By early December, we felt like we were finally finding our rhythm. The academic panic had subsided. Ash was attending her online core sessions, she’d added Art and Science to the mix, and she and Claire had started a thrice-weekly "Book Club."
The Physical Deficit
However, solving one problem often highlights another. While her brain was engaged, her body was becoming static. Without the daily walk to school, the dash between classrooms, or the mandatory PE lessons, Ash was moving less and less.
We knew we had to intervene before "home education" became "sofa education."
- The Swimming Solution: We joined the local pool and built two swimming sessions a week into her schedule. It’s sensory-friendly (underwater is quiet!) and burns energy fast.
- The Dog Walk: Simple, but effective. Helping Claire walk the dog became a non-negotiable part of the routine to ensure fresh air hit her lungs daily.
The Social Fade
But as the weeks drifted towards the Christmas break, we noticed a quieter, sadder shift. The noise of her old life was fading.
When we first de-registered Ash, the connection with her school friends seemed strong. There were sleepovers and visits. Then, after half-term, it shifted to messages and games of Roblox. And now? We can go a week or more without her hearing from anyone.
"Out of sight really does mean out of mind in the playground. It’s not malicious; it’s just the physics of childhood friendship."
The "Aloof" Reality
This is perhaps the biggest factor parents need to weigh up when deciding to de-register. You are not just removing them from lessons; you are removing them from the social ecosystem.
Strangely, Ash seems okay with it. She is happily aloof and enjoys her own company - a common trait for many autistic children who find socialising exhausting. But as parents, we watch the phone not light up, and we worry. We know this is the next mountain we have to climb: finding her a "tribe" that isn't tied to a school register.
