About Us

Who we are and why we created this website

Our Family

We're Paul and Elisabeth, parents to Finn (7 years old, autism & ADHD) and his younger sister Lena (4 years old).

Our Journey

Finn's diagnosis didn't come as a complete surprise to Elisabeth - her professional background as a teacher helped her recognize the signs early. For me (Paul), it took longer to understand what autism and ADHD really meant for our daily life.

We've learned through trial and error, countless therapy sessions, bureaucratic battles (like getting Finn's school aide approved), and many sleepless nights.

But we've also learned what works - and that's what we want to share.

Why This Website?

When Finn was diagnosed, we searched desperately for practical, honest information from other parents. We found:

• Academic research (valuable, but often hard to apply)
• Clinical guidelines (important, but not daily-life focused)
• Inspirational stories (nice, but not always realistic)

What we rarely found: Real, detailed descriptions of what actually works in daily life. The unglamorous routines. The specific times. The failures and adjustments.

That's what we want to provide.

What We're Not

Important to note:

• We're not medical professionals (though we work with many)
• We're not therapists (though Finn has excellent ones)
• We're not saying our way is the only way
• We're not claiming perfection - we make mistakes daily

We're parents who've figured out some things through experience, and we want to share what we've learned with other families who might benefit.

Our Approach

Throughout this website, you'll notice some patterns in how we handle things:

• Structure over spontaneity: Predictability is Finn's foundation
• Acceptance over optimization: Not everything needs to be "fixed"
• Pragmatism over idealism: What works matters more than what "should" work
• Honesty over perfection: Real life is messy

Why We Share Personal Details

You'll find very specific information on this website - medication names, exact times, personal struggles. We share this because:

• Generic advice often doesn't help
• Specific examples give you concrete starting points
• Knowing others struggle with the same things reduces isolation
• Details make strategies actually implementable

We've changed no names - this is our real family, our real experiences.

What You Can Expect

On this website you'll find:

• Daily Life: 10 pages on routines, meltdowns, meals, bedtime, and more
• School: 6 pages on disclosure, homework, teacher collaboration, and support
• Social Life: 5 pages on friendships, siblings, birthdays, and family

Each page includes:

• What we actually do (with specific details)
• Why it works (or doesn't)
• Research context (when relevant)
• Real challenges we still face

A Note on Research

While we cite research where relevant, this website is fundamentally about lived experience. Science informs our approach, but daily reality shapes it.

Every child is different. What works for Finn might not work for your child. But knowing what others tried - and how they adapted it - can give you ideas and hope.

Get in Touch

Have questions? Want to share your own experiences? We'd love to hear from you:

Email: rawe.p@freenet.de

We read every message, though we may not be able to respond to all individually.

Thank You

Thank you for visiting our website. If even one family finds one strategy that makes their day a little easier, this project has been worth it.

You're doing a great job. Parenting is hard. Parenting a neurodivergent child is harder. You're showing up, learning, adapting - that's everything.

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