14/08/2026
What do you want to show people when you start a new page?
I want this page to be about me as an individual but also an example of a full life. One that’s messy and complicated, no perfection can be found here. However, trial and error can. Sometimes that’s with amazing results that make me ever so proud. Other times it’s gonna showcase some really tricky and difficult stuff. So let’s get on with the intro shall we…
My name is Charlie Gunn. I’m in my early thoughties… yes that is a word I’m using. And I am a busy person. Even before I was really as busy as I am now I was always described that way. In fact once I was described as a walking whirlwind. They meant that would love, really they did mean that would love. They let me in a time when I was a busy Mum of 4, I was pursuing various diagnosis for my neurodiverse children  and doing a masters at the same time. Did I forget to mention I worked full-time as well? I also did charity work and got involved with various other things. And I don’t think I wore it particularly well. You know those people that just wear things well. They’re busy their philanthropic in nature and they just look good doing it. That’s not me. I look like something from The Walking Dead most of the time. Don’t get me wrong I do scrub up well sometimes. But it feels like it’s rare. Anyway, I diverse.
My current life consists of sharing my time between being a special educational needs teacher, a PhD candidate with (Aston) University working in the field of workplace mental health and being a Wife and Mother to 4. I should also probably mention where a neurodiverse family. If you shake the bag up you would find that some autism, ADHD, dyslexia, undiagnosed future neuro spicy stuff all came tumbling out. Me included, I’m not gonna lay it all of my kids feet. My husband I will probably describe him as Neurodiverse too, I mean he stayed in one profession for the whole of his career and And is an expert on all things engines, cars etc and is never more happier than when he is working on a car… So you can add the label. To add to the already spicy list, I am a Mum to 4 girls. So I have been through the battles very much associated with the diagnosis of female autism. If you’re reading this in I don’t know 2088, or any other time when autism is much more easily diagnosed that a younger age for female females woo hoo for you but I can tell you categorically that is not the case now. Ours has been battle after battle. Support has been non-existent. The support from School has been a little better but no one counted. Not when I was pulling my hair out as a child’s picked up a fully filled fish tank with fish and tried to chuck it at me. Or when I got kicked down the stairs by one of my kids or every day in my house when we have a meltdown about the level of availability or the taste of cheese. Yes, cheese. If you see me buying cheese at Costco, it’s a regular Tuesday I reckon. Costco could sell me its whole section cheese and I don’t think it would be enough. I have beef with quite a few supermarkets who stopped a particular brand of something (usually their own kind) and then have the audacity to either change said product or take it off stock… This is when I have a meltdown. Anyway, I diverse again.
So basically what I’m trying to tell you is this page is not one thing. I am not one thing, but what I do wanna share with you is the journey that my current life takes me on. I wanna share parts of being a PhD candidate. Parts of being a special educational needs teacher. And parts of being a Mum in a complicated world with neurodiversity splashed around within it.
