Parenting a Neurodivergent Child: Beyond the Diagnosis

As a parent of autistic/PDA children, I have heard my fair share of opinions from others about my children's behaviours and presentation over the past few years. Alongside raising three neurodivergent children, I have spent the last eleven years working alongside children and families. I've heard these misconceptions from every angle—around dinner tables, in schools, in professional meetings and even directed at my own family. The Children Behind The Behaviour My eldest daugh

"Why does my child always have to argue?" "Why do they correct me all the time?" Why can't they just accept help?" These are questions I hear frequently from parents of children with PDA, and questions I have often asked myself. Have you ever been trying to help your child and have them shout and scream at you, "I don't want your help!" - knowing full well they do? Many of the behaviours that can feel challenging, controlling or even disrespectful are often understood through

As parents, we are often taught to look at behaviour as a choice. If a child is shouting, refusing, running away, lashing out or completely shutting down, our instinct is to ask: “How do I stop this behaviour?” But what if the more useful question is: “What is their nervous system telling us right now?” The concept of the Window of Tolerance, developed by psychiatrist Dan Siegel, helps us understand why children – and adults – can sometimes access their thinking brains and at