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Tonight I lay on the floor

Tonight, I lay on the floor.  I had worked a normal day, a day of working from home while I also try and support my autistic son through another un-schooling day.  He doesn’t go to school.  He wants to but it just doesn’t work for him so he’s at home with me.  So tonight, I lay on the floor.He’s having a hard time lately and I don’t know why.  It’s breaking my heart.  I feel useless.  I want to but I don’t know how.  I want to do something, a...

School Can’t to School engagement – A potential approach to supporting school participation for neurodivergent children

Definition of “School Can’t”Living on the Spectrum defines School Can’t as:“School Can’t (School refusal) is when a child is so overwhelmed and stressed by school that they find it difficult to attend. Formally referred to as School refusal. We now understand that it is not a choice for many children. It is due to overwhelming sensory overwhelm, anxiety and stress.”The term “school can’t” typically occurs where traditional school systems are unable to meet the diverse an...

As Well As, Not Instead Of: Parental Engagement with Screen Time for Neurodivergent Youth

Traditionally, screen time has been viewed as a distraction that takes away from more "productive" or "wholesome" activities. Parents worry that their children are spending too much time in front of screens instead of engaging in physical play, reading, or socializing face-to-face. This dichotomy—screens versus other activities—creates a rigid framework that can lead to guilt and anxiety for both children and parents.However, screen time has become an integral part of family life. For neurod...

Electronic gaming isn’t the devil some make it out to be. A blog post by a gamer and a parent of an autistic PDA child

IntroductionAs a gamer and a parent, I often hear negative opinions and myths about electronic gaming, or video gaming, from other parents, teachers, and media. They think that electronic gaming is addictive, violent, antisocial, and harmful to the physical and mental health of kids, especially neurodivergent kids, such as those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA). They also think that electronic gaming is a...