NeuroDADverse

🎧 Episode 20 - Happy Halloween! 🎃👻 This week’s episode lands just in time for Halloween and it’s full of the real-life trick-or-treat moments of parenting neurodivergent kids. Dan opens up about a tough week navigating the fallout of Frankie’s haircut last week and the emotional sting that comes when connection feels lost. Ben reflects on his own experiences with Oscar’s dysregulation, gaming f...

🎧 Episode 19: The NeuroDADverse Podcast This week’s episode dives into one of Dan’s toughest parenting moments yet, where the process of a 'simple' haircut spirals into heartbreak. Also in this raw, honest episode, Ben discusses another week of having 'tough' topic conversations with Oscar after an incident on the way to school. Another week of tales where parenting neurodivergent and things don’...

Episode 18 🎧 This week in the NeuroDADverse, Ben and Dan share the emotional chaos, quiet victories, and the messy beauty of raising neurodivergent kids. From last-minute school appointments to bath time breakthroughs, it’s a week full of real-life parenting moments where nothing goes to plan—but everything somehow comes together. 🎙️ Highlights include: Ben’s solo-parenting chaos (and cuddles) Ma...

Episode 17 🎧 In this powerful and emotionally grounded episode, Ben and Dan dive deep into one of the most difficult parenting moments they’ve faced yet: discussing the recent misinformation spreading online about the causes of autism, specifically, false claims linking paracetamol during pregnancy to autism. We explore: •How Ben approached this sensitive topic with his childern Oscar and Mabel....

Episode 16 🎧 This week’s episode is a “breakfast bar” edition, recorded early doors and full of raw honesty. Ben opens up about a particularly emotional parenting moment involving boundaries, teenage exploration, and sober reflection. Meanwhile, Dan talks about the sudden arrival of the “Week 4 Wobble” and how Frankie’s eating and sleep patterns are shifting as he adjusts to school routines. Othe...

🎧 Episode 15 This week, Ben and Dan explore the emotional tightrope of raising neurodivergent teens during school term chaos. Ben shares the heavy emotional load of supporting Mabel through school-related overwhelm, where advocacy, compassion, and a newly diagnosed ADHD perspective all collide. There’s honest discussion about balancing being a teacher and a parent — and how not every school inter...

🎧  Episode 14 – Development wins, School Wobbles & Hair Hammocks This week, Ben and Dan unpack another emotional rollercoaster in the NeuroDadverse. From Oscar's snack-time independence (and a perfectly sassy strut) to Mabel navigating school photo overwhelm and GCSE prep, this one’s full of vulnerability, advocacy, and the everyday nuance of neurodivergent parenting. Meanwhile, Dan refl...

🎧 Episode 13 – Positive Energy, Car Symbols & School Wins In this heartfelt episode, Dan and Ben reflect on the surprising joys and ongoing challenges of getting their neurodivergent kids back into the school routine. From bath time meltdowns to unexpectedly peaceful transitions, the dads talk about managing expectations, building emotional safety, and honouring small wins. Ben shares a speci...

🎧 Episode 12 – Shoe Heels, Shelf Battles & Strutting into September Ben and Dan wrap up summer with a high-energy, high-emotion episode full of wardrobe challenges, unexpected wins, and bold self-expression. As the kids prep for a new school year, Ben takes us through an emotional decluttering session with Oscar, which turns into a sensory-sensitive sorting game (with a surprise echolalia mom...

🎧 Episode 11 – Forgotten Needs, Heartwarming Teens & Neurodivergent Room Chaos. This week on The NeuroDADverse, Ben reflects on a parenting moment where he forgot to communicate accessibility with Oscar and how a simple bedroom reorganisation turned into an emotional reminder about invisible needs. Dan feels like a new man after sleeping more in the past four days than he has in the past two...

