On the 26th of October, I received this comment on one of my blog posts: As I am sure many of my blogging colleagues, and, in fact, anyone with a social media account can understand, seeing an unexpectedly cruel and pejorative comment from an anonymous internet commenter can knock you for six. It did me.… Read More
Buying gifts for autistic children can be quite a difficult task, particularly if you are a family member that doesn’t see the child every day. Biggest recently celebrated his fourth birthday and we knew right away that traditional presents may not be the right choices. Children on the autism spectrum differ greatly, and so generalising… Read More
Hello, and welcome to another Spectrum Sunday – the linky for all autism, special needs and disability posts. I am linking two posts this week. The first has a slightly misleading title – Autism? More like bad parenting – but is actually a call for people to show less judgement and more compassion. My second… Read More
I am a good parent. There, I said it. Sometimes, admitting that you are actually doing a good job can be as hard as admitting you need help. Don’t get me wrong – I am not perfect. I have felt so exhausted that I have given in and handed over that cake, or turned on… Read More
In just under a year, you will go to school. Three hundred and fifty-eight days. Eight thousand, five hundred and ninety-two hours. But right now you are huddled on my lap, legs horizontal across mine, head buried in my chest. I can see a drop of wetness glistening on your collarbone, catching the morning light.… Read More
Our son was recently granted the mid-rate of disability living allowance. We have known that he qualifies for it for some time and yet when it came to applying for it…. we delayed. Not because we thought he didn’t meet the criteria but because we didn’t need the money while I was at work and,… Read More
When was the last time that you felt truly overwhelmed by an emotion? Fear? Sorrow? Anger? Confusion? When was the last time you felt like there was honestly no one to turn to, no way to make it better, no path back to a place where life made sense and the world kept turning? For… 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
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 we have learned while managing Biggest’s anxiety when having his hair… 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