The Book I Wrote to Explain Autism to My Child (Before He Even Asked)
I always knew the day would come. One day, my son was going to look up at me and ask the big one:
“Mummy… what’s autism?”
And honestly? I didn’t want to be caught fumbling for words. I didn’t want to make it a heavy, sit-down, serious “talk” that made him feel different. I wanted it to feel normal, everyday, no-big-deal.
So I did something a little sneaky… I wrote a book.
Why I Wrote It
I knew I’d need a way to explain autism in a way kids actually get. Not a medical definition, not a lecture — but something joyful, simple, and familiar.
A story they could see themselves in.
A book they could giggle through.
A tool that worked for me, and maybe for other mums like me too.
That’s how Flap, Spin, Zoom! My Brilliant, Bouncy Autistic Brain was born.
The Quiet Plan 📖
Instead of waiting for The Big Conversation, I left the book lying around the house. On the sofa, in his room, wherever he might pick it up.
Because sometimes kids learn best when you don’t make a big deal of it. I wanted autism to be just another book on the shelf, just another story he could enjoy — not something whispered about behind closed doors.
And for a while, that’s exactly what it was.
Then Came The Question
One day, mid-chaos (because when else?), my son asked me:
“Mummy, what’s autism?”
And instead of my brain freezing, I could smile and say, “Well… it’s kind of like in your book. Want to read it with me?”
Suddenly, it wasn’t an interrogation. It wasn’t a heavy talk. It was a cuddle-on-the-sofa moment, with pictures, rhymes, and silly characters doing all the explaining for me.
What Happened Next
He saw kids like him — flapping, spinning, loving routines, getting overwhelmed sometimes — and instead of feeling “different,” he felt seen.
That’s the power of a story. It normalises what our words sometimes complicate.
Why I’m Sharing This
I didn’t just write this book for me. I wrote it for other mums, dads, carers, and teachers who know the question is coming — and want to be ready.
So if you’re sitting there thinking, “Yep, it’s only a matter of time before my child asks me too…” — you don’t have to wing it. You can let a story do the hard part.
👉 Grab Flap, Spin, Zoom! My Brilliant, Bouncy Autistic Brain here:
Leave it on the coffee table, on the shelf, or right next to the biscuits (guaranteed they’ll find it there). And when the big question finally comes… you’ll be ready too ❤️
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