SATs, half term, and the relentless juggling act This week I want to talk about the enormous pressure that’s on our children when they’re expected to take part in things like SATs. We’re now in the final summer term. Our kids are getting tired, and there are impending transitions looming from September – whether that’s […]
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When your child looks “fine” I want to share something that happened recently, because I think so many of us have been here. You know those moments when you share your child’s diagnosis and someone says, “But they don’t look autistic.” And it always leaves me thinking – what were you expecting? What does autism
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They don’t melt down. They just fade. This time of year has a way of shining a light on things we usually manage to hold together. It’s always been very clear with my PDAer when school was too much. The sensory overload – too loud, too smelly, too bright, too many unpredictable children brushing past.
They don’t melt down. They just fade. Read More »
When School Rewards Create More Stress Than Support This week I want to talk about something that has come up again and again in conversations with parents of PDA children – and has shown up loudly in the past few days with families I know. It’s the topic of rewards. Points. Stickers. Charts. Climbing ladders.
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The forgotten children I created a post on Facebook this week that went – I guess you’d say – viral?! At the time of writing, it’s had over 1.9k reactions, 324 comments, and 853 shares. I think that’s testament to just how strongly this hits home for so many parents in a similar situation. It’s
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The things the world never sees Over the years, I’ve met many families whose children mask. Some of their stories will stay with me forever. One mum told me her daughter was known at school as the perfect pupil – polite, kind, no trouble at all. But the moment she got home, she’d go on
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When “fine” at school isn’t really fine When my child was still in mainstream education, they were an expert masker. At school they looked happy, compliant, even sociable. They smiled, joined in, did as they were told. On the surface, they seemed fine. But the moment we got home, it would unravel. Their nervous system
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I never thought we’d do this… Next week, we’re taking our boys out of school and going on a family holiday. Abroad. On a plane. For the first time ever. Not during half-term. Not during the summer holidays. Because that’s simply not an option for our family. And yes, we’ll probably be fined. And yes,
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I knew it would unravel. I just didn’t know when. I’ve been reflecting a little over the past few weeks, thinking back to when my PDAer was still registered at a mainstream school and just how difficult things were. I remember when my son’s 1:1 — well-meaning, kind, trying her best — told him he
I knew it would unravel. I just didn’t know when. Read More »
