My Voice Matters

29/03/2025

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27/03/2025

Enjoying all the wonderful people and talks at with

:)

24/02/2025

And just like that… a few muddy knees later and our raspberry bushes were planted. We can’t wait to see how much fruit we can gather when these are fully grown. Although I have a feeling we will need to craft some scarecrows to help keep the birds away.

Did you know, that just like with strawberries, you can cut and dry the leaves to make tea? Raspberry leaf tea is full of vitamins and minerals such as Vitamins C, E, A and B, magnesium, potassium, iron and calcium.

Who would have thought that a simple, home-grown drink could provide all those benefits?!

22/02/2025

We had a fantastic first Friday craft session yesterday!

First we went round to feed the chickens and check to see if they had laid any eggs- they had! So each child chose an egg to take home for themselves.

We read ‘Rosie’s Walk’ by Pat Hutchins and paid close attention to how the illustrations are FULL of pattern and vivid colour. Rosie’s Walk is also followed by ‘Where, Oh Where, is Rosie’s chick?’

The children were then given a choice- they had a choice to create a large replica of Rosie or they could create a Pom-pom chick!

It was lovely to be able to see both by the end of the session. Child-choice is so important which is why multiple art materials were offered too such as paint, soft pastels and oil pastels. By allowing child-choice, children can experiment with what works best and can feel more free to explore if previously they have been nervous about attempting arts and crafts.

This artist chose a mixture of soft pastels and oil pastels. Whilst he enjoyed using both, his mum and I were left squirming at the sound of the soft pastel on cardboard 😂 but never mind! Once he had created the bright, block coloured pieces, he drew his patterns on with a pen. He looked closely at the illustrations to help him :)

We then assembled the hen by using lolly sticks and PVA to brace the parts together.

Of course we had two hens walking round the room the entire time we were crafting and one artist was blessed with a cuddle in which the hen did not want to leave his lap! (Picture to follow)

If more leaves had been around on the field (and it had been less wet) we would have created a large team piece replicating one of her trees in the background- but we will save this for another day 🙂

I cannot wait to keep crafting every Friday- drop us a message if you’re interested in attending 🌿

27/01/2025

It’s really important to listen when children use their voices to describe the change they need. Sometimes we cannot always agree or are able to follow their wishes but nevertheless it is important that they are heard.

And when they cannot use their voice? Well we need to watch what they do and pay close attention to their mannerisms, actions and joy. If I had asked to complete a with these on then I can tell you that we would have had moaning from the moment the sheet was in sight.

But I’ve seen how much he and so instead, I printed the flash cards out from and set to work matching them up with him and seeing who could do it quickest. Et voila the task was completed sooo quickly without a minor refusal in sight.

Sooo many people (even adults) struggle with when to use it’s or its. So the next step in his learning was for me to explain when we use each one and then I read out a piece of writing (from a workbook) and he had to hold up which “it’s/it’s” was needed.

Because we had approached the activity actively and I was able to show him that he had already done the hard bit- he was more accepting of then filling in the gaps in the workbook by writing them down.

All children should be able to cope in school- they just need the time, support and resources to succeed. Unfortunately we’ve crammed too many into a “one size fits all” approach that doesn’t even fit the majority!

12/01/2025

Ready for more about time and practicing quarter past and quarter to the hours.

He will start in the living room and read the strip of paper stating the time, he will then go to one door in the house to match it to the clock face and then to the digital clock.

Exactly the same learning happens, the difference? He doesn’t have to write, he isn’t staring at an overwhelming sheet where he knows (at some point) he will look at again and either face ticks or crosses, he won’t have to look at a “success criteria” and see that he’s failed if he doesn’t meet the standard. No he just plays the game and gets mummy’s help if he struggles, because after all, it is the teacher who has failed if he doesn’t understand- not him!

doesn’t need to be defined by workbooks and worksheets. Instead it can be defined by how many giggles there are and how much our children engage, or are

I love how simple this is to set up and especially that I can reuse it with the children I tutor.

09/01/2025

with

27/12/2024

I’m learning to be my . You may or may not have heard of this term. It’s basically about finding who you really are and being unapologetic about it. This is especially poignant when you are and have spent most of your life to fit in.

