NeuroPerfect

We had the HOPPIEST time today at the Sensory-Friendly Easter Bunny Meet & Greet!!

Thanks so much to all who volunteered, donated, planned, or spread the word to help bring this event to life💜

And the *biggest* thanks to Light of Mine Playhouse Cafe for opening up your beautiful space to the neurodivergent kiddos of CenLA - We couldn't have done it without you!

These two sensory bins are ready for little hands to explore tomorrow morning at Light of Mine Playhouse Cafe
🤏🏼👁️🧠

Did you reserve your spot for the Sensory Friendly Easter Bunny Meet + Greet yet?!

Britney K Bakery - We are so spoiled by your support! We can't wait to see sweet little faces light up at the sight of these festive treats at the Sensory Friendly Easter Bunny Meet + Greet 🎉🐰🫶🏾 THANK YOU!!

Britney K Bakery is honored to make a fun donation to a great local nonprofit organization serving the Cenla area, known as NeuroPerfect. These treats were made for a private event, but NeuroPerfect is always having something going on, so check out their details on their page. They were kind enough to share the following information about who they are and what they do:

NeuroPerfect is a non-profit organization that helps caregivers and community members build connections with and support the unique needs and strengths of neurodivergent children.

Through educational seminars, inclusive events, community collaboration, and parent-child workshops, they help caregivers support emotions, sensory differences, sleep, play, social interaction, safety, and more!

Here are just a few ways that we're working with Light of Mine Playhouse Cafe to create an inclusive hour during their Easter event this Saturday!🩷🐰🫂

Grab your kids' 🆓 🎟️ then share this with your tribe!

We're so honored to partner with Light of Mine Playhouse Cafe to help create a sensory safe space to enjoy Easter themed festivities!

Come meet and snap photos with the 🐰Easter Bunny🐰 in a low-pressure, inclusive setting with sensory supports available🫂🧠💚

REGISTER HERE:

Sensory Safe Easter Bunny Meet & Greet A relaxed, come-as-you-are Easter community event designed for neurodivergent children and their families. Pre-registration is required.

The Movement Lab is a truly inclusive CenLA gem!💙

Knowledge is powerful!

Why Autistic Identification Is Life-Changing
Autistic identification can be profoundly life-changing. For many Autistic people, understanding their neurotype provides clarity, self-knowledge, and a framework for making sense of lifelong experiences that previously felt confusing or isolating.
Too many Autistic children, young people, and adults grow up feeling misplaced or believing they must continually adapt themselves to fit into environments that were not designed with them in mind. Masking, chronic self-doubt, and a sense of being “out of step” with the world are common outcomes of this pressure. Over time, this can significantly impact mental health, self-worth, and identity development.
Autistic neurology is inherently diverse, creative, and distinctive.
Autistic identification often marks a turning point. It can lead to greater self-compassion, reduced internalised stigma, and a move away from constant self-monitoring and conformity. Many Autistic adults describe becoming kinder to themselves, setting healthier boundaries, and embracing authenticity once they understand their Autistic identity.
Early, affirming understanding of Autism supports Autistic children to grow up with pride, confidence, and a strong sense of self. Knowing that being Autistic is a valid and valuable way of being can help protect against shame and promote lifelong resilience.

A lot of adults explain autism as perceiving a boatload of rules! Does it feel like that for you, too?

Don’t freak out, but, autistic selective eating is ✨NOT always about sensory issues.✨

Yes, texture, smell, temperature, taste, and predictability matter…BUT, research also points to RIGIDITY as a major contributor to “picky eating”.

From the autistic perspective, the rule often isn’t
❌“I can’t eat this because it feels bad.”

It’s more like:
✅“I can’t eat this because I don’t eat this.”

Once a food is categorized as “not something I eat,” that rule can be surprisingly hard to break, even if the sensory experience itself wouldn’t be terrible.

I notice this every time I travel.
Almost every trip, I come home with a new food I’m suddenly willing to eat.

Sometimes it’s a food I’ve genuinely never been exposed to before,
(most recently, clam chowder).

Other times, it’s a food I stopped eating years ago…but while traveling, the usual rules get disrupted and the rigidity breaks.

Once that rule is broken I’m often willing to eat it again at home.

The sensory experience didn’t magically change. What changed was the mental rule around it.

So when we talk about autistic eating, it’s worth remembering that…

Sometimes the most effective support isn’t avoiding new foods or assuming every refusal is sensory-based.

Rather, thoughtful exposure (done respectfully), without pressure is what actually expands flexibility.

This definitely doesn’t mean that exposure works the same way for everyone.

But it does mean recognizing that for many autistic people, rigidity can be just as powerful a barrier as sensory discomfort.

2025 Impact Fact number 3 of 3💖

We're so so grateful for our community connections!

2025 Impact Fact number 2 of 3💖

(We're so darn proud of this one!!)

What about the other 18? It supported our very crucial day-to-day operations!