A neurodivergent mind requires a neurodivergent life

It takes real courage to step outside common frameworks and create a life that is a match for your heart and mind. Then forging that same pathway for three neurodivergent and uniquely different kids requires advocating for a life other parents and educators will often strongly and repeatedly advise you against. You have to be daring!

Nothing is typical. Nothing just slots in to the current processes and it requires energy and a relentless stand to make things go the way you know in your heart, works for you and your kids.

You have to be willing to listen, lead and be led, over and over again

This week our youngest should be sharing a limo in an overly mature outfit with their friends, and graduating Primary School. For about 3 hours when I saw everyone posting their kid’s pics and certificates I questioned myself. Was it the right thing to pull her out of school and home school her at the beginning of year 3? Will it still be the right thing when the kids she started school with are all sitting in high school classes next year? Then I snap myself out of it and get super clear. Our kid, with her mind and heart, was not built for a typical system. This year they have written a novel, know more about revolutions across the globe than anyone I know and could run my social enterprise if I needed them to. They have also been able to sit in their comfort chair with their dog and allow their learning to be guided by their passions.

The Cost / Benefit Analysis of Standardised School

Our middle child finished his first year of high school at a public school. He learnt how to navigate life on his terms, stay true to his values and form friendship circles that empower him and walk away with second in English for his year level. He has also crashed the moment he walks in the door every single day and needs to regulate for hours because he has spent his day masking. He knows what it takes for him to participate in this kind of schooling and he chooses it. A choice he makes over and over when he leaves the house in the morning and his siblings are still in their pyjamas. He may be our only child that completes their education in the way most people do, even at the cost it is to him .

Inventing a New Kind of Education

Our eldest at 15 has finally had enough of feeling worse and worse about going to their public school. We have watched them become smaller and smaller in that environment. Finally this year they had gotten themselves to a place where they could say “trying to fit in is not worth it” and they applied to attend the School of Humanity. It is an extraordinary and innovative online global high school who is ignoring the current systems and inventing the kind of education that is a match for the world we live in now. Our eldest had 6 interviews all up and will be the first australian to participate in this school with learners from 25 countries around the world. They will be on a US school term schedule and participate in the Dubai time zone. They will be completing many projects starting first term with “Maintaining Global Peace” and “Activism in the Arts.” They will spend their Fridays “following their passion” and doing work experience at many places. They will start school on Jan 6 when all of their friends are hanging out at the shops and going to the movies. They hands down could run Wondiverse right now .

Partnership

All of this happens in partnership with my husband who works a big job and then digs in to empower the rocket ship like trajectory of my dream to run my own social enterprise when he’s not at work. Oh and my radio show 5 days a week, hosting Aspect – Autism Spectrum Australia’s podcast, Project Directing an Arts Project, working as a celebrant and allllll the things it takes to run a neurodivergent household.

Nothing but Typical

None of this happens without constantly transforming ourselves, standing for what we are creating and inspiring others around us to be “on board” with our anything but typical life.

So today when many parents I know are posting graduation pics, I’ll post this photo of a puddle we took today when our youngest made me stop and look so I didn’t miss it!