seem to have. She was more connected to her imaginary friends than other children. She was absorbed in a world she called Calalini. As time went on, it became apparent that these were, in fact hallucinations.Janni’s parents, unable to help her, sought counsel and medical advice. Ultimately, they were forced to obtain psychiatric intervention. They needed help, but also answers and a direction to resolving Janni’s problems.January became a hazard to herself and her parents; she also became a serious hazard to her baby brother. They could not allow Janni near him for fear that his crying would send her into a rage. Her many problems were tearing the family apart. However, her parents would not give up on the family, or on January.At the tender age of six, January was finally diagnosed with Schizophrenia. With this diagnosis, her parents were finally able to begin to understand Janni, and to help her.This is a very emotionally charged account of mental illness and its effects on a very young child, as well as her family. Both heartbreaking and brave, it is a compelling read.