Recipe for Great Parent Advocacy Pancakes.

Serves: One determined parent (with enough to share!)

Prep Time: A lifetime of lived experience

Cooking Time: Ongoing, with moments of quick wins

Advocating for your child in the education system can feel a lot like cooking pancakes—sometimes you get the perfect golden result, and other times, things fall apart in the pan. Schools can be unpredictable, policies can be rigid, and some educators may resist change. But with the right ingredients, a little patience, and a good recipe, you can whip up something truly effective.

As a parent with over a decade of experience navigating schools, policies, and resistance, I know firsthand how exhausting, frustrating, and rewarding this journey can be. Great advocacy isn’t just about fighting harder—it’s about mixing persistence with strategy, boldness with diplomacy, and knowledge with a strong support network.

Too often, parents are made to feel like they’re asking for too much when they’re simply trying to secure their child’s right to an education that meets their needs. We are told to ‘trust the system,’ even when it fails our children time and time again. But we know better—because we live this, day in and day out.

So grab your apron (or notebook), and let’s get cooking.

With the right mix of preparation, persistence, and strategy, you can create an advocacy approach that leads to real change—whether it’s securing the right support for your child, influencing school policy, or pushing for systemic improvements.

List of Ingredients

🥄 1 cup lived experience (your firsthand knowledge of your child’s needs)

🥄 2 cups evidence-based knowledge (your organised evidentiary documents, scientific research, education policies, and legal rights)

🥄 1 tablespoon strategic thinking (knowing when to push, when to wait, and when to pivot)

🥄 3 teaspoons persistence (because one email won’t fix everything)

🥄 1 pinch boldness (for those times you have to be the squeaky wheel)

🥄 2 generous handfuls community support (because advocacy is stronger together)

🥄 1 litre effective communication (clear, concise, and sometimes repeated for impact)

🥄 A dash of diplomacy (advocacy works best when you balance push and pull)

🥄 A sprinkle of creativity (thinking outside the box when standard solutions fail)

Step 1: Mix Your Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl, combine your lived experience and evidence-based knowledge. Stir until well blended—your understanding of your child’s needs should always be backed by facts. Slowly fold in strategic thinking, ensuring your advocacy plan is smooth and well-thought-out. Sift in persistence and boldness, mixing well so your advocacy stays strong and resilient.

Step 2: Add Support & Communication

Gently fold in community support—this will help your advocacy rise and gain traction. Pour in effective communication, adjusting the consistency so it’s not too aggressive but not too passive. Add a dash of diplomacy to prevent your efforts from becoming too confrontational while still keeping your message firm.

Step 3: Cook & Flip as Needed

Heat your pan (the education system) and pour your advocacy mix in small, manageable portions. Cook on medium heat, flipping when necessary—sometimes you need to adjust your approach. Keep an eye on progress. Some changes take time, but persistence pays off. If things aren’t working, tweak the recipe—maybe you need more evidence, a stronger case of evidence, or a different audience.

Step 4: Serve & Enjoy the Wins

This is best enjoyed with meaningful education reforms, a well-written ILP, and a child who feels supported. It pairs well with a strong parent network, a good coffee, or my preference, matcha tea, and deep breaths.

But be careful not to overcook—burnout is common. Step back when you need to, refill your cup, and lean on your community. If your pancakes (advocacy efforts) aren’t turning out right, don’t give up. Adjust the heat, change the mix, and try again.

You’ve just learned how to mix together lived experience, evidence-based knowledge, persistence, and strategic thinking to create a strong, effective advocacy approach. But knowing the recipe isn’t enough—you have to use it.

So:

🔹Be curious.

🔹Write that email.

🔹Request that meeting.

🔹Challenge that decision.

🔹Find your people.

Advocacy isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it. Just like a good pancake recipe, it takes practice, patience, persistence, and sometimes a little trial and error—but the results can be life-changing.

Bon appétit, and keep advocating!

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