about us…
When Kiran and Monique met, they found a kindred spirit in each other. That coupled with their mutual respect, shared many passions and tenacity they decided to provide a platform where Mornington Peninsula families can come together and feel supported and uplifted.
Spectdrum was born out of their mutual desire to promote ‘marching to the beat of your own drum’ to themselves, their children and to all Autistic individuals and their families on the Mornington Peninsula, and who knows…maybe even beyond.
our values
Authenticity
Respect
Connection
Inclusivity
our mission
Spectdrum aims to empower parents, families, and individuals to live their best lives thanks to diagnosis.
We intend to carefully connect like-minded parents and individuals and provide a safe space to help encourage, inspire and celebrate our families’ diverse needs.
We aim to please and provide the platform and support that our Spectdrum families seek and need.
our motivation
We would love to see everyone feel comfortable marching to the beat of their own drum and find other members to march with.
Kiran Abdeen – Parent, entrepreneur & wellbeing advocate
Kiran was diagnosed with dyslexia in 2002 whilst completing her first degree. This was a pivotal moment for her. To that point in her life, her journey through school, college and University was not an easy one. Feeling misunderstood, not feeling good enough or even smart enough caused her so much anguish. She knew and understood her subjects well but always felt let down by her exam results. She had got to where she was through sheer determination, hard work and never giving up. She found her path to get to where she wanted – her way.
Her diagnosis helped her to not only make peace with her journey to that point, it also provided her with a clear understanding of her challenges and was able to find techniques that worked for her.
After completing her Bachelor’s degree in Business in 2003 and armed with her newfound superpower dyslexia, Kiran felt unstoppable and started her Masters degree in Communications straight after.
read more about kiran's journey, drive and motivation…
The diagnosis was the key which gave Kiran a better understanding of herself. She was able to harness what a lot of people in those days (and some even now) perceived as a weakness into acceptance of self and valuing her mind that interpreted and thought differently.
Fast forward to 2010, Kiran and her husband Dilly along with their 5-month-old daughter left their home in London UK and moved to the beautiful Mornington Peninsula. A place they hadn’t even visited. The pair first met in 1999 as Kiran started university and Dilly had just finished and they have never looked back. Today, they still live on the Peninsula with their two daughters and run their business in Mornington.
Becoming a parent of two school aged children, brought up memories of Kiran’s own struggles as a 5-year-old starting school and she vowed to herself that she did not want to see her children or in fact any child suffer or undervalue themselves.
Kiran did not anticipate that her daughters Maya and Ava who are smart, kind, funny and sociable would ever struggle making friendships, but they did.
After years of trying to find ways to help their children cope with the increasing challenges their girls were encountering, Kiran and Dilly finally received an ASD diagnosis for both their daughters in March 2021. Whilst diagnosis provided some initial relief, it also raised a whole host of new questions, worries and challenges.
Being an entrepreneur and a parent, without any family assistance in Australia, Kiran, states what helped her keep her head above water and navigate the tumultuous waves, has been prioritising her mental wellbeing. This is something she has actively worked on, for over a decade.
‘Why fit in when you were born to stand out’
– Dr Suess
Monique Cain – Parent, author, blogger, advocate
Monique and her husband Michael have lived on the Mornington Peninsula their whole lives. The pair met at Rosebud Secondary College, eventually got married and had two beautiful children, Madi and Thomas.
Both of their two children were diagnosed on the spectrum back in 2011 & 2013.
Their whole lives then became consumed by Autism and Monique felt compelled to continuously defend their children’s behaviour and their parenting to perfect strangers in public.
Monique’s mental health seriously deteriorated over time, and she eventually turned to writing as a form of therapy. Her serious writing and new purpose began after a little boy at kinder directly said to her that their daughter Madi was, “dumb and didn’t know anything”. It was like a dagger through her heart and she honestly didn’t know what to say to a five-year-old?
Shortly after that, a poem turned into a story and her first book ‘Madi At Kinder’ was born. After such a positive response she continued writing and The Everyday Autism Series was created.
Read more about Monique's journey
At the time, Monique was also kindly encouraged to explore grief counselling. After initial hesitation, she decided that she didn’t want to be unhappy anymore and took that leap of faith for change. That was a major turning point in her life!
Talking to a professional really helped. She was able to clear her soul and begin to heal her heart.
Moving forward she has found profound comfort engaging with the Autism community and in particular talking to other Autism parents and families.
Educating herself helped to understand her children more and decipher the best ways to support them. Gaining knowledge, assistance from a variety of industry experts, resources and assembling a team of professionals has produced undeniable development.
She stopped drinking so much, made selfcare a priority, continued writing and has not stopped since.
Before kids, Monique had no idea what she really wanted to do professionally but casually thought she could write a book one day and would like to help people. After kids and all their experiences, she knew exactly what she needed to do!
She literally had to become her children’s voice.
She has proudly become the author of The Everyday Autism Series, Never Give Up and a respected blogger and advocate within the Autism industry.
She has found her true passion and purpose in helping other Spectrum families and promoting awareness throughout the local and broader community.
‘Silence is golden unless you have a child with Autism’
– Monique Cain
www.theeverydayautismseries.com.au
