Coronavirus and lockdown have been with us so long now that it’s starting to just feel ‘normal’. All our normal places to visit have been closed. We’ve made use of our garden and local open spaces in our community, but I was excited when I read that more outdoor areas were opening. The first place…
Coronavirus Diary: Brotherly Love
I was watching the boys the morning this photo was taken. Baby F has crawled up to J and pulled at his leg to come up. J carefully(ish) pulled his brother up and helped him sit on him. Together they were exploring the iPad. Obviously it didn’t last long as a 1 year old doesn’t…
How Star Wars Supports Learning (and Autism)…
Today is May 4th (be with you) which of course means ‘Star Wars Day’ is upon us again. I wrote a couple of years ago about Star Wars day and J’s love of all things Star Wars. I also shared all about J’s obsession/fascination/special interest (whichever term you personally prefer to use). Now J is…
Letter to My One Year Old…the little brother.
To my dearest Finley, It’s a strange time right now. The coronavirus (COVID-19) has got us in lockdown. Schools are closed to everyone except key worker family. Most work places are closed and we can only leave the house for essentials. Not everyone is playing by the rules…that’s the reason we’re in lockdown in the…
Pregnancy: The birth stories of my two boys…
Birth stories – I love hearing all the different ways babies have come into this world. Every birth is different. My mum regularly reminds me that I kept her in pain for a 7 day long labour, and yet my sister arrived within minutes. My two boys were two very different birth experiences. They left…
When parenting isn’t quite what we had dreamed it would be…adjusting our expectations.
It’s amazing how different parenting hypothetical children is to actual parenting. I had a whole lifetime planned in my head. How many children I’d have, what we’d get up to at weekends, craft sessions at the kitchen table…of course, they’d both be geniuses, sporty, musical and best behaved children in the world. Because obviously we…
The family games we’ll be playing this Christmas…
It’s getting close to Christmas Day. The food is sorted, presents are wrapped and I’m now planning Christmas Day itself. Well, I say ‘planning’, really Christmas Day is spent lounging around and eating lots of food. But this year they’ll be 7 adults and 3 children to keep happy. So, I’ve planned some fun games…
Days Out: Blackthorpe Barn Christmas Visit (Santa’s Grotto, Suffolk)
Today we went on a family trip to Blackthorpe Barn in Suffolk. We have been every year since J, our eldest was a baby. Our tradition is to have a treat in the cafe and then choose a new decoration for tree. We’ve never attempted Santa’s Grotto before as it books up very fast. This…
A Letter to My Autistic 5 Year Old
Dearest J, Today you turned 5 years old. I know its a cliché but time has gone too fast. Each day you grow and change. I wish I could slow it all down. It’s been a whirlwind 5 years and we have been through so much. You were a very much wanted baby. We longed…
Christmas: 20 Elf on the Shelf Ideas
Elf on the Shelf…it started as Santa’s little spy who sat on a shelf to keep an eye on children and report to Santa. But it soon morphed into a playful, naughty and sometimes kind elf. Elves have also been given important spokesperson jobs such as Alfie the Elf who posts on Facebook about life…
Autism: Is it a tantrum or a meltdown?
I will start this post by saying that I don’t believe having a disability excuses a child when they are displaying ‘ bad behaviour’/’negative behaviour’/’being a little s**t’. Just like any child, a child who has additional needs of any kind can and will be naughty, badly behaved or in a mood that makes them…
Mess Free Pumpkin Decorating Ideas for Halloween.
It’s October which means pumpkins and pumpkin patch photos have flooded onto social media. Shops are full of pumpkin carving kits, halloween decorations and costumes. It’s a fun time of year. However, for children with sensory issues…or who simply don’t like messy activities it can be full of pressure too. Carving a pumpkin is fun…
