From the ANM archive · Thriving Thursday · Original social post: 23 July 10:00
Thriving Thursday 💜
What happens when increasing control makes things worse instead of better?
In this week’s Thriving Thursday, we’re highlighting the latest edition of PDA in the African Context
From Control to Collaboration: Practical Strategies for African Families and Educators
Many of us were raised to believe that respect looks like obedience.
But what happens when a child experiences everyday expectations as overwhelming demands?
What if the issue isn’t unwillingness, but overwhelm?
This article explores a powerful shift in perspective:
❌ “How do we make them comply?”
✅ “How do we help them feel safe enough to participate?”
Drawing on a real-life experience, African realities, and practical strategies for home and school, this edition explores:
🔹 Why distress is often mistaken for defiance
🔹 The importance of safety, trust and connection
🔹 Supporting autonomy without abandoning boundaries
🔹 Practical approaches for parents, educators and professionals
🔹 Why collaboration is not the same as permissiveness
One message sits at the heart of this piece:
We can preserve community without preserving humiliation.
💭 Thriving Thursday Reflection
What changes when we stop focusing on compliance and start focusing on safety?
📖 Read the full article:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/wadzanai-mandibvira-a4b86641a_africanneurodiversitymovement-inclusionmatters-activity-7485952048602107905-SRqB?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios&rcm=ACoAAGqO1FsB2BJTSQyZTwk4tLOo9GdlXqiTck8
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