I want to take a moment to recognise the people who’ve really shown up in here this month. 💕 Not just posting for points — but contributing, supporting, sharing and helping others feel less alone in it all. So here’s our Top 10: ✨ @Nova Maree-Prophet ✨ @Oddysey Campbell ✨ @Merrie B ✨ @Elena Maren ✨ @Chad Noorman ✨ @Shelly Richards ✨ @Sylv Davies ✨ @Devin Trent ✨ @Tim Tindle ✨ @Jason Dobbie A special shout out to the winners of our competitions this past month @Nova Maree-Prophet and @Merrie B !! I hope you have had a chance to use and enjoy the resources! This space works because of people like all of you. The comments, the encouragement, the honesty — it all adds up. And to everyone else here… even if you’ve been quieter, reading, taking things in, trying things at home — that matters too. If you’ve taken something from this space this month, this is your little nudge to give something back. A comment, a thought, a “same here”… it all counts. That’s how this grows 🌱

I’m going to start doing this every Monday… A space to pause for a second and look back before the week runs away with us. This week’s question: What happened last week that actually helped calm the chaos… even a little? It could be something small Something you almost didn’t notice Or something you want to try again this week Share it on the main feed #Manic Monday You might remind someone else of something they needed or could do/try!! 💕

I don’t know about you… but after the Easter challenge… I’m wondering… are we ready for another one? 😅🌿 But I don’t want to guess what you need — so I’m putting this to you… What would actually feel helpful right now? 👇 Vote below: 🌿 Calm Parent, Calm Home (simple ways to regulate yourself first — because everything starts there) 🧠 What’s Underneath? (understanding behaviour — patterns, triggers, capacity) 🎒 Real-Life Regulation Toolkit (go-to strategies for those everyday moments that catch you off guard) 💛 Connection First (rebuilding connection without dropping boundaries) 🌳 Rooted in Real Life (little daily shifts in the messy, in-between moments) 😅 I Need a Breather First No pressure either way — I just want this to actually support you, not add more to your plate. So… are we in? 👀

And it was one of the most beautiful things I've watched her do. She was sad. She found the box. She climbed in with her blanket. Over the course of thirty minutes she self regulated - began playing with the box for a while and came out — calm, playing, herself again. No prompting from me. No reward. No strategy. Just her, doing exactly what her nervous system needed. Here's what I've learned about small, enclosed spaces for kids like mine: They reduce input — less visual noise, less to process Create clear edges — the world feels held instead of huge Restore control — she chose to go there, she controls who comes near They let her feel without having to explain or perform For PDA profiles especially, that self-chosen retreat is everything. It's regulation without demand. It's safe without being prescribed. The fact she moved from sadness → playing for half an hour? That's not withdrawal. That's processing. That cardboard box is basically doing the job of a £200 sensory pod. If your child does something similar, here's what seems to help: Keep it theirs — no entering, no commenting too much Add soft things they already love (blanket, dim light, cushion) Make it available, not prescribed — not "go there when you're upset" Let them leave on their own terms, always She chose it. She stayed regulated. She came out on her own. That's the whole win. Does your child have a go-to space like this? I'd love to hear what it looks like for you. 🌿

Trait: Gets locked into a disagreement and cannot find the exit. What it can look like: Going in circles long after the original point is lost Needing the last word even when they know it's over Escalating instead of de-escalating when given an out Feeling genuinely unable to let it drop This isn't winning for the sake of winning. The nervous system is still activated — and until it comes down, the argument feels unresolved at a biological level, not just a logical one. Gentle guidance: Don't try to end it with logic — regulation comes before reason Give them a face-saving exit rather than a corner Drop your own voice and pace right down Sometimes a pause and a change of scene is the only off-ramp You can't talk someone out of a feeling they're still inside. 🌿