Gorgeous boy – I hate it when your pain is deep, unfathomable, unreachable. Today you cried for thirty minutes because there was something wrong with your food. An unexpected shape or colour – you were too distraught to say – but it was wrong and there was no way to fix it. I hate it… Read More
Instilling danger awareness in small children is something most parents want to prioritise. Children with autism, in particular, struggle with recognising hazards. Biggest will often get too close to danger – hot ovens, moving swings, big drops. He can become fascinated by movement and has no sense of personal space or whether it is appropriate… Read More
Getting your kids to snack healthily is hard. For starters, they are always hungry. My son asks for a snack approximately every fourteen minutes. Inevitably, it is always the less healthy options that he wants first – biscuits, mini-cheddars, and muffins will usually beat an apple hands down. When I heard about the great range of… Read More
Wall stickers are a brilliant way to brighten any child’s room without spending a fortune. Children grow up so quickly and their obsessions and interests change with them. However, redecorating a bedroom every few years is simply not practical or affordable for most parents. That’s why we have used wall stickers as a brilliant way… Read More
Watching my son around other children can be difficult. Yes, his differences, his autism, stand out clearly – but there’s more to it than that. At his nursery, I have come to pick him up. Two little girls are on the floor at my feet, playing with toy horses. “Amelia, Amelia, we can make them… Read More
On the 6th of January, 2016, exactly one year ago, I published my first blog post. It was called ‘Loving Two’ and during its first month of publishing, it received a total of 251 views. Of course, numbers mean nothing. The true value of what Someone’s Mum has given me cannot be measured. It has given… Read More
Dearest little one, I have just finished making a phone call, something for your brother. I was chasing an appointment, some support for him – I forget which – one of dozens of phone calls I make every month. My mind is on him, as it often is. I emptied the bricks onto the floor… Read More
In the past I have written about how difficult it is for some disabled people to find truly accessible toilets. If you are able-bodied, it is easy to forget how devastating this can be. If you are able-bodied, it is easy to forget that thousands of people rely on bathrooms and toilets with disabled access.… Read More
Christmas is stressful for everyone, but for autistic children the anxieties can be profound. Many will find Christmas difficult, even if they are excited about the event itself. Changes in routine, sensory overload, new places and faces – these are all things that they will find difficult – and they all happen at Christmas. When… Read More
Are you shopping for someone small this Christmas? When looking for gifts for babies, especially if this is their first Christmas, it can be really hard to know what will actually be useful and practical for parents. The Mamas and Papas Baby Gift finder takes all the stress out of finding something perfect for any child… Read More
In the words of Bilbo Baggins, it’s a dangerous business, going out your door. If you have a child with autism, leaving the house can take on the epic highs and lows of a trip to Mordor. When we began to appreciate Biggest’s difficulty with routine and rigidity, when we knew that it was something… Read More
*We were invited to stay at the Langstone for the night, free of charge, for the purposes of this review. All words and opinions are my own* The Langstone Cliff Hotel is set in nineteen acres of woodland in Dawlish Warren, on the beautiful south Devon coast, and claims to be ‘one of the most… Read More