A story of supporting a child with signs of PDA through natural, flexible learning, and a free retrospective journal to empower your family on your journey.

isolating. Simple tasks like brushing teeth or showering became stressful, requiring us to follow his lead rather than impose expectations. In the quiet of our home, we longed for validation, for someone to recognise the love and effort we poured into every moment. 

School was an on-and-off experience, filled with both hope and trepidation. He would return for short periods, masking his struggles until burnout inevitably set in, leading to another cycle of meltdowns and refusal. But then—a pastoral support staff member at his high school finally listened. She didn’t judge or offer unsolicited advice; she simply understood. Through her support, we embraced a new learning approach: retrospective learning. By documenting his interests and discoveries, we created a space where he could learn naturally, free from pressure and anxiety. 

As we stepped away from traditional schooling and he began at home again, his creativity and curiosity flourished. He problem-solved Wi-Fi issues, enjoyed cooking, and explored geography through a simple screensaver. His love for darts developed maths skills, analysing scores and weighing darts to optimise performance. A passion for football fostered friendships, while his goal of climbing Snowdon instilled motivation. His curiosity extended to real-world scenarios—calculating Jeff Bezos’s net worth in terms of McChicken meals, budgeting ingredients for recipes, and even researching ways to improve our internet speed. 

 

By directing his learning through a flight simulator, he has integrated an additional monitor onto his computer, allowing him to have a full view of controls and the surrounding environment, which enhances his immersion. He practices different flights by looking at the world map, carefully considering altitude, and skilfully taking off and landing planes. This immersive experience has sparked a keen interest in the flight radar app, where he checks real-time plane movements, often hearing the planes as he tracks them. We realised learning wasn’t confined to a classroom; it thrived in his passions, in our home, and in a nurturing environment where he could truly be himself. 

 

Reflecting on our journey, I want to help reduce stress for families facing similar challenges. Learning happens in everyday moments, not just within school structures. Prioritising mental health is crucial—how can a child truly learn when overwhelmed by anxiety? With this in mind, I have created a resource pack to support families in harnessing natural learning opportunities. It will provide practical strategies, experiential learning ideas, and a mental well-being space to foster a holistic, joyful educational experience. Together, we can experience a flexible approach to learning—one that nurtures curiosity, happiness, and growth in every child. 

 

This Retrospective Learning Journal designed to support model-free learning in children, especially those with unique needs like my son. This free downloadable pack features prompts and spaces for observations on daily activities, sensory preferences, interests, spontaneous skills, emotional well-being, and progress over time. While I’ve invested many hours of research, effort, and love into this resource, I want to share it freely to help other families; if you find it valuable and wish to support my ongoing work, I invite you to support me with a cuppa. Your support helps me continue creating supportive, heartfelt resources for families navigating similar journeys. 

 

It features QR codes linking to helpful resources, mental health support, and disability service QR codes, making it easy to access additional guidance. The guide can be printed as many times as needed, written on, or customised by gluing in photos, allowing you to tailor it uniquely to your child's interests and personality, creating a personalised and meaningful tool for supporting their child's growth and well-being.