🎧 Episode 10! In a very special episode of The NeuroDADverse, Ben and Dan welcome their first guest: Ben’s wife, Laura, who opens up for the first time about her brand new ADHD diagnosis at 44. This candid conversation unpacks Laura’s experience of going through the assessment process, the emotional weight of late diagnosis, and the joyful, if surprising, validation that followed. Elsewhere, it’s...

🎧 Episode 9 – Transitions, Teen Independence & The First-Ever Perfect Bath This week on The NeuroDadverse, Ben and Dan reflect on the sometimes messy, sometimes magical balancing act of parenting neurodivergent kids over the summer. They cover emotional transitions, the challenge of growing teen independence, gaming boundaries, family sleepovers, unexpected sibling support, and how routines d...

🎧 Episode 8 – Finding Comfort in Chaos This week on The NeuroDADverse, Ben and Dan reflect on the small but powerful wins that make parenting neurodivergent kids so rewarding. From managing tricky transitions at the SEND gym to celebrating social breakthroughs at the beach, it’s a conversation filled with honest insight, humour, and hard-earned lessons. Oskar navigates a challenging week with mom...

🎧 Episode 7 – Pride, Parenting & Penalties In this shorter then usual episode in The NeuroDADverse, Ben and Dan reflect on a summer weekend packed with big moments. From marching at Pride to navigating teenage boundary testing, all while trying to keep family life connected and calm. Oscar embraces Pride with a homemade non-binary flag, Mabel shines as a supportive ally, and the family enjoys...

🎧 Episode 6 – Routines: Who Are They Really For? This week on The NeuroDadverse, Ben and Dan reflect on the bittersweet emotional load of end-of-term life — school reports, transitional stress, and the tension between creating magical memories and just surviving the week. They unpack the wins (a 9.5 bath score! an actual family dinner with no meltdowns!) and the challenges (burnout, shifting rout...

🎧 Episode 5 Routines, Transitions & Emotional End of Term In this episode of The NeuroDADverse, Ben and Dan dive into the complexities of summer routines, end of term emotions and SEND school transitions. From the bittersweet news of a child staying in the same class, to spontaneous sports days and “Champion of Champions” family traditions. This is parenting through chaos with compassion and...

🎧 Episode 4 – Fashion Shows, Solo Dads & Emotional Throwbacks In this episode of The NeuroDADverse, Ben tackles two nights of solo parenting that include a sensory-triggered meltdown, an emotional bathroom floor moment, and a makeshift fashion show to help Oscar choose clothes for a beach trip. Meanwhile, Dan shares a massive win with Frankie around self-initiated haircuts a sensory success w...

🎧 Episode 3 – Prevent Training, Parenting Pressure & Permission to Feel Dan and Ben reflect on how institutional systems like Prevent training can unintentionally stigmatise neurodivergent traits. It sparks an emotional, wide-ranging chat about justice, advocacy, and the subtle harm of misrepresentation. But this episode isn’t just about systems. It’s also about the stuff at home: giving your...

🎧 Episode 2 – Heat, Hydration & Holding It Together In this episode of The NeuroDADverse , Ben and Dan battle through a blistering heatwave with their neurodivergent kids — and all the chaos that comes with it. From sensory meltdowns and nighttime wake-ups to battles over fans, windows, and hydration, the struggle is real. But it’s not all stress. There are big parenting wins too — like watch...

🎧 Welcome to the very first episode of The NeuroDadverse! In this heartfelt launch episode, Ben and Dan dive into the real highs and lows of parenting children with ASD and ADHD — and navigating their own possible diagnoses too. 🍼 It’s Father’s Day , there’s a surprise dental meltdown, a sensory overload birthday, and a gig that ends with an unexpected emotional breakthrough in the car. This is...

Welcome to NeuroDADverse — the podcast for parents who sometimes feel like they’re parenting on hard mode. We’re Ben and Dan, two dads raising neurodiverse kids and figuring it out as we go. If you’ve ever felt isolated at the school gate, overwhelmed at another meltdown, or just unsure if you’re “doing it right,” this is your space. Each week, we share the real stuff. The wins, the wobbles, and a...