school can’t Archives - More Than Quirky

Academic Limitations: Finding Your Own Goals

August 12, 2024

I recently experienced something really special. A parent of an autistic child in mid-primary school, who expresses concern around behaviours and academic results, showing genuine delight that their teacher had said they had nothing to report except improvement. There was no reference by this parent as to whether this meant the child was now exceeding academic expectations for their age, meeting them, working towards them, or still finding some aspects very challenging. It just didn’t[…]

Just Because You Used To: Change is Okay

June 24, 2024

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[…]

Not Refusing: School Can’t

June 6, 2024

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[…]

Starting School: Exposing Household Differences

February 20, 2024

Starting “big school” is a momentous occasion. For many kids it’s a significant step that comes with a number of hurdles. For neurodivergent kids, these hurdles can be larger or more numerous. And, it is becoming increasingly apparent to me, for kids from neurodivergent households (whether they’re ND or NT), it can be quite a leap. Some children will struggle emotionally at school. Others will be “fine” at school and emotional at home. Others will[…]

Take a Pause: The Deep Breath

November 9, 2023

We all need to pause sometimes. Taking a deep breath is a very common regulation method, for neurodivergent and neurotypical people. But have you considered it metaphorically? Are you hitting the same hurdles regularly? Are things escalating, and taking longer to calm down again? Does everything feel harder lately? Take a deep breath. This “deep breath” comes in many forms. It can take as short as a few seconds, or as long as… well… as[…]

Chill the Beans: Working WITH Anxiety

August 7, 2023

Clinical anxiety is a disorder independent of neurotypes such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and apraxia of speech. However, anxiety is frequently experienced by neurodivergent people; approximately half of autistic people experience clinical levels of anxiety. This is not just a simple case of worrying about things. Clinical anxiety is persistent, intrusive, and frequently includes physiological responses well beyond standard nervousness or fear. It is highly difficult to determine if the coexistence of anxiety and a[…]