A Different Perspective - support for learning

08/02/2026

I realised this morning, for me and my family:

The hardest home school day, is never as hard as working to get my dysregulated, audhd-pda son to school of a morning.

If you are pushing on - it's hard.

If you have undertaken a different pathway - allow time for rest and healing.

Four years on - we are still healing.

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05/09/2025

Two VERY neurodivergent things just occured...

1. I wanted to respond to a FB post but needed two emojis to capture the nuances of the emotion I had between the smile and the heart/hug emoji, but you can only choose one, so I didn't.
[We need some neurodivergent folk onto creating new emojis please]

2. I was so distracted by this that I can't remember if I took my ADHD tablet or not....

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30/08/2025

Just a little vent this morning...
Of many things - one thing I can't understand (as a mum, advocate, audhd person, primary school teacher, about to start my PhD around school distress) is that as parents - we hold so much valuable information and insight. We link schools to allied health and health professionals that we fund (no cost to the school). Instead of seeing this as valuable and terribly helpful (because, other than education settings, where else do professionals expect people with such insight to come and help them do their jobs or do their jobs for them for free??) we get locked out?? I understand the fear/concern around protecting staff, however, every paper I read, every policy document, the Disability Royal Commission and the Senate Inquiry into school refusal ALL Say - work and collaborate meaningfully with parents. I do not get it. Why push away the person who can most often be of the most help?

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21/08/2025

My worry for families of children with global developmental delay and autism is that we are exhausted, we need support, and schools and early child care services are already not managing inclusion for our children...there will need to be radical change if we are to send our children to schools for support. The support is not there. Our kids are being harmed and marginalised, bullied, and excluded. Radical systemic change in a year. I don't think that is achievable.

08/06/2025

When we push on or require our autistic kids to push on it doesn't end well.

I'm experiencing autistic burn out.

When did I notice I was struggling - 2 weeks ago.

When did I stop - literally today.

What is it like? For me it's
Brain fog.
Body aches.
Tears that don't stop.
Tight throat.
Significantly reduced capacity for thought and problem solving (like couldn't even work out that 400mm plus 5mm was the same as 405mm which is the same as 40.5cm for a good 5 mins).
Physical fatigue.
Poor sleep.
Quick sensory overload.

Will I remember not to push on - no.

Why do I want to share - so if you have never experienced it, you might gain some insight into what your child might be experiencing.

Please don't ask your young person to push on.

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02/06/2025

We wouldn't need a multi-tiered intervention model for students who experience school can't...if schools supported diverse students in the first place.

When righteous anger wells up reading...

31/05/2025

A table top of knowing...Australian schools are not inclusive nor safe for autistic students, the harmful impact on families, why inclusive education isn't happening, and what spaces, environments, programs, and people autistic students need.

30/05/2025

Why is it that some students find it so hard to go to school when we have human rights laws and inclusive education policies and legislation???
This is a diagram that I hope summarises some of my research findings so far.
A system that excludes at every level.
From incompatable National Education priorities to classrooms and programs not designed for inclusion.
Teachers are harmed.
Students are harmed.
Families are harmed.
The frustrating part is that we have had 20 years to get this right.
The reality is we are getting further away from safe schools for kids with disability.
Why is not much happening? Because our laws and legislation are too weak to challenge the daily exclusion of students on the basis of their disability.
We keep sending our kids into spaces that are causing harm.
Why?
Because it's the best we've got.

25/05/2025

A song on loop supports my ADHD brain to focus.

Today's task - reading academic articles about autism and the increased likelihood of school refusal (school can't).

Today's study session supported by Ben Lee.

Findings:

an autistic student is more likely to experience school can't

school refusal (school can't) is the most likely reason an autistic student misses a day of school

an autistic student is three times more likely than neurotypical peers to be absent for any reason

an autistic child is ten times more likely to be permanently excluded from child care than neurotypical children

factors that increase the likelihood of school can't:
1. being in a mainstream school
2. being an older student
3. social demands including bullying
4. unsupportive environments
5. lack of tailored spaces, informed professionals, and programs
6. anxiety

factors that support attendance:
1. understanding and acceptance
2. environments that suit
3. student agency to have needs met

Cleary et al. (2024). Issues in Mental Health. Vol 45(5).
Escoffier et al. (2025). Current Psychology. Vol 44.
McKinlay et al. (2025). Autism. Vol 29(3).
Nordin et al. (2024). Autism. Vol 28(7).
Totsika et al. (2020). Autism. 24(7).

https://open.spotify.com/track/1kcmnx7eAkEEzn5LZACRK7?si=783a5c5529af40f1

Ben Lee · Ripe · Song · 2007

24/05/2025

I threw out two books today.

Tossed them out. Not listed on Marketplace. Not donated.

They were children's books about how to whole body listen at home and at school.
Teaching children who need to move to stay still.
Teaching children who have minds full of wonder to ignore their brains.

NOPE!

Let's rewrite the books!

How to create spaces that are safe for everyone to listen in.

How to met a child where they are at to explore and wonder in their world.

I think I'll go dig out the books so that I can challenge each page, each idea - and in doing so - rewrite the narrative.

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18/05/2025

I have been learning that autism shows up in our bodies.
It is not only a neurological difference.
The number and nature of comorbid conditions that show up in autistic individuals' bodies is shocking. I'm sorry if I am really late to this!
If you haven't already, you will see me and hear me saying 'our autistic bodies and brains.'
Autism - beyond neurodivergence.
The impact on our bodies is literally not in our heads!!

I wanted to list some of the physical comorbid conditions and found the article included. It is from a medical journal, so does include the medicalised term ASD. Always ask an individual what language is safe for them. For me, the safer language choices are autism and autistic.

10/05/2025