Twelve little picture cards are placed sequentially down the wall. Each one in the green coloured section showing that they are still to happen. I remember the process we went through to get to the full list of the day’s events. Initially I had placed them all on the wall and somehow expected Rhys to acknowledge the process – I was obviously delusional, or maybe just had a lot still to learn! Three years ago

“Rhys wash hair” I state, holding the little toy watering can where he can see it. I use simple words to explain what I am about to do, so he wont be taken by surprise.“Ready, steady, go” I announce, and being careful to not get any water in his eyes, I lift the watering can up to his head, and start to count. With every canful of water I count down, making Rhys aware of

It was early January and Rhys was due to start school after the summer. At the age of three and a half we had overcome so many challenges, but hundreds more lay ahead. I wanted to keep smashing down the barriers and not let his autism be a blocker to his achievements. Things were harder. Goals took longer to achieve. Additional support was needed. But together we could work out a way to succeed.  I

I sat on the cold, hard floor, my phone in my hand displaying a picture of a writing book followed by a piece of chocolate. “Rhys, First writing then chocolate” I stated, pointing to each picture in turn. It was the tenth time I had muttered the phrase but each time I had remained calm and consistent, while Rhys remained stubborn and resilient. There was a goal in mind, and it was even more important

I sat on the floor of the speech therapists office. She sat opposite and looked at me. “It’s ok” she said. It was Rhys’ speech and language session. The third in a block of four which we had waited six months for, but Rhys was not there. He had not been in any of the sessions, leaving me to sit alone, stressed and trying to think of a way to get him to come into