Wendy McCallum The Anti-stress Angel

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Wendy McCallum The Anti-stress Angel

I mentor Mums of autistic kids so they and their families thrive not just survive. If you would like to know more, please get in touch.

I support Adults of Neurodivergent (ND) Children to prioritise their self-care so that they can give support from a plentiful, not resentful place, advocate for their children to get the support they need, want and deserve from educational/leisure settings and to have more harmonious relationships with family, friends, supporters and providers. As a solo parent of two growing boys, who are Neurodivergent (ND), this is my life’s work. I know how lonely and hard it can be navigating diagnosis and support for our ND children I know how easy it is to put our children’s needs first leading to us feeling worn out and resentful. I know how tricky it can be to manage relationships with family, friends and professionals who just don’t get it. I know the importance of putting in place all the elements that help me to flourish and I love supporting others to feel the same.

22/12/2025

The change in routine over the Christmas period can be stressful for everyone, but especially for autistic children.

Signpost what is going to happen and when, to help ease their anxiousness. How you do this will depend on the age of the child.

For young children, a visual "timetable" with pictures will be helpful, and perhaps just focus on what is happening next verbally.

For older children and teenagers, you know what they can handle, so adjust your approach accordingly. Some will want it written down, some will want a verbal run-through, and some just want to know what the next thing is.

18/12/2025

Here in Sussex, it's a dreich day, so I'm sharing this impromptu joke by Connor to brighten your day!

Please share your best/worst Christmas jokes to brighten our days!

PS If you wonder why he has 4 chocolates today, it's because he hadn't opened his advent calendar for ages and came close to losing the chocolate to his Mum 😂

16/12/2025

It's been a bit frenzied of late. The boys have had extra performances and my choir has too, so I'm feeling a bit tired. For relaxation and self-care today, my lovely friend and beautician/massage therapist extraordinaire Tiffany Sizen gave me a wonderful pedicure with this super sparkly green nail polish. It's the perfect blue-green colour with just the right amount of sparkle.

What do you think of the colour? What are you managing for self-care today?

10/12/2025

This time of year can be really challenging. I can see you running yourself ragged.

Please STOP! Take some square breaths, pour yourself a drink, sit down and drink it. Now you've taken a few moments for yourself, what's the next most important thing on your list?

You are the most important. If you don't take care of yourself, the rest won't happen, so as difficult as it may be, please look after yourself and be as kind to yourself as you would to a child or a friend.

08/12/2025

The last week or so has been a bit busy, and I have done a very poor job at sharing my offer🤦‍♀️ To make up for that, I'm extending the deadline for booking to midnight on Friday 12th December.

To celebrate my Business Birthday (24 years!!!), I’m offering a discounted fee on my One Quick Question 15-minute coaching Zoom call.

This offer is for you if any of the following apply:
• You have an autistic child (diagnosed or not) and want some guidance with one specific area of your lives
• You’re thinking of working with me in a group or one-to-one, and want to experience how I work
• You’ve got a specific issue that you want to get out of your head and get clarity and guidance on (this does not need to be autism-related and you don’t need to be the parent of an autistic child)

It’s normally £50, but for calls booked on or before 12th December and taken on or before 24th January, this is discounted to £24!

Please use this link to book and pay for your call:
https://wendymccallumcalendar.as.me/schedule/41484781/appointment/86185677/calendar/4739669?appointmentTypeIds[]=86185677

04/12/2025

I'll be honest and say I don't love winter. I love the dry, crisp, sunny days, but the grey, dreich, rainy days less so! One of the things that helps me is having a collection of woolly hats to choose from! This is a selection that allows me to choose depending on my outfit and mood, and whether I want sparkles or not (I have more, but 6 is enough for this post 😉).

What helps you in the winter?

Please share photos of your favourite hats if you'd like to, I'd love to see them 💞

01/12/2025

Now that you've chosen the "right" present for the autistic child in your life, the next question is "To wrap or not to wrap?"

We're bombarded on TV with pictures of beautifully wrapped presents glistening under the Christmas tree, enticing us to open them. The reality is probably quite different. Unless you're like my wonderful friend Emma Turner, who is the best present wrapper I know, your gifts may look a bit bedraggled, especially if the kids and/or pets have already had a go at opening them 😂 so please don't feel pressured to wrap presents beautifully.

If you're buying for an autistic child, find out whether or not they may be more comfortable if their present isn't wrapped. They may not like surprises and want to see the gift, or they may have a sensory issue with certain types of wrapping paper and/or sellotape and/or ribbons. Please ask what works best for them and help make Christmas as easy as possible this year. Thank you 🙏💕

28/11/2025

To celebrate my Business Birthday (24 years!!!) and Black Friday, I’m offering a discounted fee on my One Quick Question 15-minute coaching Zoom call.

This offer is for you if any of the following apply:
• You have an autistic child (diagnosed or not) and want some guidance with one specific area of your lives
• You’re thinking of working with me in a group or one-to-one, and want to experience how I work
• You’ve got a specific issue that you want to get out of your head and get clarity and guidance on (this does not need to be autism-related and you don’t need to be the parent of an autistic child)
•
It’s normally £50, but for calls booked on or before 7th December and taken on or before 24th January, this is discounted to £24!

Please use the link in the comments to book and pay for your call.

26/11/2025

One of my lovely clients described me as her walking stick, someone for her to lean on! She was concerned I might not like being described as a walking stick, but the sentiment and intention are absolutely lovely, so I was thrilled ❤

What's the oddest compliment you've been given? How did you feel? Please tell me, I'd love to know ###

PS photo is because it's really cute ❤

25/11/2025

Over the last couple of weeks, I could feel a sense of overwhelm looming - yuck! I'm really aware that the next few weeks will be busy with lovely things - Connor is in a play at college, Mitch is playing guitar in the school Christmas Concert, I've got lots of lovely choir events and a salsa party coming up - yay!

However, my house was beginning to feel a bit chaotic and disorganised, and I'm planning on getting the Christmas decorations out this weekend, so action was needed!

I didn't have any client-facing work yesterday or today, so I rescheduled my other plans and set to work. It's been a bit of a slog, but very rewarding, and my brain feels clearer.

Rather than descending into the overwhelm that comes at this time of year, what's one thing that you could do that would help? Please share your ideas to inspire me and others. Thank you.

20/11/2025

Today, a fellow Mum of autistic kids told me that my posts give her hope for the future, and it gave me such a warm feeling, it was really lovely 💞 Her children are younger than mine, and the future often feels uncertain so knowing that Connor and Mitch are doing well helps her to know that there is hope that her children will thrive too.

I know that many of my clients value the hope I give them in our sessions, but it's great to know that my posts are hitting the spot too. Please always feel free to share encouraging stories that you'd like me to share with others. I can do that anonymously and give even more people hope. There's a lot of fear out there, let's spread more love and hope 💞🙏

19/11/2025

Christmas (and the lead up to Christmas) can be lots of fun and/or very stressful with an autistic child.

How can I help you get ready? What questions do you have? What hints or tips would be helpful?

Please ask as many questions as you like, and also, please share any tips that may be useful to others. Thank you!

Address

Street Lane
Ardingly
RH176UB

Website

http://www.wendymccallum.co.uk/

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