Autism parenting notes
Short, honest reflections on hard moments and the tiny changes that help. Written by Nicola Ahern, author of the Big Feelings Are OK series.
Practical answers for parents of autistic, ADHD and highly sensitive children: what to do when an autistic child has a meltdown, how to help with sensory overload, and how to get through screen time, bath time and bedtime.
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How to help a child regulate big emotions
The complete guide for children aged 3 to 7: co-regulation, calming strategies, visual tools and what to do in the middle of it.
15 August 2026
What to Do When an Autistic Child Has a Meltdown
A meltdown is not a choice and it is not bad behaviour. It is a nervous system that has run out of room. Here are straight answers to the questions parents actually type at 7pm, plus the tools that make the next one smaller.
Read the post →10 August 2026
How to Help a Child Regulate Big Emotions
Your child goes from fine to floored in seconds, and nothing you say lands. Emotional regulation is a skill that takes years to build, and you can help it along with co-regulation, routines, visual supports and stories. Here is what that looks like day to day.
Read the post →5 August 2026
What Are the Signs of Poor Emotional Regulation in Children?
If your child melts down often, struggles to stop and start things, or takes a long time to recover from a disappointment, you are probably looking at emotional regulation rather than behaviour. Here is what the signs actually mean.
Read the post →1 August 2026
How to Help a 3-Year-Old Regulate Big Emotions
At three, the feeling arrives long before the words do. You are the regulation for now. Here is what actually helps, and what to stop expecting of a three-year-old.
Read the post →28 July 2026
How to Help a 5-Year-Old Regulate Big Emotions
Five is the age where children can start to name a feeling, then lose the words entirely when it gets big. Here is how to build the vocabulary and the plan while everything is calm.
Read the post →24 July 2026
Calming Strategies for Children Who Feel Overwhelmed
When a child is overwhelmed, teaching stops working. This is what to do in the moment, in order, and what to leave until later.
Read the post →22 July 2026
Why Leaving the Park Turns Into a Meltdown (And the Five Minute Game That Fixes It)
You said 'five more minutes' three times. Your child heard none of them. The park meltdown isn't naughtiness - it's a small brain being asked to stop mid-sprint. Here's what actually helps.
Read the post →20 July 2026
Emotional Regulation Activities for Kids Aged 3 to 7
Skills learned in calm are the only ones available in a storm. These are the small, repeatable activities that build emotional regulation without feeling like a lesson.
Read the post →10 July 2026
How to help your child name feelings (without turning it into a lesson)
A named feeling is a feeling a small brain can hold. Here's how to build that vocabulary in normal life - without ever turning it into a lesson.
Read the post →2 July 2026
How to end screen time without a meltdown
The meltdown isn't proof you gave them too much screen. It's proof the ending was hard. Here's how to make the ending gentler.
Read the post →24 June 2026
Setting up a calm down corner that actually gets used
A calm down corner isn't a punishment spot. It's a soft landing your child chooses to use - and that only works if you introduce it before the first meltdown.
Read the post →14 June 2026
How to use a visual timetable at home (a gentle guide for tricky transitions)
A visual timetable turns invisible time into something a child can see. Here's how to build one without laminating your life away - and how to use it in the moments that usually go sideways.
Read the post →5 June 2026
When mistakes feel enormous: perfectionism in young children
A crumpled drawing, a wrong answer, a missed step - and everything falls apart. Perfectionism in young children is a strength that hasn't learned to be kind to itself yet.
Read the post →28 May 2026
Using a feelings chart with young children (what actually works)
Feelings charts only work when they're used gently and often - not as a quiz during a meltdown. Here's how to make one part of everyday life.
Read the post →25 May 2026
Toddler tantrums: a gentle, honest guide (from the author of Big Feelings Are OK)
Tantrums aren't a discipline problem. They're a developing brain running out of room. Here's what helps - without shouting, shaming or giving in.
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