Now, if childhood friendships were to speak about me as a child they would probably say I was loud, bubbly or even annoying. So, for those same people to hear me describe myself as an individual who had to mask, well they would probably say I’m full of it. There is a misconception that all maskers are quiet or withdrawn but there are many of us who didn’t start out that way. Instead we hid our insecurities by being the class clown- making people laugh is a social script we can control. Whereas being ourselves and being judged for being who we really are and acting how we really feel is absolutely terrifying. We already knew we were different and then, when we were naturally ourselves, we were told as such by being given labels such as messy, lazy, controlling, sensitive, angry etc etc the list goes on. So whether the neurodivergent individual is seeming to be an extrovert or an introvert, it doesn’t mean they aren’t still masking.

As an adult, When you give in and go against “the norm” by gifting your the time to with what makes you happy, you learn to let that mask slip a bit, you learn to appreciate what actually brings you joy. Funnily enough, most parents naturally do this with their children when they play games together like hairdressers, or rough housing. It’s like reliving your own childhood. BUT when your inner child and your actual child don’t have the same idea of fun well then you have to find ways to unlock it yourself. Whereas I am a sensory-seeking, creative individual my son is so you won’t find him near anything messy.

So here’s me, eating a snack I like and playing with putty/slime in my living room, on the sofa because I’m a grown up and I can and guess what..? I’m happy 😊

26/12/2024

We love a at followed by a cuppa by the Christmas Tree.

What do you like to do on Boxing Day?

14/12/2024

I went to look at a new space for a future this week as the last one fell through. I’m a great believer in the Universe providing and that what will be, will be and if it doesn’t happen then there is a reason for it. Thinking this way has helped me to manage my expectations and disappointment when things don’t work out and is hopefully a lesson I will be able to teach to help him handle the rollercoaster of life.

Anyway, this new place is further away from me (about 30 mins) and a bit more out in the sticks which does obviously limit those who would be able to get to us BUT the lovely lady who owns the field has big ideas just like me and so, if we decide to partner up, I believe it will just be another hurdle we WILL overcome.

Whilst looking around, little man set to work helping to muck out the pig pen, bag up the hay for the pony and feed the chickens. We are talking about a who will avoid mess usually at all measure. So seeing him in this environment makes me so happy and definitely has a huge impact on his mood and behaviour. Oh and it was all self-directed.

Unlike the last place, children will also be able to spend more time with the animals and form learning around their care and the natural environment. Parents will also be welcome to stay.

It needs a lot of work and, in its current state, it may be better to offer sessions in the Spring but I am more than excited to get started on planning.

14/12/2024

completely understand their children’s body language. We become very attuned to our children’s moods and moments as to avoid . We know our children. We know when our kids are not fully enjoying an activity because they are too anxious and feel overwhelmed inside EVEN IF they are not displaying it in an obvious way.

Before , this used to be my son constantly, even if he had been crying and fighting with school refusal, as soon as he got to school his face would become serious and almost robotic. The mask was up. It used to kill me that he’d resigned himself to having to deal with it. It reminded me of the times where I had been encouraged to leave him to cry as a baby (I didn’t). I never want him to feel like if he’s sad, I won’t be there.

Yet the school would argue that he was “happy” and “fine” when the truth was, I knew better. I would see this pained discomfort all over his face when we went to watch Sports days and assemblies. They thought they knew my son. They didn’t. Not until he made a friend who helped him come out of his shell, but like all things when you’re autistic and trying to figure out the world (and other parents are less understanding) it didn’t last. BUT for a glimpse, for a moment, The school realised how much had been holding in. They actually HEARD. Unfortunately it was too little too late. The damage was done.

My Voice Matters can help train schools to work WITH parents and put the voice of the child at the heart of what they do rather than trying to make the child bend and fit to the curriculum. I can help with the subtleties which so often go unnoticed in the business of school life. If you’re a parent, please reach out too so I can listen and offer words of support and encouragement regarding fighting for the support your child is entitled to but please remember I am a one-woman-band, who is home educating her own child and of which both mummy and son have disabilities. Do not be afraid to politely bug me if I do not respond immediately.

*DISCLAIMER- I only have this picture showing his discomfort due to collecting pictures of what we have been doing for the LA home education dept*

11/12/2024

Enjoying this morning and making new with on side to help guide and support any issues.

I wonder how many people out there have support for break time play at rather than just having a space to retreat to. would have benefited so much from someone distantly watching his play and helping to reflect on incidents afterwards. It would have been brilliant to have in the moment help to interactions and then guide future socialising.

Leave me a comment if your receives playtime support in their