Wendy McCallum The Anti-stress Angel

Wendy McCallum The Anti-stress Angel I mentor Mums of autistic kids so they and their families thrive not just survive. If you would like to know more, please get in touch.

I support Adults of Neurodivergent (ND) Children to prioritise their self-care so that they can give support from a plentiful, not resentful place, advocate for their children to get the support they need, want and deserve from educational/leisure settings and to have more harmonious relationships with family, friends, supporters and providers. As a solo parent of two growing boys, who are Neurodi

vergent (ND), this is my life’s work. I know how lonely and hard it can be navigating diagnosis and support for our ND children I know how easy it is to put our children’s needs first leading to us feeling worn out and resentful. I know how tricky it can be to manage relationships with family, friends and professionals who just don’t get it. I know the importance of putting in place all the elements that help me to flourish and I love supporting others to feel the same.

Recently, a fellow Mum of autistic kids told me that my posts give her hope for the future, and it gave me such a warm f...
17/06/2026

Recently, a fellow Mum of autistic kids told me that my posts give her hope for the future, and it gave me such a warm feeling, it was really lovely 💞 Her children are younger than mine, and the future often feels uncertain, so knowing that Connor and Mitch are doing well helps her to know that there is hope that her children will thrive too.

I know that many of my clients value the hope I give them in our sessions, but it's great to know that my posts are hitting the spot too. Please always feel free to share encouraging stories that you'd like me to share with others. I can do that anonymously and give even more people hope. There's a lot of fear out there, let's spread more love and hope 💞🙏

I've been doing school runs since 2011! I chose to send my boys to schools that weren't close enough to walk to, but I w...
16/06/2026

I've been doing school runs since 2011! I chose to send my boys to schools that weren't close enough to walk to, but I won't deny I'll be grateful for the extra time I'll have!

Mitch finished his GCSEs yesterday, and expected to feel a huge sense of relief. He didn't.

We talked about it in the car. I pointed out that he has been experiencing a lot of adrenaline and it hasn't dissipated yet. Several of his close friends had another exam in the afternoon, so he didn't "leave" school with them, and it was a bit of a sense of anti-climax.

He's got the Prom to look forward to next week, and I'm sure that will help bring a sense of relief and closure at the end of his "schooling", but I'll be on hand with wise words, flower remedies and essential oils just in case they're needed.

If you're in a similar situation, please be kind to yourself and your young person. Navigating this is tricky.

I'm not going to lie, the last couple of weeks have been tough. Mitch is heading towards the end of his GCSEs (his last ...
12/06/2026

I'm not going to lie, the last couple of weeks have been tough. Mitch is heading towards the end of his GCSEs (his last one is on Monday), and he's needed extra support. Connor is discombobulated by only being in college for 1.5 hours, 3 days a week - he's not quite finished yet, but he's not on holiday either!

I'm feeling happy but very tired, so this weekend I will be snerdling (at least for some of the time!). What about you? What are your weekend plans?

10/06/2026

What questions do you have about how to support your autistic child (diagnosed or not), how to speak to your child's education setting, how to look after yourself when you're juggling everything for everyone, or if you don't have an autistic child, what would you like to know to help you support someone else?

Please comment below or send me a DM. Thank you 🙏🏻

If you're looking for guidance and support to make life with an autistic child easier, you can get free guidance with my...
08/06/2026

If you're looking for guidance and support to make life with an autistic child easier, you can get free guidance with my posts here on Facebook, by booking a One-Quick-Question 15-minute Zoom call to address the most important issue facing you right now, or by working one-to-one on my Coaching and Mentoring Programmes, which are tailored specifically for you and your needs and wants.

For more information, please send me a DM or check out my website. The link is in the comments. Thank you.

Those who know me well know that peonies are my favourite flowers. I've been enjoying these beauties, although I'll be h...
04/06/2026

Those who know me well know that peonies are my favourite flowers. I've been enjoying these beauties, although I'll be honest and say I don't love them quite as much as their "frillier" sisters!

I love the way they remind us that we all bloom in our own time. Look at the difference between the bud on the top left, which is yet to show its bloom, and the one on the right, which has already dropped some petals. All in their perfect time.

Those of us with autistic children have learned (often the hard way) that our children will get to their milestones when they are good and ready, not when a book says they "should", and in their own special way.

Please also extend this kindness to yourself too. Sometimes you're in the mood for blooming and out there, other times wrapped inside the bud, or anywhere in between. All are welcome, all are special, and all are valuable, as are you.

Where are you with this right now? I'm more than a bud but not quite ready for full blooming!

Mitch is sitting his GCSEs at the moment, and Connor is taking part in his college musical, We Will Rock You. It's been ...
22/05/2026

Mitch is sitting his GCSEs at the moment, and Connor is taking part in his college musical, We Will Rock You. It's been challenging emotionally, supporting the ups and downs of exams with Mitch, helping Connor keep regulated so that his rehearsals and performances go well (he's been getting annoyed with people not listening to their teacher), and supporting a client who is going through some really difficult medical interventions at the moment.

