Hello, and welcome to a slightly new version of Spectrum Sunday. The lovely Clare from Sand, Sons and Sauvignon is taking a break thanks to the wonderful success of her brand new wedding site, Confetti Ave. We hope to see her back to co-hosting in a few weeks. In the meantime we wish her success… Read More
To most parents, the words tantrum and meltdown are interchangeable – a way to describe a frustrated and uncontrollable child – the name for those moments when strangers stare and you wish you could shrink into yourself. Every parent knows them. To the parents of autistic children, and parents of children with sensory processing issues,… Read More
When you have a baby, milestones stretch out ahead of you. Smiling. Laughing. Rolling. Sitting up. Crawling. Talking. Walking – an endless list to mark each moment that will never be recaptured, each step on the path to becoming a person. They can be so, so bittersweet. When you are the parent of a child… Read More
You ask me “Does your eldest child have autism?” “Yes.” I reply. “I’m so sorry.” My stomach lurches. No. Please. Don’t say you are sorry. I know you mean well. I was once like you. But don’t apologise for the gift that is my boy – for any part of him. I know that the… Read More
This week’s #SaturdaySiblings picture involves our monthly trip to the barbers. Having hair cut can be a source of anxiety for many children and those on the autistic spectrum can often have very extreme reactions. So, while I am sharing this picture I thought I would also share some of the tips from the things… Read More
Sweet boy, you’re different. Not to mummy. Not to daddy. Not to Little Bean. You are our whole world and everything in it. Each eccentricity, each little quirk and trait – they are the rich and joyful substance of our lives. We know no ‘normal’ but the world we inhabit with you. And, to us,… Read More
I am sorry that, too often, the world is a confusing and frightening place. I am sorry that a word out of place can make you sob till you shake. I am sorry that every day, a million tiny things break your heart. I am sorry that sometimes, the world will not understand why something… Read More
You wear your heart on your sleeve. You need to hold back a little, develop a thicker skin. Don’t let it get to you so much. I’ve heard it so many times. Am I a natural victim? I am walking down a crowded high street pushing my little boy in his trike. He is nearly… Read More
You are chasing your sister around the Rotunda at Croome. The echoes of your childish laugher flit around the space, like startled birds. There is something strangely tranquil here, despite your sudden and boisterous intrusions – a sense of something ancient in the atmosphere; things happened here once, it seems to say. Your sister’s attention… Read More
I was a teacher for over twelve years before my son was diagnosed with autism. Before he was born, I had taught countless pupils on the autistic spectrum, but it was not until my son’s diagnosis that I was able to fully appreciate the gaps in my knowledge. I hope the tips I am going… Read More
Nearly one year ago, I sat in a cramped room with unpleasant, flickering lights, while a doctor I barely knew told me you were autistic. The me sitting in that room is a half a million minutes away; a great gulf of time and experience separates us. I hardly know the path I took to… Read More
This is the first in a series in which I explore some of the products and items that my family love. I have decided to start with my three year-old son’s favourite things. As many of you will know, my son was diagnosed with autism when he was just two years and ten months old.… Read More