Anna

My late ADHD diagnosis, what I wish I’d known sooner, and why Neurodiversity Celebration Week matters. Family Camping - kids and chaos! My daughter was two years old and we were supporting her with some delayed motor milestones. My husband had attended an appointment with her and when I read back through the notes, I spotted it: "Family history: mum is dyspraxic." I turned to him, laughing. "You can't just tell medical professionals you think my brain is different without any evidence!" He...

I can remember the first time I really saw that “frozen” look at a birthday party. We had recently joined a school in London. My child was in Year 1, and we were invited to a party in a hall. There was a party entertainer, candy floss, loud music, and fast-paced games. It was noisy and wild, and for lots of children, it probably was super fun. But for my child, it wasn’t. She was genuinely excited to be invited. We’d previously lived in South Africa, and she loved parties there. They were...

I have lost count of the number of playdates we have hosted to help build friendships and connections. Yet, my child often wasn't invited back. This might not sound like a big deal, but my child loves playdates. They enjoy visiting other people’s houses. They would often ask, “When is Sarah going to invite me to her house?” And I would fumble for an answer, “Their mum is super busy. She works late… and they have that big dog.” We always held whole class parties and invited every child...