Neurodiversity Toolbox

Neurodiversity Toolbox Neuroaffirming resources that actually work - created for therapists, teachers, carers, and parents who support neurodivergent humans.

Because supporting neurodivergent minds should be easier, not harder.

Airport days are their own kind of hard.Tight timelines you didn’t set, hundreds of humans all moving through the same s...
09/04/2026

Airport days are their own kind of hard.
Tight timelines you didn’t set, hundreds of humans all moving through the same space, heavy bags, the mental load of knowing exactly which pocket needs to hold what and when, checking out of accommodation… the list goes on.
Today we added hungry to that list. We had to leave by 9am. The kids didn’t wake until 8 and 8:30, the teenager after approximately eight attempts. And then he took so long to get ready that we left in a rush with not enough food in anyone’s body.
Sensory + tired + hungry + airport. You can imagine.
But then Air New Zealand quietly made our day. We asked to board first, no explanation needed, no questions asked, and we were on, seated and settled before anyone else had even joined the queue. I watched another family request the same thing but after everyone was seated and get the same response. Everyone boarded, calm, ready.
That one accommodation changed the whole energy of the flight.
We’re now in the air heading to the North Island. There’s a three hour drive from the airport to our accommodation tonight (some last minute itinerary changes after my parents could no longer come mean the route isn’t perfect). But at the end of that drive is hopefully a beautiful room, a good night’s sleep, and the North Island waiting for us tomorrow.
Onwards. 🌿

Day 8. Or 9. Honestly I’ve lost count, which surely is a good thing. The sun came out today. After a few days of the lan...
08/04/2026

Day 8. Or 9. Honestly I’ve lost count, which surely is a good thing.
The sun came out today. After a few days of the land of the long white cloud fully living up to its name, there it was.
We had a slow morning, my daughter and I watched a movie and a science show while the teenager did what teenagers do and slept until a completely unreasonable hour. I took my vitamins for the first time since we left home.
To be fair, my daughter had specifically requested the slow morning. In her words: after being “dragged to a whole lot of places I didn’t ask to go and being in the car too much.”
500+ km over two days, to be exact. She’s not wrong.
That’s it.
No big walk. No adventure. Just sunshine, a quiet morning, some vitamin D that didn’t come from a bottle, and a kid who wanted to watch TV with me instead of anywhere else.
Some days the reset is loud. Some days it looks like this, even on holiday

Day 6 in New Zealand.Honest nervous system reset check in: I haven’t nailed the morning sunshine thing. Not even close m...
05/04/2026

Day 6 in New Zealand.
Honest nervous system reset check in: I haven’t nailed the morning sunshine thing. Not even close most days. The intentional deep breaths outside? Patchy at best.
But here’s what has happened.
I’ve eaten three meals a day. At actual meal times. Every single day. If you know me, you know that’s not nothing.
Last night I slept. Really slept. And this morning I noticed my nervous system felt... different. Not fixed. Not transformed. Just a little less like it was holding its breath.
That’s what reset looks like when you’ve been running on empty for a long time. Not the plan you made. Just the quiet things that snuck in anyway and started doing their work.
One real meal. One full night. One breath of cold air you actually stopped to feel.
It counts. It all counts.

I keep popping back here and disappearing again. Trying to intentionally restart and then something else inevitably come...
31/03/2026

I keep popping back here and disappearing again. Trying to intentionally restart and then something else inevitably comes up.

Today I’m writing this from New Zealand and there’s both happiness and heartbreak in that. This trip was supposed to be something special. A repeat of a journey I did as a kid. I planned this trip with my parents after Mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, for them and I (and this time with my own kids in tow). A walk down memory lane and a gift for all of us, across three generations.

Then both of my parents ended up in aged care unexpectedly, with much less capacity than any of us anticipated. And the trip became something else entirely.

After a lot of reflection, I’m taking the trip anyway. With my two AuDHD kids. As a solo parent who has been running on empty for longer than I want to admit. This isn’t a flex. And this trip is not an escape. If you’ve travelled with neurodivergent kids, you know it’s not exactly a relaxing holiday. You’re still on. Still holding everyone’s needs, all. the. time. Still the person reading the environment, managing transitions, anticipating what’s coming next.

Instead this trip is intentional. I’m using it as an attempt to come home with a different nervous system baseline. More sleep. Less depletion. A higher tolerance for the unexpected, because without fail, the unexpected will show up.

I know what intentional parenting looks like. I was that parent once. And I know what it looks like when you can’t get there either, not because you don’t care, but because you’re beyond exhausted. So it’s time to change that.

I’ve never been to these places as the adult before. Never been the driver, the organiser, the one holding the map. So buckle up, this series is going to be about travelling with neurodivergent kids, intentionally resetting nervous systems, why things get so out of whack, and whatever else surfaces along the way. If any of this sounds familiar, feel free to follow along.

Not all affirming resources are affirming in every context.If choosing the right resource feels heavy, that’s often beca...
05/02/2026

Not all affirming resources are affirming in every context.

If choosing the right resource feels heavy, that’s often because the impact matters, not because you’re doing this wrong.

Many neurodivergent people, parents, educators, and therapists are trying to move carefully. To avoid harm. To respect lived experience. To do this meaningfully and purposefully.

When information conflicts, confusion isn’t a failure. It’s often a sign of care.

You’re allowed to take what fits, leave what doesn’t, and change your mind as you learn more. Choosing well takes energy, and that matters too.

Save if this is supportive (leave it if it’s not)

Not all affirming resources are affirming in every context.If choosing the right resource feels heavy, that’s often beca...
05/02/2026

Not all affirming resources are affirming in every context.

If choosing the right resource feels heavy, that’s often because the impact matters, not because you’re doing this wrong.

Many neurodivergent people, parents, educators, and therapists are trying to move carefully. To avoid harm. To respect lived experience. To do this meaningfully and purposefully.

When information conflicts, confusion isn’t a failure. It’s often a sign of care.

You’re allowed to take what fits, leave what doesn’t, and change your mind as you learn more. Choosing well takes energy, and that matters too.

Save if you know someone who might find comfort in this.

18/11/2025

Unpopular opinion: neurodivergent kids don’t need more parent‑imposed consequences to prove you’re “not going easy” on them or that they’re being treated like everyone else.
When a child’s nervous system is overwhelmed, the part of the brain that learns from consequences goes offline.
So adding more consequences in that state doesn’t build skills – it builds shame, anxiety, and burnout.
You CAN hold boundaries and honour disability at the same time.

Come back tomorrow for a deep dive carousel on this topic.







Address

Mornington, VIC

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Neurodiversity Toolbox posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Neurodiversity Toolbox:

Shortcuts

Share

Category