Rainbow Light Therapies by Kim Marie Norton

04/05/2026

Many adults think praise is always helpful. It is not.

When children only hear “good job” or “you are so smart”, they can start to rely on approval instead of learning how to cope, try again, and improve. Over time, this can make them give up more easily, avoid challenges, or feel pressure to always be “the best”.

What children actually need is to feel seen. Not judged. Not labelled.

They need adults to notice effort, small progress, and the behaviours they can repeat. That is what builds real confidence and resilience - not empty praise.

This is a small shift, but it changes how children see themselves for life.

LIKE the photo and comment "PRAISE" and we will send you a message with a link to a free PDF of this resource.

Free PRAISING CHILDREN IN A WAY THAT HELPS THEM GROW: POSTER GUIDE

02/05/2026

02/05/2026

Rejection hits differently when you have ADHD.

For those with ADHD, Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) isn’t “overreacting” or being “too sensitive.”

It’s an intense neurological response to real or perceived rejection or criticism.

At Blue Sky Learning, our neurodiversity-affirming therapists and coaches help you understand RSD, develop strategies to manage intense emotions, and navigate relationships without shame or self-blame.

Together, we can shift from “Why am I so sensitive?” to “How can I honour my feelings and protect my nervous system?”

Book a free 20-minute consult at www.blueskylearning.ca or email hello@blueskylearning.ca

We also offer consulting for inclusive workplaces and schools: www.blueskylearning.ca/consultants

29/04/2026

Sometimes what looks like “defiance” is actually anxiety in disguise.

When a child feels overwhelmed, unsure, or out of control, their brain shifts into protection mode. That can look like refusing, arguing, shutting down, or pushing back—but underneath it is often fear, not behaviour.

When we understand the why, we can respond differently. We move from reacting to guiding. From control to connection.

If your child struggles with big reactions, there is always a reason beneath the surface—and when we meet that need, behaviour begins to shift.

28/04/2026

💡7 Tips for writing a great carer statement for your NDIS plan review
1️⃣ List the extra things you do to support your loved one in DOT POINTS
🚿 This could be daily tasks like showering, cooking or organising stuff.

2️⃣ Give real EXAMPLES to help the planner understand
⚠ You could say, “Showering without help can take my person an hour and they fell three times in the last month,” or “They need help to prepare meals safely.”

3️⃣ Explain how being a carer AFFECTS your life
💼 Are you able to work or study or have a paid job?
🤝 This can help show the level of support your person needs to live well.

4️⃣ LINK your caring role to their NDIS goals
🌱 For example, if their goal is to be more independent doing daily tasks, say what help they need to reach that.

5️⃣ List OTHER caring responsibilities you already have
🧑‍🦳 This could be support you give to others, like helping elderly parents.

6️⃣ Talk about what support YOU need
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 This could be to keep good relationships with your partner or other children who do not have a disability.

7️⃣ Keep it SIMPLE and clear to read
📝 Write it like you are telling a new person who knows nothing about your situation.

💻 To learn more tips and tricks to help you have a smoother plan review process, you can come along to our live workshop coming up called “Plan Reassessments and Reports” on Tuesday 12 May as part of our Resource Kit.

📂 It comes with the slides, the peer session recording, auto transcription and more practical tips and resources you can use.

🔗 For more info and to book, visit our Kits & Workshops website page (check our comments at 9am for the link).

Pic desc: An icon of a person with black hair on a grey background using a pen to write on papers. There is a lightbulb to the right of them. The Growing Space logo is in the bottom right corner of the image.

27/04/2026

You might relate to DBT if you:
💙 Feel emotions really deeply or quickly get overwhelmed.
💙 Struggle in relationships or with self-criticism.
💙 Need practical tools to get through tough moments.

You might relate to CBT if you:
🩵 Overthink or worry a lot.
🩵 Struggle with negative self-talk.
🩵 Want clear strategies to change your thinking patterns.

There’s no one-size-fits-all in therapy. The best approach is the one that fits you. 💫

26/04/2026

Your teenager wants connection. For autistic teenagers, the path to friendship can look a little different, and often benefits from the right support and understanding along the way.

Start with what your teen genuinely enjoys, and help them find spaces where those interests are shared. A chess club, a coding group, a Warhammer meetup, or a Lego afternoon. Connection often grows most naturally through shared interests.

The focus is on creating opportunities that feel safe, respectful and aligned with who your already-fabulous teenager is!

