Affinity Consulting

27/04/2026

A great concert with Men of the Deeps made me think about connection and kids.

26/04/2026

25/04/2026

Sharing Saturdays
Well, this is cool. I want one!
Thanks FaceFlip

24/04/2026

Hard conversations don’t start with talking.
They start with regulation.
Parents tell me their kids won’t open up, but they do here.
Not because of magic, but because I help their brain settle first through sensory input.
For some kids, that’s movement. For others, it’s Brain Break Buckets.
I work with families to build these skills step by step.

23/04/2026

Telling it like it is Thursdays
Another open Mic night in Bracebridge where I shared a story about Terry's depression and the toll it takes. Two artists were there quickly drawing sketches of the participants. I think they were trying to do it incognito but I thought it was just so cool I became a groupie. Thanks to

21/04/2026

"It was good. It was great and now I know how to shower." Said a 7 year old. Teaching the step by step process in visuals. The child moves the clothes pegs through each step as they shower. (Pictures are laminated so they go right in the shower) The timer lets them know how long they should stay in the water-better odds of getting clean.
*Not every child learns through words. If you’re ready to try a different approach, book a consult or send me a message.

20/04/2026

Cleaning up toys is a skill that needs to be learned.
Breaking the job down into small steps is the key.
This child started by learning that toys were divided
into two groups: plates and fruit.
The hoops made the job even clearer because the big hoop needed
to be emptied.
Then celebrate success.

19/04/2026

Do you remember the show, "Kids Say the Darndest Things"
Well, Lego club turned into one of those moments.
All the kids got a pile of Lego and could collect a figurine of their choice.
This kid picked a Bart Simpson character and his build turned into a story
of drinking and driving, a crash and problems...
Not what we were expecting.

18/04/2026

Sharing Saturday
This post is about dementia but it also speaks to the younger kids who ask the same questions over and over.
Thanks

17/04/2026

Autism Month
Check out what you can learn about Stella in this one page profile.
An eight year old had a hard time talking about herself but she had lots to say describing her unicorn stuffy.
Not surprisingly she is very much like her unicorn.....
Perhaps if it's hard for your child to talk about themselves they can do a page on their favourite character and you can help them see the similarities and differences.
It is so important that kids learn how to tell others about what works and doesn't work for them. The more people that know, the better the supports can be.
To help your child create their own one page profile contact Affinity Consulting.

16/04/2026

Autism Month
Holding a space for kids to be proud of who they are, celebrated for their uniqueness and contributions.
Picture taken from an Autism party many years ago hosted by Affinity Consulting
I am a little biased to this young man as he is my amazing son, Terry!
When he was little the focus was on helping him through the early trauma he lived before our adoption. Then he got the label of PDDNOS -which could have potentially been the most ridiculous diagnosis as no one seemed to really know what it was and schools didn't listen to it.
Although I followed the strategies that were emerging in Autism -social stories, visuals, concrete and exact instructions, lists, and support in social settings and they worked, he didn't receive his formal diagnosis until he was about 20 years old.
By that time it was pretty obvious that Autism was one diagnosis amoung many. He was so proud and excited when the phone call came in with the results of the adult ADOS assessment.
I know with every fiber of my being that things would have been so different, so much easier for him in school if he received official recognition and diagnosis as a young child.
If you are a parent wondering if you should pursue a diagnosis of Autism for your child, jump in with two feet and plow your way through the systems. Nothing about your love for your child will be different, nothing about your child will be different. But people in the 'systems' will listen better, you will have access to services and a direction to follow