Oh take a look at The National Autistic Society as they have had a bit of a makeover with a new logo, a new vision and mission. 

Their vision now is: a society that works for autistic people and their mission is:
To transform lives by being a trusted source of support and practical advice for autistic people and their families at key stages in life.
To change attitudes by working with businesses, policy makers, autism professionals and the public to reduce isolation and open up opportunities in society as a whole.

The values remain the same: we learn from experience, tell it like it is and are courageous.

Not bad eh? Nice positive statements there for the future of the NAS and what it will mean for people on the autistic spectrum. The logo is nice, fresh and very modern with it's bright colours. It represents the spectrum, with the flow of colours running through it and takes the form of an 'a' for autism. 

I like it and think it needed a bit of a update after a good many years. I didn't actually have a problem with the old logo, it was believed to be seen as patronising but I never saw it that way. I can't see an 'a' so much in the new logo but I suppose it's subtly there.

The word 'autistic' seems to be more commonly used now which will take me a bit of time to get used to. Personally I've never liked the word 'autistic' but I must be in the minority, not sure what it is but I would always shy away from using it. I tended to move towards saying 'people with autism' or 'living with autism' but they are phrases we are now encouraged not to use now so I'm obviously going to have to change my ways. 

It's a good move though and it's nice to see a charity which was founded 56 years ago moving with the ever changing times and I think with new visions it encourages us all to make this world a better place for autistic people and their families. 

I hope you like the changes too, let me know what you think.

Thank you so much for reading today. Please join me again tomorrow for Pass the Remote but for now.......

Take care.

How was it?......Going back to school?
were you calm and did you stay cool?
Probably not, it can be a stressful affair
a little bit more with Autism in the air

Some just can't wait to get back
as with holidays, routine and structure they lack
Some Auties love a timetable they do
it tells them where to be, have lunch and even when to pop to the loo

If you are pulling your hair out then please don't fret
there is always someone to talk to, your situation they will get
Yes there are others struggling in this Autism world 
possible harsh words have been said, items thrown and even hurled

Whether you cope very well or find it hard
there are no points to hold up on a card
For whatever you are doing you are doing it well
even if it seems you're on a rollercoaster from hell

Go along to a support group and talk to others
there's a mixture of professionals, fathers and mothers
It may just help to make everything clear
look towards positivity and not to live in fear

✔️✔️✔️

All the best everyone for a good term 
and thank you for reading today.

Join me again tomorrow for
Pass the Remote
but for now

Take care

xxx

I always think that it's so important to promote a small business now and again. People work hard all over the place trying to earn some extra money or make little enterprises work and I like that. 

So my friend has started a little business while she has been on maternity leave making little crafty jewellery and gifts. These items caught my eye as they are necklaces and small fiddle toys which are chewable. Originally aimed for teething but I put the idea in Jenny's head that these would be great for anyone who has sensory issues alongside Autism. The small fiddle toys can be attached to a bag or mounted onto a keyring. What a great idea and just that nice handy size to keep literally in your hand as a calming mechanism or to bite on as well.

The necklaces can be worn discreetly and chewed on too and this is great if you are conscious of carrying a toy or afraid of losing it somewhere. They are created in super nice colours and I think they look really cool. The necklaces are priced at £12 and the smaller fiddle toys are £8.

Jenny has other lovely gift ideas perfect for any occasion, maybe a birthday or dare I say Christmas is looming? Argh I mentioned it didn't I? Best to be prepared though I feel. I'm sure if you have someone with sensory processing issues, you could share some ideas of something that may work for you or your young person with Jenny, she is absolutely lovely, so friendly and I'm sure she would be happy to help. 

There is a Facebook page for Mama & Munchkin here at:
www.facebook.com/Mama-Munchkin-898273937038789/

So take a look and as I say if there is anything you are looking for to help with sensory needs then message Jenny on the page. Let's support the small business's!

Thank you so much for reading today....please join me again tomorrow for some telly talk with my Pass the Remote item but for now take care.

It was great to hold our first support group meeting again after the summer holidays. I am with the National Autistic Society Derby and District Branch and we hold various meetings every month but we do tend to have a bit of a break over the holidays mainly because some of our meetings are held at local schools but also that people go away on their holidays and have other commitments too.

We had a lovely get together and I probably find myself repeating myself a lot when I say how great these meetings are. I'm not going to apologise though as I think it's important to tell everyone how useful these meetings can be. 

We shared a lot of our personal stories and our current situations and then were able to try and find solutions or at least be able to sign post people to other organisations that would offer further support. There was a lot of talk about diagnosis and how people are still having to wait. In desperation this is leading people to contemplate going private with their referrals or travelling miles to get their selves or their children seen.

This was so frustrating to see and I know the government are wanting to change this but it needs to be sorted quickly as I don't think it is acceptable to wait two years to be seen. There are also some schools who need to receive more training or support especially the smaller sized schools. There are many that are fantastic and are totally on the ball with seeking referrals but I suppose funding for a lot of educational placements is an issue. 

We laughed.....shared our frustrations but also good news too and I hope people went away feeling that there were some answers and hope at least. I always worry whether our meetings lack a certain something if we haven't brought in a speaker but it's nice to have a change. I think you can still gather as much information from other people in a similar situation as well as you can from a professional. 

So thank you to those people for a lovely meeting, please do get in touch with your local support group and don't feel at all nervous. We are all there to support each other and help, you wouldn't believe just by talking how much stress and anxiety you can release.....it does really help.

To find your local NAS Branch or support group then search on the Autism Services Directory which is located on the main NAS website here;
www.autism.org.uk/directory.aspx

Thank you for reading today and please join me again tomorrow for some telly talk on Pass the Remote Sunday but for now take care.

This poem was written as a post originally in my Verse for Thursday feature back in March. It was written for Autism Awareness Week but I think it would be a nice time to share it again here after all raising awareness isn't just for one week, it is something we should do every day......

What does Autism mean to you?
Are you aware or is it all quite new?
It can seem really complicated
and making some people feel isolated

But do not fear
as there is help quite near
Groups where you can drink and have a chat
and pick up the odd interesting fact

As a community it's good to look out for each other
especially if you're on the spectrum, a relative, friend, father or mother
The professionals, they need someone to lean on too
It's almost like one big Autism stew

Yes, a hot pot of boiling stress
sometimes causing a bit of a mess
But the more people we make aware
then the problems we may share

So please pass on the word about Autism this week
and feel free to go out there and speak
Don't be afraid to ask how and why
Shrug off that curiosity, please don't be shy

❋❋❋

Thank you for reading.

​Please join me again tomorrow for Free From Friday.

For now though....

Take care
​xxx