Category Archives: Uncategorized

For years I had a very complicated relationship with the idea of screen time for JJ. It’s always been quite a polarising topic amongst some people, and I fell in to the category of: ‘Some screen time is ok, but I reserve the right to feel guilty and stop it immediately if I think heContinue reading “How gaming saved our lockdown”

JJ completed reception and years one and two at mainstream school where he coped, but didn’t thrive. He didn’t have an autism diagnosis as he didn’t display ‘typically autistic’ behaviours which could be noticed by anyone, and so he flew carefully under the radar. Looking back, he learned to read incredibly quickly and so hisContinue reading “Our Story, Part 3 – Flying under the radar”

‘Pathological Demand Avoidance’…as diagnoses go, it’s not the most friendly or catchy is it? In fact when I first heard it, my mind latched on to the word ‘pathological’ and I started to think of all kinds of creepy things: Pathological Killers Pathological Liars Pathology Lab – The place where autopsies are carried out… IContinue reading “PDA”

We live in what is fashionably called ‘a multi-generational household’. What it means in real terms is that JJ, his dad and I share a house with my mum. We’ve all lived together since 2015 when JJ was four years old. Here’s a bit of background. We made the decision to sell both our housesContinue reading “Grandma”

On the whole JJ seemed to enjoy pre-school. He was going with another littleboy, whose mum I’d known since I was very young, and they used to playalongside each other. Most of the children there were toilet-trained; JJwasn’t, but as the nursery didn’t stipulate that children had to be clean anddry before starting, I didn’tContinue reading “Our Story, Part Two”

We have respected every aspect of JJ’s body autonomy for the last two years, as part of a low-demand parenting style which undoubtedly is the most successful way of nurturing a PDA child. We’ve navigated (and still do) issues with teeth and bathing, but ultimately things are much better then they have been.   Hair is a HUGEContinue reading “The MASSIVE hair issue”

Here is part one of my story so far and it’s been the most difficult for me to write. It’s daunting because I still haven’t really processed parts of our past. And I’m painfully aware that I’ve made mistakes. Although I now identify myself as being a parent of a child with autism and PDA,Continue reading “Our Story, Part One. ‘You never saw this coming, did you?’”

JJ has always responded well to novelty and surprises, in the way that I have read many PDAers do. In the past, we’ve kept him safely in the dark about trips and events we knew he would like, but that would undoubtedly cause anxiety if he had time to dwell on them. So, that’s how we planned our post-lockdown holiday to Butlins, home of good old-fashioned family fun. Bring it on!  Originally the plan was a veryContinue reading “Yep, we should’ve gone camping.”