Christmas with kids is a crazy time of year…is it Christmas jumper day…do we need £1 to adopt a reindeer, the list goes on and on.
Navigating the festive period is even crazier with SEN kids…
🎄Does my child need more light up toys? Absolutely not but will I buy them anyway yes!
🎅🏼People buying something to ‘help’ your child…like the flash cards of Xmas 2022 to help Max say his first words 🤣
❄️ Worrying about public events, the germs and you can guarantee we will be sat by someone with a cough.
🤶Your child not taking part in events you take for granted like a school nativity
Today Max stole the show in his nativity. We had no idea what to expect and we’ve not stopped smiling since. To see our little boy in a nativity with all his friends at a mainstream preschool was epic.
Father Christmas Max arrived in style with his sleigh-walker pulled by his reindeer friends 🥰
The best 1-2-1 in the world @connettmichelle I don’t know how you kept it a secret 💙
Adam had one job to film and was that flustered he didn’t press record so excuse my rubbish video!
Completed Deadly Dozen with @1meganjade and honestly couldn’t be more grateful for all the support 👏❤️
Thanks @john_onept and @jackwardle123 for making me do it 🤣
Target absolutely smashed and every penny raised will go towards a new piece of equipment for the families we support 👌
Meg definitely dragged me round at times, shouting “DO IT FOR MAX!” and we certainly did 💙
Finished in 1 hour 11 minutes too… angel number energy ✨
Thank you to everyone who donated, supported, messaged and cheered us on , it means more than you know 🙏
#DeadlyDozen #DoItForMax #Fundraising #ChallengeComplete #AngelNumber111
Stepping out from behind the scenes and straight into the challenge 💥
I’m Rebecca, usually the one working quietly behind the scenes at the Max Ward Foundation and Max and Dr G’s Mum! But this time, I’m putting myself out of my comfort zone and taking on the Deadly Dozen with @1meganjade 🏋️♀️
It’s not easy, it’s not pretty… but it’s happening.
Huge thank you to @gym.bound for the constant support and push to keep going 🙌
Here’s to showing up, even when it feels uncomfortable. 💪✨
Link to sponsor in our bio x
#DeadlyDozen #OutOfMyComfortZone #BehindTheScenes #angelmansyndrome #angelmansyndromeawareness
Max turns 5! ⚽️🎉
A day all about football, friends and family. From walking out as a mascot with seven of his cousins to spending the whole day surrounded by the people who mean the most to him…memories he’ll never forget!
Seeing his big smile out on the pitch was something really special and the perfect way to celebrate his birthday. 💙
Find yourself 3 crazy uncles who will always include you 💙
Massive shout out to everyone @officiallydale@rochdaleafccommunity for helping make the day so special. Having a child with disabilities makes organising parties difficult but the staff and staff were incredible!
Thanks to @rapindustrials for the box…you know Max likes to be a VIP with Dr G!
Happy 5th Birthday Max, football, family, fun, Bluey and Blippi… just the way you like it! ⚽️💙
Some days, strength looks like this.
💙A mum who wants to work.
💙A mum who wants to contribute.
💙A mum who wants to show her children what’s possible.
And once again, I’m leaving a meeting been told by our local authority to focus on caring as if asking for the right support is the same as asking someone else to raise her child.
Let’s be clear:
Wanting to work is not selfish.
Asking for support is not asking for childcare.
Being a disabled child’s parent does not erase your identity, your ambitions, or your right to opportunity.
Parents of children with special educational needs are constantly asked to prove themselves to justify their needs, to shrink their dreams, to accept less.
And I’m not sharing this to be told what a good mum I am and I’m certainly not sharing this to hear “you’re so strong.”
What I want is for things to change!
💙For systems to stop making SEN parents feel small.
💙For support to mean empowerment not limitation.
💙For no parent to be made to choose between caring for their child and building a future.
This photo is not weakness.
It’s exhaustion.
It’s frustration.
It’s love.
It’s resilience running on empty.
No parent should be made to feel like wanting a career means loving their child any less.
Things have to get better….tomorrow we reset and fight again!
#SENParents #DisabledParent #WorkingMum #workingdad #InclusionMatters #SupportNotShame #ChangeTheSystem
Today we celebrate International Angelman Day 💙
From all of us at the Max Ward Foundation, thank you!
To every supporter, fundraiser, volunteer, donor, teacher, therapist, friend….your kindness keeps us moving forward every single day.
And most of all, to the families around the world…
💙The parents who never stop learning and fighting.
💙The siblings who grow up with empathy beyond their years.
💙The carers, advocates and champions who fight for inclusion, understanding, and better futures.
You work tirelessly through appointments, sleepless nights, paperwork, celebrations, setbacks, and victories but always showing up for your children with courage and love.
Together we raise awareness.
Together we build community.
Together we DREAM BIG
Thank you for being part of this journey 💙
#InternationalAngelmanDay #AngelmanSyndrome #MaxWardFoundation #StrongerTogether #Awareness #Advocacy #Inclusion #Community
💙 MOVE FOR ANGELMAN 💙
World Angelman Day
Max Ward Foundation × Gymbound Run Club @gym.bound@adamwarduk@rebsk_wild@jcarroll1985@jackwardle123
📍 Kingsway School Running Track
🗓 11th February | 6pm (wrong date on poster sorry!)
Free. Inclusive. Open to all. Merch and prizes 💙
Fitness class + run & walk options 🏃♀️🚶♂️
Show up. Move together. Make it count. DREAM BIG
#WorldAngelmanDay #AngelmanAwareness #RunForAngelman #CommunityMovement #GymboundRunClub #MaxWardFoundation
10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
My child with Angelman: ✨wide awake✨
Sleep is optional in this house. Love is not.
Celebrating our first ever January without a hospital visit or stay which is actually pretty mega for Max…touches all the wood and prays for the same in February! 🙏🏼
Send coffee. ☕️ (decaf because I’m anxious as hell!)
#AngelmanSyndrome #SleeplessButSmiling #SpecialNeedsParent #NightShiftParent #CoffeeIsLife
We get asked all the time, “How do you know what Max wants?
And the answer is… Max tells us. 💙
He might not use words or walk over to us, but trust us he is very clear. Between his little vocalisations, expressive movements, and those looks that say “you know exactly what I mean”, we always figure it out.
And if there’s still any confusion? Max has a backup plan!
He’ll either go get it himself 💪 or wrestle you until you suddenly remember exactly what he wanted in the first place 😂
Communication looks different for everyone and Max’s way is loud, loving, and impossible to ignore. 💫
