The Attuned Family Blog

Parenting an autistic or PDA child can be overwhelming, especially when you’re constantly running on empty. The first step in breaking the burnout cycle is to focus on your own well-being. In this blog post, we’ll dive into the first foundational pillar of Attuned Parenting — parent well-being and co-regulation, and why they are crucial […]

If you’re here, I’m guessing you’ve been doing the thing so many of us do when parenting feels hard:you’ve been collecting strategies. Maybe you’ve read the books.Downloaded the charts.Saved the Instagram posts.Tried reward systems, calm corners, scripts, routines, visual schedules, “gentle consequences,” sensory tools, timers… all of it. And yet… you’re still stuck. Meltdowns are […]

For years, I tried to fix my son’s meltdowns.I tried to stop them, shorten them, outsmart them, prevent them… anything to regain a sense of control. I wasn’t seeing defiance — not really — but I was still treating his behaviour as if it needed managing, shaping, redirecting. And I did it with all the […]

When meltdowns happen, it can feel like everything unravels. The noise, the tears, the intensity — and that sinking feeling that nothing you try seems to help. I remember sitting on the floor with my son one afternoon as he was completely dysregulated, completely overwhelmed. I was exhausted, desperate to help him, and fighting my […]

Your child has suddenly lost skills they used to have. They’re more withdrawn than usual. Everything that used to work has stopped working. Teachers might say they’re being defiant. Professionals might suggest more intensive interventions. Family members might wonder if something traumatic happened. But what if I told you there’s another explanation – one that’s […]

Your heart races before the school meeting. You know exactly what your child needs, but when it’s time to speak up, the words just won’t come. You leave feeling like you didn’t explain your child well enough, wondering if anyone truly understood what you were trying to say. Sound familiar? If you’ve ever felt tongue-tied […]

Morning routines that take three times longer than they should. Bedtime battles that leave everyone emotionally drained. Just getting out the door feeling like an Olympic event you’re never prepared for. If daily transitions in your home feel like navigating a minefield, you’re not alone. And more importantly, you’re not doing anything wrong. The truth […]

It was another 2am Google search. “Is my child Autistic?” “Signs of Autism in 2 year olds”. “What does PDA Autism look like?” Sound familiar? Despite having over a decade of experience in learning support and early childhood development, I found myself completely lost when it came to understanding my own PDA Autistic son. The […]