‘Our daughter blames us for not realising years ago that she was autistic’
Ask the Expert: She was diagnosed recently, aged 23. We did our best as struggling parents, but sometimes we did mess up and shout at her
‘We will be going through divorce very soon and have not told our children’
Ask the Expert: Don’t view ‘telling the children’ as a single conversation, but rather as an opening up of communication between all of you
‘My lovely, clever, kind nine-year-old daughter seems to have low self-esteem’
Ask the Expert: Having low self-esteem involves a lifelong journey learning to love and accept yourself as ‘good enough’
‘My 11-year-old daughter cannot tolerate the sound of her sister’s breathing or the voices of her mother and teacher’
Ask the Expert: I think she has developed misophonia, and it causes her huge distress
Homework: ‘Within a few minutes of reading, despite me trying to help, my daughter will start screaming’
Ask the Expert: Many informed primary schools opt out of homework in early years and support parents to become involved in children’s learning in other ways
‘My 11-year-old son needs help with rejection sensitivity’
Ask the Expert: He is extremely self-conscious, gets very upset by perceived criticism and can’t take correction
My 19-year-old college-going son is depressed and anxious
Ask the Expert: Do you think my son needs to go to see a psychiatrist?
‘My four-year-old is having nightmares and tantrums in the middle of the night’
Ask the Expert: He was sick with flu and was having nightmares and so we have been letting him into the bed with us
How to advocate for and empower your neurodivergent child
The final article in a special six-part series on parenting exceptional children - a strengths-based approach to raising autistic, ADHD and other neurodivergent children
Parenting exceptional children: Managing challenges and problem-solving as issues arise
Article five in a special six-part series – a strengths-based approach to raising autistic, ADHD and other neurodivergent children
Many parents find themselves in unnecessary battles trying to get their children to fit certain norms
Parenting exceptional children: article four in a special six-part series - a strengths-based approach to raising autistic, ADHD and other neurodivergent children
Some children try to mask or camouflage their differences to fit in
Parenting Exceptional Children: Third in a six-part series focuses on a strengths-based approach to raising autistic, ADHD and other neurodivergent children
‘Your neurodivergent child might be good at maths and struggle to tie their shoelaces’
Parenting Exceptional Children: The second in a special six-part series — a strengths-based approach to raising autistic, ADHD and other neurodivergent children
A strengths-based approach to raising autistic, ADHD and other neurodivergent children
Parenting exceptional children: Society does not yet fully embrace neurodivergent communication, learning styles
‘My 14-year-old is struggling with study and homework. Her teachers think she might have ADHD’
Ask the Expert: She is a bright girl but she gets so stressed about study