Adaptable Social Work

17/03/2026

. . .

One of the most important lessons we can teach children is that their feelings are always valid, but their behavior still has boundaries.

Emotions are part of being human. Anger, frustration, jealousy, sadness, excitement, disappointment. Children experience all of these feelings long before they have the skills to manage them well. When we tell children their feelings are wrong, dramatic, or unacceptable, they do not stop feeling them. They simply learn to hide them.

But validating feelings does not mean allowing every behavior.

A child can feel angry and still learn that hitting is not okay.
A child can feel frustrated and still learn that yelling at others is not acceptable.
A child can feel disappointed and still learn that throwing things will not solve the problem.

When we separate feelings from behavior, we give children two powerful lessons at the same time. They learn that their inner emotional world is safe to express, and they learn that their actions still matter and have limits.

This balance is where emotional intelligence begins.

Children who grow up understanding both of these truths develop the ability to recognize their emotions, regulate their reactions, and treat others with respect.

Over time, they learn that big feelings are not something to fear. They are something to understand and manage.

And that is a skill that will serve them for the rest of their lives. 💕💕

17/03/2026

💡 When we stop asking “Why are they behaving like that?”
and start asking “What’s happening around them?” - everything changes.

So much behaviour is a reaction to environment, not a deliberate choice or a personal failing. Sensory overload, pressure to perform, lack of safety, unmet needs - they shape our nervous systems long before conscious choice comes into play.

👐 Reframing behaviour in this way builds understanding - and understanding creates space for compassion, support, and real change.

When we change the environment, behaviour often follows.



[ID: Against a blue background, with the Reframing Autism logo at the top and the colourful knotwork in the lower right corner, white text reads, 'Understanding our behaviour as a reaction to our environment, rather than a choice that we consciously make, helps us to reframe our perception of that behaviour'. Beneath the text is an image of a young boy in a classroom who appears distressed, holding his pencil case aloft as the contents fall out in front of his teacher.]

16/03/2026

💜Is your child with a disability an internaliser?
💙Does your family need help?

📩 Reach out to Adaptable Social Work for a free consultation to learn more about how we can support your child.

Call us: 0472 510 133
📧 💌 Email: admin@adaptablesocialwork.com.au

15/03/2026

Watch this until you understand the point of failure.

15/03/2026

There is so much that disabled people are not told about their disability.

Often, this is because every experience of disability is individual. No two people experience it in exactly the same way.

Disability can also be inconsistent. Some days are manageable, while others are much harder. For many people, disability fluctuates or is episodic in nature, meaning symptoms can change or come and go over time.

This reality is rarely talked about enough, and it can leave people feeling confused, isolated, or like they have to explain themselves constantly.

More open conversations about the many ways disability can be experienced help create understanding, validation, and support.

15/03/2026

100% imperfect parenting is an opportunity to show your children that no one is perfect. After all perfection is a myth.

My top advice for parents of fawning, perfectionist kids is this:

Stop hiding your own imperfections.
Don't hide the times that you mess up. Be honest with your kid. Tell them that you got it wrong, didn't meet an expectation.

Be upfront about your mistakes with your kid.
Point them out. If making mistakes feels unbearable for you- tell them. Talk about what your plan is to move forward. Apologise to your kid if your mistake impacted them.

We are helping them build those same skills.
And we are modelling accountability.

Our kids need the vocab. They need the language to wrap around their own experience. They need the permission, the invitation. And the validation is huge when someone else experiences the same things they do.

Seeing your parents as perfect, flawless humans gives our kids an impossible expectation to try and meet. It doesn't open any doors for them, it just creates disconnect.

It's far more useful for them to see how we navigate our own stuff. It gives them a roadmap.

Yes?

Em 🌈

13/03/2026

To frequently the autistic experience of the education system is….

12/03/2026

For disabled people the impact of their disability is not static. Frequently capacity can be situational or fluctuating. It means that what they can do today, and tomorrow may be different to yesterday. Wheelchair use is one example. It can also be variable between environments, with children able to do activities at home but not at school and vice versa.

10/03/2026

expectations that are placed on disabled people that are not placed on able people

10/03/2026

What disability access means to a wheelchair user….