Author: How Do I Human?
-
The Transition Glitch: When Autism Doesn’t Agree with Your Plans
We’d been looking forward to this change for weeks. The grown-up bedroom was moving downstairs, and the boys were upgrading to the bigger bedroom upstairs — more room for play, less noise for us, and shiny new “big boy” beds ready to be built and jumped on. It was a proper family project. Furniture was…
Written by
·
-
Birthday Party Panic: Why Social Events Can Overwhelm Autistic Kids
A conversation over the weekend made me realise just how much misunderstanding still surrounds autistic kids and social events. As an autistic adult raising two neurodivergent boys, I often forget that what feels completely natural to us can be baffling to others. So, let me paint a picture. My 6-year-old, H, was thrilled to be…
Written by
·
-
The Magic of Music: Easing School Transition for Neurodivergent Children
How a music session gave my anxious preschooler confidence and calm One Thursday afternoon, I arrived at preschool to collect my youngest, E. I already knew they’d had a music workshop that day with Boogie Mites, and I was fully expecting to hear that he had refused to join in—just like every other time. But…
Written by
·
-
How to Survive Summer Holidays as a Neurodivergent Parent (Without Crying Under a Blanket)
It’s coming.Six weeks of beautiful chaos. Six weeks of uncertainty, overstimulation, and melted ice lollies on the floor. And just when everyone finally settles into a manageable routine… it’s time for the new school year to begin! The importance of routine can’t be ignored and I write here about why is it so critical. This…
Written by
·
-
Burnout on Repeat: How Autism and ADHD Fuel the Cycle
Before I knew I was autistic and had ADHD, I lived in a constant state of frustration. I couldn’t understand why I seemed to swing between being completely in control—on top of everything, organised, productive—and then suddenly hitting a wall, unable to string together a coherent thought or get out of bed for days at…
Written by
·
-
School Transitions Take 2: Supporting My Second Autistic Child
The First Time Around When my eldest started school two years ago, we had an inkling he may be autistic. Shortly after he began in Reception, his teacher agreed with me, and this started the referral process for assessment and additional school support. Take Two: Armed with Experience My youngest, E, is now preparing to…
Written by
·
-
The Painful Tide of Autistic Burnout: When Part of You Is Washed Away
Throughout my working life, people have described me as “a bit bipolar” (yep, that old gem). One week I’m fired up, enthusiastic, and firing on all cylinders—the most productive human alive. The next? I’m sluggish, sullen, and struggling to type a few coherent sentences. At first, I thought this was just the way I worked.…
Written by
·
-
Emotions on Delay: Living with Autistic Emotional Lag
I got some news this week that I knew should trigger an emotional reaction. Logically, it should have hit me like a freight train. But instead? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I may as well have been staring at a shopping list or thinking about putting the bins out. Not a flicker of emotion to work with.…
Written by
·
-
Burnout Before the Holidays: Helping My Autistic Child Recover In Time To Enjoy Easter
When Burnout Looks Like Illness It happened again. Just days before the end of term, my six-year-old broke. His little body and mind, utterly exhausted from weeks of masking and trying to keep up with school demands, gave out. The result? A high temperature and vomiting. Now, logic might say this sounds like a bug.…
Written by
·
-
Autism and Direct Communication: Why Saying What You Mean Upsets People
For most of my life, I thought communication was one of my strengths. I can talk—endlessly—especially about things I’m passionate about. That’s good communication, right? Turns out, not exactly. It wasn’t until my 30s that I realised my communication style was… different. People often described me as blunt or abrupt, which confused me because, internally,…
Written by
·
