Meet the Fernandos-A family with many challenges.

We’ve had a fair few new followers over the last few weeks, thank you so much everyone that is following our page. I thought it may be nice to introduce our family to you and tell you a little about ourselves and why I started this blog.

I’m a mum and a psychotherapist by trade and have two children and two borrowed children (step) our children just all look at themselves as siblings though, we don’t have step, half, full they’re just all brothers and sisters and we are so blessed that they all get on so well.

From left to right in the picture is our little boy Roo (Rudy), Mummy (Natalie), between my legs Bebe the escape artist that is our dog, Layla and then the glue that holds us together my husband Nigel, Eva and Eden.

My son Rudy was diagnosed with ASD (Autism spectrum disorder) GDD (global development delay, SPD (Sensory processing disorder) along with learning difficulties and challenging behaviour.

Rudy was diagnosed early at 2 year and 10 months, he was presenting with difficulties from an young age hence the early diagnosis.

When Rudy was diagnosed I’ll admit I was largely unaware of autism and what it was, I had a stereotypical view like so many others of what it looked like and struggled to see this in my son, little did I know that autism is a bit of a minefield of wonderfully fabulously different, unique and diverse ways.

I kept saying Rudy can’t be autistic as he looks at me, he can’t be autistic as he is loving, he can’t be autistic as he is sociable, I was so naïve and really think my naivety has led me to a place where I am passionate about raising awareness.

When I learnt a little more I struggled with accepting the diagnosis, I felt lost, angry, guilty, sad, alone and although supported by my family I couldn’t feel it at the time. I couldn’t believe this was happening and that my son was going to have what I viewed at the time a challenging life.

My daughter is also autistic, she was diagnosed just a year ago at 13, she told me the day she got her diagnosis was the day she felt a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, she is the proudest autistic person I think I have ever met. She is full of fun, quirky, intelligent, sassy with a stinking teenage attitude, all this wrapped up in a beautiful package that is our Eden.

As a way of processing my thoughts around Rudy’s diagnosis and how this would change our lives I started to write them down and found this really helped me, a few friends read them and suggested I shared them and this is how my page came about.

I want my page to be a place where we can connect with other people with SEN in their lives, you are not alone.  Also a place to raise awareness of those without SEN, to be able to understand our wonderfully diverse children and the parenting skills we have to undertake which are often so different to the norm, the norm that society expects.

My page is honest, I will share the good, the bad and the ugly. I will shout about my son’s achievements no matter how small, the tiny steps leading to massive leaps in his progress, I will share (with her permission) my daughters challenges that are missed by so many. I will write about the impact special needs has had on me as a parent, the good days and the tougher days, the strategies and tools I have learnt, the judgement and kindness we experience. I believe it’s so important to be authentic, it is the only way I know how to write.

I am passionate about raising awareness around neurodiversity, to watch my son and daughters live in an inclusive world where they can express themselves freely without judgement is something I dream of.

Please continue to share my posts, follow our journey and invite friends to follow us too.

Together we will get the word out there, so more people have the opportunity to understand our awesome superheroes.