Parenting Neurodivergent Kids
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The Banana: A Story about Masking
This week isn’t a question but something I witnessed that I’ve found fascinating — and honestly, I can’t stop thinking about it. A big part of our story is that my son behaves completely differently at his dad’s house and at school… apparently. I say “apparently” because as time goes on, I’m more and more Continue reading
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Why Is Everything So Expensive?
A simple question from my son — “Why is everything so expensive?” — opened a window into the hidden costs of parenting a neurodivergent child. From clothes that never get worn to food that’s suddenly rejected, this is the reality behind the price tags. Continue reading
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Who is your favourite pilot?
My son is like a sponge. He soaks up information even when you think he isn’t listening, isn’t interested, or is lost in his own world. He stores it all away and then—just when you least expect it—out it comes. Delivered with conviction, usually at a very random time, and often leaving me either in Continue reading
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Can I have my friends round? Part 2!
Almost 18 months ago we had one of my son’s friends round for tea. It was a very traumatic experience. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you probably lived through that experience with me (see: Why cant I have my friends round?). I vowed then never to have another friend round but like Continue reading
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Can I have a lolly?
The Challenges of Raising a Supertaster Child My son is a supertaster, he tastes every little ingredient in everything which is so overwhelming for him. This is why he sticks to plain, familiar things. We have a number of foods he eats and one of them is a spiral lolly from Aldi. He is (or Continue reading
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Are we any further forward?
This week, it isn’t my son asking the questions, but me. And the question I keep coming back to, over and over, is: “Are we any further forward?“ It was Monday and the first day back at school after the half term holidays. Given how the Sunday had gone I hadn’t much hope that my Continue reading
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Who existed school?
We were sat in the car having just parked up for the second day of school this week. This morning had been a difficult one, a very difficult one and I knew my son was really feeling it. And my son looked at me said he felt sick and he didn’t want to go to Continue reading
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Has anyone ever walked on water?
It’s the summer holidays and we have done remarkably well. Let me repeat that…remarkably well. We have had some challenges, I can’t deny that, but we have navigated through them better than I ever imagined. However, I was aided with all my new knowledge and patience, and I was prepared (as much as possible) with Continue reading
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Can we eat in a place that isn’t even here?
Over time we have realised that my son cannot stand any demand or command being given. I’m almost certain he has a PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) profile because his default response to any request is an immediate “no.” The more we push, the more resistant he becomes. And it’s not that he doesn’t want to Continue reading
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Why do you look like a skeleton?
It was 5pm on a Saturday and my son asked me… “Why do you look like a skeleton?” And when he asked me this I could do nothing but laugh because my son was absolutely right. I did look like a skeleton. I was absolutely dead on my feet. Dead. On. My. Feet. And I Continue reading
The Questions of My Child 