Hi Hanna,

Is it just us or does anyone else feel that their children have reached their limit and are struggling to hang on until May holiday week?! It can't come soon enough for us! I have one child who says he is sick every day but really he is exhausted and has just had enough. My other son who goes to a special school hasn't got the hang of pretending to be ill and doesn't know how to be dishonest so he confidently announced "I can't go to school today because I'm fake sick" 😂

Some of you will have seen my post on social media sharing Sophie's story but in case you missed it, I wanted to share it with you today. Sophie is one of my clients and I work with Sophie and her family as part of my Sensory Success programme. Sophie is 12 and the school environment does not meet her needs so she is currently at home. Sophie feels that nobody (other than her parents) have listened to her in the past and that nobody has been interested in her experience. Sophie wants to help other young people to feel less alone like she has felt. Sophie was keen for me to share her story and it was important to her to use her real name. Sophie and her parents gave me consent to do this. Since I shared Sophie's story on social media, I have had so many lovely messages to pass on to Sophie. Some related to how helpful her story has been in helping parents, grandparents and teachers understand and some about how parents have shared Sophie's words with their children and their children have resonated and started to open up about their experiences. So...thank you Sophie and here is what Sophie said:

"I realised I was different when I was 7. When I was the only person acting in school. 

When I was younger I felt like a red ant and everyone at school were black ants.

I would find some black paint and dip myself in so I could be a black ant like everyone else. 

Then at home I would wash the black paint off and be a red ant again.

Now I'm older I see myself as a giraffe and I don't have to dip myself in black paint anymore to copy all the school children. But I'm still very traumatised by the past. 

Now everyone wants me to be an elephant and do everything they all do but I can't because I'm a giraffe. I can't change myself because I'm a giraffe not an elephant."

Sophie's poem:

The room is full of elephants. I'm a giraffe.

They all want me to be an elephant, but I can't, I'm a giraffe.

I can't change who I am, I can't do what you want me to do. 

If you have a message for Sophie please do reply and I'll be sure to pass it on.

Hanna

P.S. I am now taking bookings for my Sensory Success assessment and support package for August. If your child sees me in August you will have my report and recommendations ready for when your child goes back to school in September.