Living in a neurodivergent household
Some households have one neurodivergent person.
Ours? We’ve got a few.
And that changes everything.
It’s not just my sensory overload, it’s theirs too.
It’s not just my big feelings, it’s a house full of them.
There’s noise. Movement. Sensory clashes. Different needs, all at once.
There’s food rejection, clothing rejection, sound rejection.
And no one here is the calm one.
There are days when it feels like everyone’s melting down at the same time.
And I’m supposed to hold it together, even when I’m falling apart too.
Is this autism? Is this trauma? Is this sensory? Is it just being five? Am I making it worse? Am I missing something?
The mental load of trying to parent while simultaneously trying to diagnose, accommodate, and educate yourself is enormous.
And when everyone’s nervous system is on high alert, the odds of snapping, shouting, or shutting down go way up.
So even though I want to be a calm, regulated, gentle parent…
Sometimes I just can’t be.
Not because I don’t care.
But because I’ve hit my limit, too.
There’s so much love in this house.
But there’s also a lot. A lot of volume. A lot of emotion. A lot of repair.
And sometimes I just someone to say:
It’s hard in here. And you’re doing your best.
Voice Notes
Would you like to add a voice note?
Feel free to ramble… we can edit the voice notes and send them back to you for sign off.
They can be anonymous if you feel more comfortable with that.
A good way to voice note is to use a voice memo app.
If you’re feeling uncomfortable, we advise that you just get started recording a memo. You can stop and re-record, but once you start, it becomes more comfortable!
Share the file here.
If you’d like some help getting started, let us know!
Journaling prompts
When I haven’t been the parent I want to be… what was happening in me at the time?
This isn’t about blame. It’s about giving yourself the same curiosity and compassion you’d give your child. Can you speak to yourself like you’re the child?
Is there a moment this week — even a tiny one — where we felt connected as a family?
Not perfect. Not peaceful. Just connected.
What do I need, that I keep pushing to the bottom of the list?
Not what the house needs. Not what your child needs. What you need.
What’s something I handled better than I would have a year ago?
It doesn’t have to be graceful or pretty. Just… less hard. That still counts.
Please share your Journaling insights!
Click below if you had a ‘moment’. We’d love to hear what resonated. This helps shape future voice notes and journals.