We decided to home educate back when the lockdowns first hit; when the school's closed and Alba finally breathed. About a year prior to that time she was a mess. Physically and mentally exhausted. Masking daily at school, extreme over load and meltdowns and self harm once home.

I researched the heck out of home ed and from the summer of 2020 we didn't look back.

We spent the first few months doing this, just spending hours in the woods and long walks, getting lost in a good book or in her imagination in her playroom. We napped. We chatted. We drew.

We spent a long time going backwards, unwinding her, finding her and rebuilding her.

We encouraged her, listened to her and followed her lead.

We showed her and helped her develop skills and tools like 5 step,like building a tool kit of sensory equipment,like CBT skills. We helped her with breathing and regulation.

We focused on mental health and life skills. On adventures and laughing.

On creating a childhood that wasn't based purely on managing her mental health and functioning one day to the next.

But one that was magical.
One where she can can be herself fully,express herself in all her ways. To spin in circles,flap and dance,to scream and shout and stim to her happiest place.
One where she's proud of herself and see's herself. And is confident in her own being that she wears what works for her and dances and fly's in the wind.

This is home education for us.