Emma Sutton
banner
emmalgsutton.bsky.social
Emma Sutton
@emmalgsutton.bsky.social
220 followers 390 following 570 posts
#SENDMum #AutismMom #ADHDMum to two incredible adopted children. Battling for an education that fits the needs of her neurodiverse children. Expressing the reality of being a SEND parent in books and cartoons.
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
When teenage boys act out or vape or fight, or get I to trouble people are keen to blame the parents

What about the government?
The years of austerity reducing staffing in schools, in youth centres, in mental health?

So that troubled youth have nowhere to go, no-one to listen?
And several bottles of gin
It's not good value for money - I can get a pattern book and 24 balls of wool a heckuva lot cheaper than £150 (full price)
£85!!!
Wow, is the thread made of pure gold by Rumpelstiltskin?
Unless millions of pounds are pumped into cutting waiting lists for

* screening & diagnosis
* speech & language help
* sensory assessments
* dyslexia / dyscalcula support
* mental health help

Plus time/ energy/ knowledge & implementation of inclusive practices, then nothing will change
The government will struggle to solve the crisis in SEND support by 2029 under its current spending plans, a new policy analysis says. The Institute for Government think tank says that ministers’ approach for tackling teacher shortages are “unfocused” www.tes.com/magazine/news/sp...
Government ‘will struggle to fix SEND crisis by 2029’
The government’s approach to SEND reform is ‘disjointed’ and its ambitions will be restricted by the budget it has set for this parliament, new analysis warns
www.tes.com
On one hand - this story is about someone investigating safety online & deeply concerning

On the other (selfishly), I'm now questioning if chatgpt's advice about the best colour tights to wear with a party dress is going to ruin my look...
Love this - particularly the bits about Morse being better than heroin

It's strange how we don't value the creation of a family (a home, loving relationships, caring, nurture) as highly as we do more obvious creations (stuff)
Oh goodie. Another politician with no grasp of nuance, of reality, of why children struggle to attend

As a child with two years EBSA and another with periods of school refusal, I can tell you that more tests, more pressure, more rules aren't going to turn that shop around

Try inclusion, welcome
This view was just an incredible celebration of autumn/fall

Yay for autumn

Little did I know that one minute later I was going to slip & fall into a stream

Full on dunk
Had to wring water out of my dress

Stupid autumn & leaves covering slippy tree roots
Back to school anxiety in the morning

It's hard to sit next to my son as he struggles in the car to school

He ripples with emotional overload

Conversation is not recommended

Deep breaths Emma, you can hold the space for him..
Getting the base layer solid so you can pick up the wreath without it all moving makes a massive difference.

If you tie the groups too tight then the baubles pop out of their hangers...

Doing the base layer upside down really helped to give a flat back.
One you have a solid base, turn the wreath over and fill in the gaps/ build it up from the top using glue

Fill in large areas with large baubles first.

(Hot glue recommended).

Keep going until it feels balanced and complete.

Use ribbon to hang - between large baubles or the wreath tilts 2/2
Start by bundling up some large baubles in 4/5 groups - bundle with wire and attach to the frame (loosely).

Repeat until much of the frame perimeter is covered (work upsidedown on a table so it lays flat)

Then glue the groups together and to the frame. Without glue, it's hopeless 1/2
You need 60-80 baubles of different sizes
It took 2-3h and was deeply frustrating

But I now have tips
Sarah: shall I buy you a metal ring & we can make baubles wreaths
Me: sounds fun

Several hours later, much gnashing of teeth & despair....

We both had something to hang up
Even if we forgot the Christmas cakes that were baking...
Went out to see Ardal O'Hanlon last night

I bought tickets on a "must get out more" buzz last year

What a crack!
We laughed throughout & had a fabulous time. Highly recommended you catch his "Not Himself" tour

Then I dreamt we became buddies & he invited me swimming.
Halloween - it's a great time to honour family traditions and start on the Christmas cake

With a glass of sherry to remember my Dad and Grandma who both liked a glass before their evening meal

The smell is very evocative
Tomorrow I'll be with my twin @sarahfoxspeaker.bsky.social baking & crafting
Me: you've £10 for spending & bus fares
Teen: okay

Teen spends entire £10 on "snacks" he says he didn't like

Me: don't spend anything else or you've no bus fare
Teen: ok

Teen messages Dad asking for lunch money as he's hungry
Gets extra £10, spends on fried chicken
Still has no bus fare 🤦🏻
His sensory needs have become overwhelming, and he couldn't cope (esp with no friends for support)

At one point, he didn't go for 2 weeks

But he seemed to turn it around a bit near the end, but half term might ruin the routine again
/ chewing & sucking helped them regulate faster

Downtime in a quiet secure bedroom with drinks and snacks helped

We vetoed homework too
High school is a massive change for children - constant change of layout, seating, room, subject

It would take my child 3 months to learn to trust her teacher - at high school that became impossible

The post-school unmasking dysregulation is really tough

We found lollipops... 1/2
We've had the hardest half-term ever too - after some right doozies

The move to a new school to avoid bullying has unearthed a whole host of other issues that were masked by that headliner

I need a break