Autism Diagnosis Autism signs & symptoms Autism Spectrum Disorder Behavior Behavioural Family Family Care Health Care Motivation Psychological Social Skills

A Mother’s Thoughts on the Power of Neurodiversity and Positive Parenting.

Language holds power. We see this every day on our social media feeds, whether it’s
something going viral on twitter or a meme on IG that speaks to exactly what we are feeling
in the moment. That is why I was so drawn to the term neurodiversity.

Neurodiversity is a science-based concept that says that brain/learning differences, like
Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, etc. are biologically normal or mainstream. It frames the
challenges that come with neurodiversity as differences instead of framing them as deficits.
For me, this was a huge “ah-ha” moment. This one word told me that there was nothing
“wrong” with my brain, it was just different – and that was okay. Different is normal,not
wrong,not broken,not in need of fixing. I can work with different.

As a mother of two neurodivergent kids, it was critical for my boys to grow up feeling that
same sense of pride about their brain differences; it was not enough that I felt this way.
After all, why should they think of themselves as broken, when they are not? Their brains
can do incredible things. They see the world in a different way. There are so many
strengths in brain differences, that I wanted them to see those strength within themselves
and build on them. The challenge for me, as a mother, was how do to that.

Like many parents, when I looked for ways to teach my kids, I turned to stories – I turned to
books. Unfortunately, I soon discovered that there were not a lot of picture books that
showed neurodivergent characters. (To be clear, there are some incredible stories out
there, but not nearly enough.) I wanted books that could mirror my children’s experiences
wearing headphones, chewing gum, playing with fidget toys and their comfort in routine
and schedules. I wanted to provide them these types of mirrors to normalize their
experiences, so that they could see picture book characters being just like them. I wanted
them to see that their experiences while different, were also normal.

I never set out to be an author/illustrator, but I became one to fill a gap that I saw. I
created the Super Fun Day Books series to show neurodivergent children facing challenges
and overcoming them. My books are structured like social stories, which is a tool used in
special education to help teach children about something that may be hard. The
illustrations in the books are purposefully simple to help keep a focus on the story and the
font is dyslexic friendly. All the books are available as audiobooks to make them accessible
to all types of learners. (I happen to consume books best in audio format myself and am so
thankful for that technology).

There are days when my children are proud of their neurodiversity and there are days, like
with all children, they just want to be like everyone else. I hope that my books help other
parents, educators, and therapists, support children so that they more days when they feel
proud of their brain differences.

But it cannot just be about neurodivergent kids learning about themselves – neurodiversity
should be understood by all children (and adults). Other children see the headphones, the
gum chewing, the weighted vests, and wobble seats. Books are also windows into someone
else’s life, and I love hearing about how my books help start conversations with
neurotypical kids about the differences they may see with their neurodivergent peers.
Afterall, as a mother, I can help change how my kids feel about themselves but the world
around them has to share in that positive message. It will take all of us to make that kind of
change.

Comments

  1. An absence of being able to understand language and express language using words and phrases may be the first indicator that an individual is suspected of having Autism Spectrum Disorder.

  2. This heartfelt blog post beautifully highlights the power of neurodiversity and positive parenting in raising children with autism. It’s inspiring to see a mother embracing neurodiversity and sharing her experiences to create awareness and understanding. Thank you, author, for sharing your thoughts and insights.

  3. I absolutely resonate with your journey and her dedication to normalizing neurodiversity through storytelling. It’s inspiring to see her taking action to fill the gap she noticed in children’s literature. Incorporating diverse characters and experiences in books not only helps neurodivergent kids feel seen and understood but also educates neurotypical kids about the beauty of differences. Plus, it’s a reminder that every child deserves to feel proud of who they are, quirks and all.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *