Neurospicy Parenting

Yesterday, I shared my joy at having a house full of teenagers who feel comfortable enough to call our place "home," even when Lou isn’t here! I’ve always had an open-house policy for her friends and love it when they show up, bringing their mess, noise, and laughter along with them. But let’s be clear—this doesn’t make me the "Best Mum Ever." Just because I’m happy to have teenage chaos in my home doesn’t mean I’m 'that' parent in other ways. I wasn’t the parent playing football in the park. I wasn’t the parent whisking my child off to Disneyland or eagerly signing us up for a family fun run. I AM the parent happy to provide transport, pack a picnic, and hold coats while firmly staying on the ground at Go Ape or near any terrifying rollercoaster! Here’s my point: we all have our strengths as parents. Some of us can’t stand the idea of glitter and glue with a group of 6-year-olds, while others love the thrill of a Park Run every Saturday. And that’s okay. Celebrate the things you DO love doing with your kids, and don’t beat yourself up over the things you’d rather avoid. Parenting is about working to your strengths and using your community of friends, family, and other parents to fill the gaps. So, whether you’re the arts-and-crafts champion, the outdoor adventure enthusiast, or the snack-and-transport extraordinaire, remember this: you’re exactly the parent your child needs. What are the things you would prefer to avoid doing with your child? We all have them!

So... Lou has gone back and we are back to the two of us and the dog... ...or so we thought...! It appears that the rest of her local friends don't go back to uni 'til next weekend. It appears that they are still meeting up, having fun and a few drinks locally. It appears that some of their parents aren't too happy about them stumbling in in the early hours of the morning / they live too far away to stumble back. It appears that our house, Lou's room, our kitchen and contents of the fridge are absolutely on offer at all times whether Lou is here or not. It appears that random pairs of shoes in the hallway in a morning is not quite a thing of the past just yet. It appears that Lou has told all her friends that this is completely acceptable. It appears that she is right 🤣 I count myself so lucky that this is seen as a safe space for a bunch of (pretty awesome - but don't tell them😜) teenagers. My door has always been, and will always be, open to any or all of them. They know I'm still not well (grrr) so this morning I was made a cup of tea and a bacon butty. I was told all the latest gossip. I was consulted for advice on topics from verrucas to smoking weed to how to tell 'that boy' that you just don't like him. If you have a teen who is struggling - just listen. Talk to them like they are one of your friends and not someone you are trying to control. And, most importantly, leave your judgement at the door! Now - back to bed for me 😴

Stories are vital in all our lives, especially for children and even more especially for neurospicies! To celebrate Dyslexia Awareness week, have a copy of my Sensory Story Challenge to change the way you look at stories xx

Tackling tough questions can be a tricky one, but being honest with your neurospicy kids is vital!

So, this morning started in a rather unexpected way. At 5:45am, I got up for a quick wee and bumped into a bleary-eyed young man in boxers heading back to the spare room. He was very polite, smiled, and said 'Hi,' and I was just relieved I'd thought to put on a big floppy T-shirt! By the time I got up properly at half 7, our house looked like a scene from a Netflix comedy—bodies strewn about everywhere, all groaning with 'headaches' and claiming they were starving. Now, I know for some, this would be the makings of a nightmare morning, but honestly, it just makes me smile. I absolutely love that our house is always full of people. I love that Lou feels she can always let friends stay over, no matter what. After whipping up a mountain of bacon butties and playing taxi to a bunch of teenagers around the county, the house finally quietened down as Lou crawled back into bed. That’s when I had a moment to sit and think about how some of my friends would have reacted to the same situation. I definitely have friends who would’ve hated my start to the day. They’d have been stressed to the max, but each of them has their own wonderful strengths. One of them always offers to collect our kids if they’re stranded somewhere—she doesn’t drink and is a total night owl. Another has a beautiful orchard behind her house where the kids have always been welcome to camp. And one of them is a brilliant seamstress who’s made and fixed so many outfits over the years. So, my message for today is to play to your strengths. We’re always encouraging our neurospicy kids to focus on their strengths, yet we often only see our own challenges. It’s so important to model the behaviour we want to encourage in our children. Embrace your strengths, and show them how it’s done! #thebusinessofstories

🚀 I am so excited to reveal that I am one of the 55 official international speakers at this year's Children’s Mental Health Matters Summit 2024 happening from Monday 16th September- Friday 27th September, it is going to be incredible! The Summit is for you if: * You want to help build a better connection between you and your children, and have a happier family, but don’t know where to turn? * You know that more needs to be done about children’s mental health, but not sure where to start? * You just want to learn about different mental health issues and be more educated so you can help our younger generation? If any or all of the above are applicable, then the Children’s Mental Health Matters Summit is exactly what you need! If you are a parent, caregiver, a teacher, a nurse, or anyone who has contact with any young people whatsoever, then this summit will have something for you. It covers everything from birth right up to the 'troublesome' teenage years. So if you want to be more mindful about what is going on in our younger generation, be sure not to miss this amazing event! IT IS ONE NOT TO BE MISSED!! To be the FIRST to know this year's line up and to grab your F.R.E.E (Yes I did say F.R.E.E) ticket, then join our Waitlist here: subscribepage.io/ReGkJA

It’s only at this price for a few more days, so grab it now! https://lnkd.in/eWZysMan

Are you living through the exam season with your neurospicy tweens or teens? Do you wish you had a magic wand to make the whole thing so much easier for them? Well, I'm afraid I don't have any magic fairy dust, but I do have ten very practical and actionable strategies that you could put in place today... #NeurodivergentTeens #ExamStress

My version of the top most common causes of neurospicy meltdowns that I see in pre-teens and teens - and practical strategies that you can try out straight away to help them. #NeurodivergentTeens #ParentingTeens #NeurodivergentParenting

I can't wait to get started!