Annie in wonderland

 A friendly, practical guide for carers, families, and support workers packing lunch for adults attending day centres or community access programs. Let’s face it — packing lunch for someone else can feel like prepping for an exam with invisible rules. Every centre has its own vibe, policies, and characters (yes, we all know a "Tuna Sandwich Offender"). Then there’s the mystery banana that comes home every day untouched (looking slightly more tragic each time), or the juice box that leaks through a bag like a sticky betrayal. This guide is here to take the guesswork out of it — and maybe get a giggle along the way. Whether you’re team “cook in advance” or more of a “sandwich club on standby” kind of person, we’ve got you. From food safety and mealtime management to sneaky treat ideas and rubbish-free swaps, this post is all about keeping lunch simple, safe, and something your person actually looks forward to. ✨ Pro tip: Packing with the person instead of for them can be a ...

 A cheeky, compassionate guide for carers, families, and support workers prepping bags for day programs for people with intellectual and other disabilities. We’ve ranted in previous posts about what a good day centre bag should include — but what about the things that shouldn’t be in there? This post is here to help you avoid the accidental oopsies, weaponised water bottles, and the dreaded squashed tuna sandwiches at the bottom of the bag. Let’s also take a second to talk about the bag itself. Choose something sturdy and easy to open, especially for people with fine motor difficulties. Bonus points if it’s machine washable (because accidents happen), has compartments, and is big enough to carry everything from lunch to a library book. Trust us, size does matter — especially when you want to avoid everything being squashed into one mystery-smelling compartment. And before you drop your Easter cleanout haul at the local op shop, check if your centre could use those extra shopping ...

 This is a very back-to-basics post and it is aimed at support workers, caregivers and anyone else in the support or Disability industries, I have seen so many posts on other platforms around this topic that they are desperately looking for things for a client to do on a shift I live in a beautiful town called Toowoomba located on the darling downs and it has some of the most hidden gems imaginable,  and admittedly some would need to be day trips and need approval but some are  quite local and we are going to start recording some as well, As admittedly support needs to have the basics done first and done well, the basics depending on what the client wants  are housework, groceries, Doctors and other medical or mental health appointments,  as some clients like myself don’t fit into the day centre model despite trying, so we are thinking way beyond the library, a local park,  pool, Gym,  to other experiences the build on the client's skills and brings th...

🎒 What’s in the Day Centre Bag? A Survival Guide With a Side of Banana, Personality, and Possibly a Conspiracy Heading to a day centre or community group can be the best part of the week—but only if you’re prepared . That’s where the humble day bag comes in. It’s your lifeline, your snack vault, and sometimes, your glitter explosion containment unit. Let’s pack smart. Let’s keep it light-hearted. And let’s all agree not to be that person who accidentally swaps bags and ends up going home with Brenda’s banana and Colin’s crochet project. ✅ The Bag Itself Choose a washable, practical backpack . Here’s the dream criteria: Big enough to fit everything, but not so bulky you need a Sherpa. Easy to open and close , but not so open that your lunch jumps ship or your meds end up in someone else’s bag. Washable (because things will leak. Trust us.) Something your loved one can actually use. If zips, straps, or lunchboxes are tricky, practice at home. Even better, let them help p...

This is a deeply personal post, and I want to start by saying thank you. To my friends, my family, my support team—you’ve shown up for me with grace and dignity, and I don’t take that lightly. Whether it’s through practical help, quiet encouragement, or just being a consistent presence, your support has helped me face something hard: the reality that I’m not functioning as highly as I once believed. Now, don’t get me wrong—I’m still high-functioning in a lot of ways. But one of my conditions, Sjögren’s syndrome , is progressing. And that’s hard. It’s a quiet, relentless reminder that I do live with disability and chronic illness, and that pretending otherwise doesn’t help me anymore. I’m working with all the right professionals—my doctors , pharmacist , and now a dietitian , too. (Pharmacists, by the way, are wildly underrated. They’ve helped me make sense of side effects and medication changes in ways that actually make sense in day-to-day life.) But even with all this support, ther...

This is a big topic, and honestly, there are so many layers to it that I think it deserves a series. So let’s start at the beginning. Imagine you’re a support worker trying to educate people on the realities of your job—not the glossy, feel-good stories we often see online, but the actual, day-to-day challenges. You post a video about violence in the workplace, highlighting that no one goes to work expecting to be assaulted. This isn’t just about the support worker; these incidents also affect other clients and their families. In this case, the setting was a day center environment, which meant that everyone there was impacted. When support workers are pulled away from small groups to manage these incidents, lower-support-needs clients can end up unfairly left behind. Support work is meant to be about skill-building, and if someone is experiencing frequent meltdowns, we have to ask: should they even be in a day center environment until they can regulate their emotions more effectively? ...

he Netflix series Adolescence is a confronting yet necessary conversation starter about some of the most pressing issues of our time. It highlights the dark side of internet culture, toxic masculinity, and the breakdown of family and community structures. Watching it, I couldn’t help but reflect on my own experiences with online interactions, the dangers of parasocial relationships, and how unwise choices on the internet can have lasting consequences. The Dark Side of Internet Culture We often discuss the benefits of the internet, but Adolescence forces us to confront its dangers. The series exposes how young men, influenced by figures like Andrew Tate and the ‘red pill’ movement, can develop deeply problematic attitudes toward women. One of the central characters doesn’t even realize he has done anything wrong—he genuinely believes his behavior is acceptable. Meanwhile, his father is largely absent, failing to guide his son through the complexities of growing up in a hyper-connected w...

Telepathy—the concept of mind-to-mind communication—has long been the subject of fascination, skepticism, and controversy. But what happens when it intersects with real-world issues, particularly within the disability community? The Telepathy Tapes podcast explores these questions, delving into assisted communication methods for non-verbal individuals, the resistance to accepting these methods, and the broader implications for society. What is Telepathy? Telepathy is often dismissed as pseudoscience, but at its core, it challenges our understanding of communication. If telepathic abilities exist, what does this mean for non-verbal individuals, especially those with autism or other high-support needs? The concept forces us to reconsider how we communicate, perceive intelligence, and allocate resources. Some emerging scientific theories, such as quantum physics and neurology, suggest that communication may not be limited to spoken language or technology but could extend to brain wave in...

It's amazing how much time you get back when you're intentional about screen time. I can’t go completely screen-free, but I can be mindful of how much I watch and what I engage with. This is something to consider when creating a routine—taking into account your needs, existing supports, and whether you have access to paid support workers or the equivalent in your country. It’s also important to consider what you feel safe having them do. Yesterday, I had a moment that reminded me that, although I am higher functioning, I still need support. These posts serve as much as a reminder for me as they do for others—about routines, being responsible, knowing where your money is going (which I’ll cover in a follow-up post), and speaking up when things go wrong. There are people—both paid and unpaid—who will help if you're willing to advocate for yourself. One key factor in setting up a routine is having a consistent support team. If your care team is constantly changing, it can be f...