ABOUT TRAVELLING WITH SUNFLOWERS
J and I once believed that our boys' hidden disabilities meant we'd never be able to take them abroad. But with encouragement from the awesome families in our Autism Parents Support Group, and lots of research, planning and thinking outside the box we realised this wasn't true. ​
Since summer 2022 we've been taking risks, making mistakes, going on adventures and creating incredible family memories both in the UK and Europe.​​ We decided that being different was not going to stop us travelling with the boys. It's been challenging at times - but we don't regret it for a minute!
Travelling with Sunflowers brings together everything we've discovered along the way, we hope it inspires you to go travelling too, and make some amazing memories along the way!​​
Get to know us
​Hi, I'm Layla and the creator of our family travel resource.
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​My interest in travel began when my parents took me, aged 13, for a month long trip abroad. It was my first time out of the country and it blew my mind. Ever since then I have loved thinking about travel, reading about it, talking about it, planning it and of course, actually doing it!
I consider myself extremely lucky that my neurodivergent family seems to love going on adventures almost as much as I do. ​​​​​
When I'm not thinking about, reading about, talking about, planning or actually travelling then I'll either be out in my garden / allotment doing battle with the slugs or visiting the latest exhibition in one of London's many art galleries and museums.
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After travelling, art is my second passion and I was fortunate enough to study it to Masters Level before the boys came along.
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I am a Reiki Master and wellbeing practitioner.​
​J is my partner, best friend and dad of our boys. We met while travelling many many years ago, and adventuring together has defined much of our relationship. It makes us very happy that we have found a way to keep travelling together with our boys.
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He has a great sense of adventure and is a brilliant sounding board - batting away my more ridiculous ideas but still supporting me to book trips that are interesting and a little bit different!​
He is a total foodie, loves discovering new music, playing guitar and listening to podcasts on pretty much any topic!​​​
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He is quite private though, so although you'll hear a lot about him, you wont see too many pictures of him on this blog!
​This is our first born, he is an ND ball of inquisitive energy! He wants to know about anything and everything and loves going on adventures with the family. ​​He is very creative, extremely observant and really enjoys travelling to new places and having new experiences. ​​
He likes to be fully aware of plans in advance; so he often helps me devise our trip itineraries, is in charge of his own packing list and is great at coming up with ideas for things to do. ​
​​​​This is our second son. He is also neurodivergent. He is full of joy and fun, and loves to be active - running, dancing and jumping all day long.
His sensory seeking certainly makes life interesting for those around him, particularly when we are away from home!
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Although he loves travelling and visiting new places he finds transitions challenging so we build in plenty of rest and down time to help him stay as regulated as possible.
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He generally keeps his thoughts to himself, but when he does choose to share or comment on his experience it is always fascinating.
WHY I CREATED TRAVELLING WITH SUNFLOWERS​​
My neurodivergent family loves to travel!​ ​​While adventuring together is brilliant fun, there
are times when travelling together as a neurodivergent family is super challenging.
It would be so easy for us to stick to what and where we know, to hide away from
the judgements of others, to seek safety over adventure. ​​
But I truly believe that we have the right to enjoy the
same opportunities for family travel as everyone else.​​​
And so does your family.​​​
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Collectively our incredible, resilient and passionate neurodivergent children have so much to offer the world, and so much to learn from exploring it.
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As parent carers of autistic / adhd children it is vital we feel confident to take our place in society, to explore it with our families and experience the magic of adventure together.
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We hope our Travelling with Sunflowers blog articles and travel resources
will inspire you and your family to​
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Travel the world
Believe in yourselves &
Adventure with confidence!​​
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"If you go you know, if you never go, you never know."
​​(The Travelling with Sunflowers Family Motto!)​​​​​