Our article explores the opportunities for autistic teens, and what meaningful, practical support can look like for parents navigating this with their young people. Link in comments.

23/04/2026

Can I share with you the most important adhd parenting strategy that changes everything?

Tell me friend where you told your child is a behaviour problem that needs to be fixed ?

Let’s be honest The minute your child gets an ADHD diagnosis, the list starts:
What they can’t do.
What’s wrong.
What needs to be fixed.

Impulsive.
Hyperactive.
Inattentive.

Labeled as problems.
Treated like flaws.

So we spend years trying to make our kids fit into a box their brains were never designed for.

And somewhere along the way…we lose them.

Their confidence.
Their joy.
Their belief that they are good enough exactly as they are.

Here’s the truth no one tells parents:

🎤Your child is not their challenges. ADHD explains how their brain works not who they are.

Please read that again and again

Underneath the struggles are incredible strengths:
✨ Creativity
✨ Empathy
✨ Curiosity
✨ Courage
✨ Playfulness
✨ Honesty
✨ Energy
✨ Original thinking
✨ Deep compassion

These kids feel deeply.
Think differently.
See things others miss.

And when we stop leading with correction
and start leading with strengths everything changes.

That’s why the first thing we do in Bootcamp is simple but powerful:
➡️ We write down our child’s strengths
➡️ We share them with our kids
➡️ We shift to a strength-based lens

This tiny shift?
It changes how you parent.
It changes how they see themselves.
It changes your relationship.

Yes, they have ADHD.
Yes, they have challenges.

But they are so much more than that.

Bootcamp starts Tuesday.
And if you’re ready to stop fixing your child
and start truly understanding them this is where it begins.

Drop Bootcamp for details 💛

Allison Solomon is an ADHD parent coach helping parents navigate the challenges of raising a child with ADHD. As a mother to three sons with ADHD and a spouse with ADHD, I provide strategies that work in the ADHD parenting trenches. Parents can either work with me one on one or join my 5 week ADHD Parenting group coaching Bootcamp. What you get is someone living your life, understanding your challenges, and giving you strategies that will change the road ahead for you and your ADHD child.You can find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/adhdinnercircleacademy or on Instagram .

22/04/2026

**“AuDHD: When Two Different Worlds Exist in One Brain”**

You’ve probably heard of ADHD. You may have heard of autism.
But when both exist together—AuDHD—it creates an experience that isn’t just a mix… it’s something entirely unique.

**The Constant Push and Pull**
One part of you craves structure, predictability, and sameness. You feel safe when things are familiar, planned, and controlled.
But at the same time, another part of you gets restless, bored, and hungry for something new. You want change, excitement, and stimulation.
So you end up stuck between needing routine… and wanting to break it.

**Focus Feels Different Here**
You can dive deeply into something you love—hours pass, and it feels effortless.
But when it comes to tasks you *have* to do, your brain resists. Not because you don’t care, but because the connection just isn’t there.
Starting feels hard. Finishing feels even harder.

**Emotions Can Feel Intense and Confusing**
You might feel things very deeply, yet struggle to explain or process them.
Small things can feel overwhelming, and big feelings can come out quickly or unexpectedly.
It’s not “overreacting”—it’s your nervous system working differently.

**Social Life Can Feel Like a Puzzle**
You want connection, but it doesn’t always come naturally.
Sometimes you observe others to understand what to say or how to act. Other times, you feel like you’re too much… or not enough… all at once.

**It’s Not Contradiction—It’s Complexity**
Loving routines but craving change. Wanting quiet but needing stimulation. Caring deeply but struggling to show it.
This isn’t inconsistency—it’s the reality of having two different neurotypes working together.

**You’re Not Broken—You’re Wired Differently**
AuDHD isn’t something to “fix.” It’s something to understand.
Because once you stop fighting your brain and start working *with* it, things begin to make more sense.

And maybe for the first time…
you stop asking “What’s wrong with me?”
and start realizing—nothing was.

21/04/2026

Some children are not “misbehaving”. They are overwhelmed.

When a child suddenly starts shouting, refusing, hitting, or shutting down, it can look like defiance. But often it is the brain under stress. In that moment, they are not choosing to be difficult. They are struggling to cope.

As stress rises, the thinking part of the brain switches off. That is why reasoning, consequences, or telling them to calm down does not work. The more overwhelmed they feel, the less able they are to listen, think, or control their behaviour.

What helps is not more pressure. It is less. Fewer demands. A calm adult. Simple words. Space. Safety.

