Wendy McCallum The Anti-stress Angel

31/08/2026

My lovely friends and colleagues at Connective Family have prepared these great ideas for helping children get back to school. Ideal for both neurotypical and neurodivergent children.

17/07/2026

Connor asked me why I had Crowley from Good Omens as my Avatar on Amazon Prime - because I love the programme, the character and David Tennant - and I thought I'd check what I'd chosen as my avatars on other platforms.

So what do my choices of Crowley, Merida from Brave, Professor Minerva McGonnegall from Harry Potter and Tommy Shelby from Peaky Blinders tell me about you? I'm not sure, but maybe that I watch quite a lot of TV!!!!!

Who are your avatars and why? I'd love to know, and you might inspire me to change mine!

15/07/2026

Is your child stubborn or has some other "less desirable" behaviour trait? I know how challenging that can be, but please bear in mind that it probably means that they won't be easily led when they're older, which could keep them out of a heap of trouble!

When I was younger, I was told I was bossy. I am, and I fully own that now and see it as a positive. I'm comfortable being a leader, giving instructions and directions, and I'm organised (most of the time!).

What personality trait was seen as a "problem" when you were younger, but has been useful to you in adulthood? Please share your story, it would be great to hear.

14/07/2026

This time of year can be overwhelming for our autistic/ND kids, and for us too! If they are still in nursery/school/college (I appreciate my Scottish friends and family have already finished the academic year), the last couple of weeks of term can involve the potential chaos of no real timetable, sports days, school plays, leavers' ceremonies and more. I remember having to write down everything that the boys needed every day when they were at primary, because it was so difficult to keep track of everything. (The fact I was Chair of the PTA probably didn't help either 🤪). If they've already finished the academic year, then not having a structured day may be proving overwhelming.

Here are some suggestions that may help you, and Elm Bach Flower Essence can be used by your child as well and may well help them cope better with the chaos. Good luck!

08/07/2026

This is my life (and I'm sure the life of some of you, too). Balancing the needs of two ND boys, along with my own highly sensitive needs (with autistic traits). As always, The Autistic SENCO explains it so well. Worth reading even if you don't have ND children, as it will help you to understand what some of us are dealing with moment-by-moment.

One of the things I don’t think people always see about living in a neurodivergent family is that you’re rarely responding to just one person’s needs. Of course, every family juggles competing demands. Parenting has always involved balancing different personalities, emotions and expectations.

What can feel different in a neurodivergent family is the sheer number of variables you’re holding in your mind at once. You’re not only thinking about what has happened, but what each person is experiencing through their own sensory, cognitive and emotional lens. One person may need quiet while another needs movement. One may be devastated by a change of plan while another simply needs more processing time. Someone else may be masking so effectively that you know the real impact won’t appear until hours later.

At the same time, you’re also keeping an eye on your own regulation because you know that if you become overwhelmed too, your ability to support everyone else begins to disappear.

It isn’t about deciding whose needs matter most. It’s about continually adapting, weighing things up and asking yourself who needs you most urgently in this moment, who can wait a little longer, and whether there is a way through that allows everyone to leave with their dignity intact.

From the outside, it can look as though a family has simply changed its plans or left somewhere unexpectedly. What often isn’t seen is the invisible work that has gone into making that decision. The emotional labour, the sensory awareness, the anticipation, the problem-solving and the continual adjustments that happen minute by minute.

I’ve often thought that this is one of the least visible parts of parenting in a neurodivergent family. Not because other families don’t juggle competing needs. They absolutely do. It is because so much of the balancing act involves needs that are invisible, conflicting and difficult to explain to anyone watching from the outside.

Sometimes there isn’t a perfect outcome. There is only the best decision you can make with the information you have.

Sometimes, getting everyone home safely is the success.

Emma
The Autistic SENCo
♾️

Photo: A gorgeously simple bunch of flowers in a handmade jug bought for me by a parent. Beautiful.

03/07/2026

The boys finished school and college a couple of weeks ago, and I haven't quite found my new rhythm yet. I'm used to being "off" when they're off, and working when they're at school/college, but I'm working for the next couple of weeks.

I'm still seeing clients and creating posts, but if you've got a question you'd like to ask me about navigating life with an autistic child, supporting your family/friends with autistic children, general life coaching questions or anything in the realm of aromatherapy, essential oils or reflexology, please let me know. I'm really good at responding to questions, and I love answering them!

01/07/2026

I was fortunate to go to the seaside for 2 nights to celebrate my lovely friend's special birthday. I've never been away from my boys for more than a night before, and it took a lot of planning, but it was really lovely.

I had time to do what I wanted to do, when I wanted to do it, and I was only responsible for making sure that I had a nice time. The other women on the trip were responsible for making sure that they had a nice time!

It's not often that parents get a chance to not be responsible for others, more so if their children are neurodivergent and even more so if, like me, they are solo parents.

We can't all manage a weekend away - this was a rare treat for me -but we can carve out some time for ourselves if we ask others to help.

What would you do with your time if you didn't need to be responsible for anyone else and money were no object?

23/06/2026

There's a lot going on in the world at the moment, and it prompted me to give more thought to what (not who) I love.

What do you love?

Here's a small sample of what I love:
The feel of a gentle breeze tickling my bare arms
The smell of freshly mown grass
The frilliness of a beautiful peony
The first sip of a much-needed cuppa
Hearing Connor and Mitch laughing uproariously

19/06/2026

Oh my goodness, what a week! I have a lot to celebrate. Mitch finished his GCSEs on Monday and left school! Connor did a brilliant stand-up routine at his final college showcase and left college! Connor will be 19 tomorrow! I will be celebrating with some lovely bubbly 🍾🥂

Who/what are you celebrating?

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 💞🙏