When Creativity Needs Space: A Mum’s Journey Supporting a Neurodivergent Artist

Being a parent is a journey filled with unexpected turns, but supporting a neurodivergent creator has taken me down paths I never imagined. Some of those paths have been steep, some have been beautiful and all of them have taught me something meaningful about patience, trust, identity and the incredible power of believing in your child.

This past year has been one of the most significant in Nat’s life. It was their final year of college, a milestone many young people celebrate with excitement and energy. For Nat, finishing school was a mountain that required courage, rest and resilience at every step.

There were many moments when the pressure became too much. Shutdowns became more frequent, especially toward the end of the year. Shutdowns are not simply moments of withdrawal. They are a neuroprotective response, a way for Nat’s brain and body to cope when the world becomes too loud, too overwhelming or too unpredictable. To many people, they can look like disengagement. To us, they are a sign that Nat needs space, quiet and understanding.

Watching your child struggle like that is heartbreaking. Yet within those quiet shutdowns, I could also see something remarkable. I could see the beginnings of creativity. I could see stories forming. I could see the spark of something meaningful and uniquely Nat.

Nat is beautifully autistic and queer. Their identity is not a limitation. It is a source of depth, honesty and insight. Nat sees the world through patterns, emotions and details that others often miss. Their mind is vivid and rich, but it needs time, structure and gentle support to thrive. That is where scaffolding became essential. Scaffolding in our home did not mean doing things for Nat. It meant building the conditions where Nat could create in their own time and in their own way.

Sometimes scaffolding meant offering gentle prompts. Sometimes it meant helping organise business tasks after a long day of work. Sometimes it meant breaking things down into manageable steps. Other times it meant stepping away and giving Nat the quiet space they needed to recover. Supporting a neurodivergent creator is often a balance between guiding and allowing. I learned that scaffolding is not about protecting your child from the world. It is about helping them move through it safely and confidently.

I will be honest. This year has not been easy for me either. Balancing a full time job with the emotional and practical needs of supporting Nat has stretched me in ways I did not expect. There were moments when I felt overwhelmed and moments when I had my own small meltdowns. Parenting a neurodivergent teen is real, messy and demanding. I share this because I want other parents to know that struggling does not mean you are failing. It means you are human.

Despite the challenges, what strengthened us this year was trust. Trust is the quiet foundation of our relationship. Nat trusts that I see their strengths before their struggles. They trust that when I encourage them to step into new situations, I am not trying to change who they are. I am helping them share who they are. In return, I trust Nat to express their needs, to tell me when they are overwhelmed and to guide me in how best to support their creative process.

It is this trust that transformed shutdowns into storybooks.

With support and understanding, Nat has stepped far outside their comfort zone this year. They created characters and stories filled with heart, identity, emotion and kindness. They wrote and illustrated their first children’s books. They attended markets. They spoke to people about their work. They did things that once felt impossible.

Along the way, we were fortunate to meet many generous people. Creatives, neurodivergent adults, educators, small business owners, mentors and friends. Each offered something valuable, whether it was practical advice, encouragement or simply a listening ear. Their kindness reminded me that raising a neurodivergent child should not be a lonely journey. Community matters. Support matters. Being understood matters.

To the parents and educators reading this, I hope our story reminds you of something important. Neurodivergent young people have extraordinary potential. Their minds hold creativity, insight and emotional depth that the world deeply needs. Their potential shines when the adults around them choose to see it. When we focus only on diagnoses or challenges, we limit them. When we focus on strengths, interests and potential, we lift them.

Sometimes lifting them requires extra time. Sometimes it requires emotional energy. Sometimes it requires learning new ways of listening and supporting. The effort is worth it, because you get to witness your child becoming their truest self.

As I look back on this year, I see a journey that shaped both of us. It was a year of pressure, creativity, shutdowns, bravery, exhaustion, laughter and pride. Most importantly, it revealed Nat’s incredible ability to create stories that matter.

Their books were not created despite their neurodivergence. They were created because of it!

And I could not be prouder.

Author’s Note:

I share our story because neurodivergent children deserve to be celebrated, not underestimated. When we choose to see their brilliance and not only their struggles, their world begins to open. My hope is that Nat’s journey inspires other parents to champion their child’s potential with pride, courage and compassion.

With gratitude,

Deb Bannerman

Mum to Nat and Co-Founder of Zosimos Curra®