Children borrow calm from us. And when we meet stress with calm, we give them a way back.

Free THE REGULATION LADDER: POSTER GUIDE FOR PARENTS AND CARERS

LIKE the photo and comment "REGULATION" and we will send you a message with a link to a free PDF of this resource.

17/04/2026

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**“You Thought It Was One Thing… But It Might Be Both”**

This is where so many people get confused.

Because ADHD and anxiety don’t just *look similar*…
they *overlap in ways that blur everything*.

And when you don’t know the difference, you end up trying to fix the wrong problem.

**The Overlap That Tricks You**
You can’t focus.
You feel restless.
Your brain won’t slow down at night.
You’re tired, irritable, overwhelmed.

So you assume: *“This must be anxiety.”*

And sometimes it is.

But sometimes… it’s ADHD creating the chaos, and anxiety reacting to it.

**What ADHD Feels Like (Underneath)**
ADHD is driven by stimulation.

Your brain is constantly searching for something engaging.
If it’s not interested, it resists.
If it *is* interested, it locks in hard.

You jump between tasks.
You struggle with consistency.
You act on impulse, then deal with the consequences later.

It’s not about fear.
It’s about regulation.

**What Anxiety Feels Like (Underneath)**
Anxiety is driven by fear.

Even when nothing is happening, your brain is scanning for problems.
The “what ifs” don’t stop.
The worry doesn’t match the situation… but it still feels real.

You hesitate.
You overthink.
You avoid.

It’s not about stimulation.
It’s about protection.

**When They Exist Together**
This is the part most people miss.

ADHD creates missed deadlines, inconsistency, forgotten tasks…
and then anxiety grows *because of that*.

Now you’re not just struggling to focus…
you’re also scared of messing up again.

So your brain is both:
distracted *and* worried.
impulsive *and* avoidant.

And it feels exhausting.

**Why This Matters So Much**
Because you can’t solve ADHD with just calming techniques.
And you can’t solve anxiety with just productivity systems.

If you treat only one… the other keeps pulling you back.

**You’re Not “All Over the Place”… You’re Overlapping**
That feeling of “why am I like this?”
It’s not randomness.

It’s two different patterns happening at the same time.

And once you see that clearly…
you stop blaming yourself…

and start understanding what your brain actually needs.

15/04/2026

**“It’s Not Just Anxiety… It’s Everything At Once”**

People often simplify anxiety into something small, something manageable, something that sounds almost harmless, like “just worrying” or “feeling nervous,” and on the surface, that’s what it looks like. But if you live with ADHD, you already know it doesn’t stop there, because what people think is a single feeling is actually a chain reaction that touches everything in your day without asking permission.

**What People See vs What You Feel**

From the outside, it looks like overthinking or maybe just a bit of stress, something that should pass quickly if you “calm down.” But inside, it’s not one thought, it’s many thoughts colliding at the same time, it’s trying to focus but your mind keeps slipping, it’s wanting to rest but your brain refuses to slow down. And while someone else sees a moment, you’re experiencing a cycle that keeps repeating itself.

**How ADHD Makes It More Intense**

With ADHD, anxiety doesn’t just sit quietly in the background, it mixes with everything else. It affects how you start tasks, how you finish them, how you think about them even before you begin. You try to concentrate, but your brain drifts, and that creates frustration, which then feeds the anxiety even more. Then sleep becomes harder, because your thoughts don’t switch off, and suddenly even resting feels like work.

**The Hidden Layers No One Talks About**
There are parts of anxiety that people don’t see, like the guilt when you can’t explain why you feel this way, the shame when simple things feel overwhelming, and the constant sense of being “on edge” even when nothing is technically wrong. It’s avoiding situations not because you want to, but because your mind has already imagined every possible outcome, and none of them feel easy to handle.

**Why It Feels So Exhausting**
It’s not just mental, it’s physical too, your body feels tense, your energy drains faster, and even small decisions feel heavier than they should. And the hardest part is, you’re aware of it all, you know it shouldn’t feel this intense, but knowing doesn’t make it stop. That’s what makes it so tiring, carrying something that others can’t fully see.

**If This Feels Familiar**

Then what you’re feeling is real, even if it’s hard to explain, and it’s not something that can be reduced to a single word like “worry.” ADHD and anxiety together create a loop that’s complex, layered, and deeply personal, and instead of being told to “just relax,” what actually helps is understanding, patience, and space to process it without judgment.