January has been a slog – here’s what’s helping me Has January felt like a bit of a slog to you? You’re not alone. I was really hoping that once Christmas was over, things would calm down and I’d finally find some time for me. But with families like ours, it rarely works out that […]
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Not everyone looks forward to Christmas – and that’s ok Not everyone says this out loud. Because they’re afraid of being judged. Afraid of what it might make people think about their child. Or about their parenting. But many neurodivergent families feel it deeply. Christmas is a time of huge expectation. It’s sold as magical,
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If you’re bracing yourself for Christmas, I get it Every year, as soon as Halloween is out of the way, I notice things start to shift in our house. Anxiety creeps up before any of the “fun” has even begun. And it’s funny, because Christmas is actually liked here. There’s excitement. There’s genuine anticipation. There’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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The day school broke our trust I’ve seen this come up on social media recently and it dug up a particular memory for me. Even now, I still feel really deeply affected by it. It was one of the more traumatic things that happened – for both my child and me. So many parents go
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The 3-question pause: the tool I gave school but needed myself Around this time about six years ago, in the thick of trying to get school to understand my child, I sent them a list of practical tips. It was born out of exhaustion – trying to advocate for them, trying to meet their needs
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Not every parent is looking forward to summer Let’s have an honest conversation. Not all parents are happy or excited about the school holidays. For some, they bring dread. Panic. That rising anxiety as you wonder how you’re going to get through the next six weeks. It doesn’t matter whether your child is currently in
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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
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We don’t talk about parents mental health enough I don’t think we talk about parents of neurodivergent kids mental health enough. Partly it’s because we don’t want there to be any blame put on our children (who we love fiercely). Partly it’s because we’re afraid. Afraid that any sign of weakness will be used against
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