I am delighted Aviva are sponsoring this promotion of their Free Parent Life Cover. When you have children, everything changes. The axis of your universe tilts and your priorities and ambitions change. Suddenly, the most important thing is keeping those little bundles safe and happy. Nothing will bring into focus the fact that you are… Read More
Birthdays are for cake. Of course, the cake does not have to be pretty, or expensive, or huge. Just made or given with love, just eaten and enjoyed with friends and family. As long as it tastes good, as long as you share it with those who are dear, the cake has served its purpose.… Read More
Smallfoot is a new animated adventure that is set to hit our screens on October the 12th. With original music and an all-star cast, Smallfoot, turns the Bigfoot legend upside down when a bright young Yeti finds something he thought didn’t exist—a human. News of this “smallfoot” throws the simple yeti community into an uproar over what else… Read More
I have written about our bed time routine quite a bit. It is an extremely important part of our day and one that we prioritise over most things. As a neurodiverse family we are, perhaps, a little more rigid with our routines than some families. Sticking to our routine does sometimes restrict us in things… Read More
We are now entering into a breathtaking new world with Biggest – that of reading to yourself for pleasure, and the magic and comfort that can bring. Reading is something that I have adored since before I can remember. Books have been my steadfast friends when I had no others, and through all manner of… Read More
Earlier this year we took Biggest and Littlest to see Disney on Ice and it was a huge success. I will never forget the looks on their faces as some of their Disney favourites took to the stage. They were truly mesmerised. One or two of their very favourites were missing though, which is why… Read More
My children are not quite six and not quite four – and they are respectively autistic and neurotypical. Littlest knows that her brother is different – she has said as much to me. She knows he plays differently, reacts differently, that he is not like “the other boys and girls.” She sees that he is… Read More
Over a year ago, when we first met with the headteacher of my son’s future primary school, she made some promises. Many people told me that she would not keep those promises, that schools these days care little for the provision of their SEN pupils, that I would see, in time, that her assurances were… Read More
Every summer, we brave the overnight ferry and its fabled alarm, and head off to the little village of Nanclars, in the Charente region of France. My parents have lived there, near the larger town of Angoulême, for over ten years. They own a wonderful old farmhouse and get by in their “retirement” by renting out… Read More
At this time, exactly three years ago, someone I had just met told me that you may never do the things that other children do. They watched you play and wrote things down on clipboards. They asked me questions about when you walked, when you talked, about what you like and dislike. They watched videos… Read More
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo is the UK’s largest zoo and one of Europe’s largest wildlife conservation parks. It is home to thousands of animals, many of which are endangered in the wild. Zoos and wildlife parks are usually a big hit with both of my children; Littlest loves animals of all kinds and Biggest loves learning… Read More
At 3.08 am, I hear your first scream. The fluorescent light from the cabin bathroom is flickering unpleasantly, giving the cramped room a strange, nightmarish quality – but we cannot turn off the lights or you will not sleep at all. “Sweetheart – everything is okay. You are safe. We are on the big boat.”… Read More