Tag: motherhood
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What My 6-Year-Old Taught Me About Emotional Regulation
The four of us sat down for a quiet New Year’s Eve meal together. This year we chose raclette — one of those meals that involves cooking at the table. The grill was hot, the table was crowded with ingredients, and the fun of sizzling bacon and melting the perfect slice of cheese began. The…
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When Reading Doesn’t Equal Writing: Supporting a Hyperlexic Autistic Child
I genuinely thought I must have been getting something wrong. My autistic 6-year-old can read at a level far beyond his age, yet he struggles massively with putting pencil to paper in the classroom. None of it made sense—until I learned more about hyperlexia. H is reluctant to read with me, or with anyone. But…
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How to Survive Working from Home During the School Holidays: 4 Practical Tips for Parents
Balancing work and kids at home during the summer holidays? It’s exhausting—but possible. Here are four practical tips that have helped me survive the chaos of working from home with little ones around.
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Buddy the School Transition Bear: Helping Autistic Children Cope with Big Changes
When my husband returned from a work trip with a couple of free teddy bears, I smiled politely. Cute, yes. But nothing groundbreaking—until I noticed something that made me stop in my tracks. The bears were wearing little yellow T-shirts… the exact same colour as the school uniform my four-year-old, E, will be wearing in…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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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.…
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