An Atypical Life
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13/06/2026
Love the idea of these hand signals đđ»
Self-advocacy systems have to be embedded class-wide. Otherwise our neurodivergent kids may not feel able to access them.
Why? Because it would mean standing out.
Drawing attention to the fact that you need help, and no one else seems to.
Many of our kids just prefer to struggle silently.
Class-wide self-advocacy systems are very possible, and they start with the teacher. The teacher introduces it, has visuals around, and then integrates the body checks and language into the daily routine.
The teacher models what it looks like, e.g. 'My brain is feeling a bit tired right now. I think I need to move my body for a minute and get a drink. Anyone else?'
Everyone has needs.
It makes sense to talk about it?
The language becomes familiar.
The process becomes safe.
Self-advocacy is scaffolded and encouraged.
Needing something different is not seen as a problem. It's just a normal thing that you get with groups of humans.
This learning benefits every kid in that space.
Please can we make it happen?
Em đ
For years, I thought I was grieving netball.
What I didnât realise was that I was grieving the loss of control and opportunity for regulation.
Netball wasnât just a sport. It was my biggest special interest. I played, umpired, watched games, read books about it, and built my whole week around it.
When I tore my ACL, I lost more than netball.
I lost movement.
I lost routine.
I lost community.
I lost one of my biggest coping tools.
The hardest part? At the time I was a personal trainer & developmental educator and a mum to autistic children. I already knew movement was important for their regulation and wellbeing.
Nobody told me it was mine too.
For years, my neurodivergence had quietly been supported by routines I had naturally built into my life. Netball. Gym. Board sports. Active play.
When those disappeared, so did many of the things keeping me regulated.
My mental health declined.
My capacity reduced.
I became overwhelmed and dysregulated.
Looking back, I wasnât just recovering from an ACL injury.
I was trying to navigate life without one of the supports my nervous system had relied on for decades.
Sometimes movement isnât just exercise.
Itâs a core support for navigating a world not built for us.
I knew movement helped my kids. I just didnât realise it was helping me survive too.