February 2019 and our world came crashing down. I was trying to get over the fact that I could no longer get into work but the heartbreak of feeling I was letting down the young people I taught was often overwhelming. Leaving Sophia at school in tears as I walked away; holding back my own… Continue reading The Year We All Stayed Home
Author: The Light Bulb Moment PDA
Marvellous Magnesium
Last week I shared a post about the challenges our family are facing with sleep right now. I listed the many things that we had either bought or tried to help our daughter's onset of sleep. The tent canopy and pressure blanket were fairly successful for a week or so but this exciting novelty then… Continue reading Marvellous Magnesium
Guest Illustration from Missing The Mark
The wonderful Eliza Fricker has very kindly put this illustration together for me. I was instantly drawn to her blog https://missingthemark.blog/ as everything she illustrates completely fits with our experiences. I was asked on BBC Radio Leeds by Stephanie Hirst if I felt lonely on our journey. I certainly did to start with but it’s… Continue reading Guest Illustration from Missing The Mark
Exciting Times
There have been many endless lockdown days when we have just not known what to do with ourselves but I have tried to put any spare moment to good use. Whilst I haven't been able to press publish on my latest blog post yet, there has been plenty of work going on in the background.… Continue reading Exciting Times
A series of inadequate events
When I was young I loved the film Bedknobs and Broomsticks and would watch it over and over, even with the boxing day sale adverts on the recording. I knew every word. Sophia has enjoyed the film too and we have also journeyed together back into the land of Narnia. Even at three she knew… Continue reading A series of inadequate events
Can’t get no sleep
I look back to the weeks before our second beautiful daughter was born. It was all planned out meticulously. The birth pool was ready, the positive affirmations were up on the wall and hours of hypnobirthing tracks had been listened to. In reality though, shortly after each and every calming piece of music started, I… Continue reading Can’t get no sleep
She’s fine!
Richard and I have heard this said a lot about Sophia. "She was a little upset when you left but then she was fine", "Sophia was a little quiet today but she's been fine", "She's been fine all day, happy and smiley". That's wonderful to hear so we thought. That's all we've ever wanted but… Continue reading She’s fine!
PDA???? What’s that?
In the decade that I was born, the 1980's; a professor named Elizabeth Newson began using the term 'Pathological Demand Avoidance' to describe the presentations of children she assessed in her clinic at Nottingham University. Newson et al. (2003) listed a defining criteria for the diagnosis of PDA but like so many people I have… Continue reading PDA???? What’s that?
Walk in the woods
I didn't think this would be my first post but after a week of questioning should I actually do this blogging thing? Well here goes ... The last few years have been hard, the last few months harder. Each day praying the next would be easier and then comes along Covid - 19. Our youngest… Continue reading Walk in the woods