Quirky Infinity logo Empowering neurodivergent people through understanding and conversation

More Than Quirky

Empowering neurodivergent people through understanding and conversation

More Than Quirky logo with Infinity symbol blending with the Q

Quirky Infinity logo Empowering neurodivergent people through understanding and conversation

Behaviours

Not Refusing: School Can’t

School Can’t is still generally known as School Refusal in political, medical, and educational circles, unfortunately. However the understanding is that children who experience this are not refusing to go to school, or refusing to try. They simply can’t. Your child can’t do it easily. They can’t even try without immense effort. And often they can’t go at all. What is School Can’t? School refusal is a type of school attendance problem characterised by a[…]

Opening Christmas Gifts

When people speak of the true spirit of generosity, they talk about selflessness and the act of giving without expecting anything in return. That’s the moral high ground, right? It’s what we teach our kids. It’s what we praise and aspire to. So why is it that so many adults harshly judge children who open gifts at Christmas or on birthdays, and don’t respond in a particular way? Why are neurodivergent kids with traits such[…]

Christmas Lunch and The “Fussy Eater”

There are two important things to remember when it comes to Christmas lunch and neurodivergent kids. Firstly, it is a social construct, not a necessity. Secondly, you and your neurodivergent child do not owe conformity to anyone. Not even the people you love most. In fact, especially not the people you love most. If your child finds eating Christmas lunch at a family gathering difficult, that is okay. If this situation remains difficult, that is[…]

A Sense of Security: the Magic Key

Developing a sense of security can prevent or repair so much of what people feel is difficult about neurodivergence. There are a number of traits of neurodivergencies that are tough – for the neurodivergent person, and sometimes for the people around them too. But so many of the trickier aspects of many neurodivergences are not traits of the neurotype itself, but an expression of distress. We have talked about this so many times in articles[…]

Just Because You Used To: Change is Okay

I was recently talking to a parent whose child was facing a dilemma. This ND kiddo had developed some anxieties around going to school. It didn’t look like the usual “School Can’t” (which obviously doesn’t necessarily mean it isn’t!), as they were happy getting ready for school, and travelling to school. It was more that they had started insisting that their parent stay until the bell went and then walk them to class, after quite[…]

Big Feelings: Assisting with Distress

Autistic people frequently suffer from ongoing stresses, like being misunderstood, feeling unheard, experiencing RSD, having schema disrupted, etc. Most neurodivergent people experience many of these, even if allistic, due to the pressure placed upon them by neuronormative societal expectations. While this can result in meltdowns, or challenging behaviour, another demonstration of this can be straightforward distress. What is Distress? Distress is extreme sadness, anxiety, or pain, and can present in a number of ways. “Distressed[…]

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