To balance it all out, I'm watching Connor in his musical this evening, which will be brilliant as the music of Queen is wonderful! Tomorrow I'm having breakfast with one of my lovely friends, then going line dancing with a group of friends and having a meal with my parents on Sunday.

What plans do you have for this bank holiday weekend?

Mitch, my younger son, is currently sitting his GCSEs. Mitch is dyslexic, has sensory processing issues and autistic and...
19/05/2026

Mitch, my younger son, is currently sitting his GCSEs. Mitch is dyslexic, has sensory processing issues and autistic and ADHD traits. He doesn't love school or revising!

Before his exams, I said, "I'm not going to nag you to revise at home, but the deal is that you're in bed by 10.30 on school nights and by midnight at weekends and in half-term, because you need your sleep to function. Do we have a deal?"

He grumbled a bit, and then agreed. Now, you may be thinking that I'm soft, that he won't do well if he doesn't revise etc, etc, and you may be right. However, I know my son, and I know my own capacity.

Constantly reminding him to do something/nagging him, winds us both up, and we end up in a fight. He may agree to revise, but do it with such a bad attitude that he learns absolutely nothing, and I'd get frustrated if he wasn't taking it seriously.

I know he's revising at school, as his school insist they are there full-time until most of the exams are over. He focuses there, and he has help from the experts if he needs it - I'd have to rely on Google to help him in many subjects.

By getting enough sleep and having a pretty regular pattern, he functions much better and has a much better chance of doing well in his exams, so I chose not to fight the battle of home revision.

Your head may tell you that you "should" insist that your child revise at home (or something else), but listen to your heart. What does your heart tell you that they need?

Please share your stories. I love to hear what works for you and your family, whether they are neurodivergent or neurotypical.

I'm exploring different areas of my business at the moment, and today's focus was on my longer-term vision. This is what...
14/05/2026

I'm exploring different areas of my business at the moment, and today's focus was on my longer-term vision. This is what I hope for by working with Mums of autistic kids, parenting coaches/trainers, teachers, teaching assistants and SENCOs. I hope that the ripple effect of this work will help thousands of families with autistic kids.

How does that sound?

13/05/2026

Proposed SEND Reforms

I’ve just completed the feedback for the Government’s proposed SEND Reforms.

The process reminded me that I don’t want people to have to take to the streets in protest (Save our Children’s Rights Campaign, 9th May 2026) against the proposed SEND Reforms. I want the reforms to be fit for purpose and adaptable to the needs of the children and young people they are meant to serve.

As the Mum of two wonderful neurodivergent teenagers, a Mentor of Mums of Autistic Kids and a trainer/coach for parenting coaches/trainers, teachers and teaching assistants, I can say that the proposed SEND Reforms are causing a lot of concern to me and everyone in my communities.

What are we concerned about?

Children, young people and their families:
• That EHCPs (which are legally enforceable, even if the current process to ensure that isn’t fit for purpose) will be reserved for the most complex cases
• There is no definition of “complex”
• For autistic children, their needs can appear straightforward one day and complex the next (or even in the next minute) because something changes that might not be easily identifiable by a neurotypical adult
• The proposed “Individual Support Plans” don’t provide a guarantee of the right provision or accountability. It’s also unclear whether they will be legally enforceable.
• More SEN children will be educated in mainstream settings. This suits some SEN children, my older autistic son being a prime example, but it won’t give many who need a specialist setting that opportunity. Teachers and teaching assistants will be provided with more SEN training, but the suggested budgets are insufficient and how are they going to fit the training into their already busy schedules? Oh, and that’s assuming that they actually get the training from experts with real-life experience and not just what they’ve picked up from a book or online.
• The current system doesn’t work, but is change the answer?

Teachers and Teaching Assistants:
• How are we going to manage more SEN children in our classrooms without disrupting every student
• How can I spread myself thin enough to meet everyone’s needs and not burn myself out?
• What training will I actually be given?
• How am I going to fit the training into my already packed schedule?
• Will the person/people delivering the training add value and have real-life experiences to share with me?
• Will the trainers be able to help me with the challenges my class presents?
• How am I going to learn about all the different support levels and will they actually provide something meaningful for the children and young people I teach?
• Is this all going to change, again, with a different Government? None of it works well, but maybe it’s better to get the current system working than try to change to something else.

To protect and serve the children/young people and their families, and the teachers and teaching assistants too, we need robust reforms that have clear and enforceable accountabilities. The process by which Local Authorities can be challenged if they are not fulfilling their legal duties needs to be simplified and the timeframes need to be weeks, not months or years.

If you'd like to add your voice to this, please complete the feedback on the DofE website (link in the comments). It's horrendously long, but you can skip to Q39 and put your views in there instead, to save time. Thank you.

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