the windy bog road of motherhood: special needs edition

Angelina and Ann-Marie are celebrating that this is their 25th episode of the podcast!!! As Season 1 comes to a close for the summer holidays the women reminisce on where and how it all started and how far they have come considering they were podcasting virgins this time last year. Ann-Marie still has her head firmly stuck in the sand pretending that she's not out there in the podcasting world tel...

This week's episode is heavily influenced by the activities of Angelina and Ann-Marie over the previous weekend. Ann- Marie took time out from her mothering and caring duties to commune with the clothes drying on the clothes-line; a rare and beautiful sight in an Irish Mammy's back yard whilst Angelina jetted off to sunnier clims, ie. Spain for yet another retreat. After Ann-Marie waxed lyrical ab...

This week Angelina and Ann-Marie discuss the perils of modern living and the things that bing excitment to the daily lives of say-at-home-mums!!! Angelina describes the unthinkable situation she and her children forund themselves in when the internet went down for 6 days. How did they cope?? The wise crone Ann- Marie suggested watching DVDs!!! After the recording was finished and Ann- Marie had hi...

Angelina and Ann-Marie discuss their busy lives and the challenges of raising children with special needs. Ann-Marie is currently under the weaher with a bad dose of hay-fever. Her head is more clogged with snot than wisdom right now!!!! As the conversation turns a little more serious Angelina reflects on how her perspective on her child's disabilities has evolved over time. She used to feel trapp...

Anne-Marie and Angelina discuss how they are thriving rather than surviving'!!! They talk about how life is unpredictable and planning doesn't always go as expected and that predicting the future from the lens of the past is a sure fire way to create stress!! They much rather gpo with the flow and live life one moment at a time!! Laundry comes up for discussion again this week (these two need to g...

Angelina and Ann- Marie discuss the challenges of feeding their children who have different eating habits. One child is a picky eater and struggles to eat enough, while the other child has no concept of being full and constantly wants to eat. They discuss how the brain and belly may not be connected for autistic children, leading to difficulties with hunger and fullness cues. They also mention how...

Angelina and Ann- Marie discuss the topic of rest and how they have been feeling rested recently. They talk about the challenges of being stay-at-home moms and full-time carers. They mention the upcoming Easter holidays and how it feels like the term has been short due to bank holidays. They also mention their worries about their children and how they try not to let it affect them. They discuss th...

In this episode, Angelina and Ann-Marie discuss their busy mornings and the hectic nature of their lives. They speculate that the upcoming school holidays may be causing them to feel more frantic and pressured to get 'everything done'. They also acknowledge the importance of balancing their own needs with their responsibilities as caregivers. Ultimately, they realize that they may be creating thei...

Angelina and Anne-Marie begin this week's episode discussing the mystery of the missing socks!!! It seems there is an ever-expanding sock monster invading the utility room!!! This leads the two ladies onto the the concept of each person having their own reality and how it affects their perception of the world. They emphasize the importance of accepting different viewpoints and finding common groun...

This week Angelina and Anne-Marie discuss the possibilities that are available for their children when they have an open attitude towards their children's abilities and potential. They emphasize the need to celebrate every milestone, no matter how small, and the surprising ways in which children with disabilities can thrive when given the opportunity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mor...

This week Angelina & Ann-Marie share their experiences of how to identify and diagnose their children when they are sick. They discuss the challenges of identifying and addressing their children's health issues, as well as the impact it has on their daily lives. They highlight the importance of a low FODMAP diet in improving their child's well-being. They also mention the difficulties in diagn...

This week Angelina and Anne-Marie discuss dyslexia and their personal experiences with it. Angelina is reading the book "The Gift of Dyslexia" in order to get a better understanding of the dyslexic brain and how it functions since one of her children has been diagnosised with it. Ann-Marie shares her experiences as someone who has a diagnosis of dyslexia and talks candidly about her struggles with...

This week Angelina and Ann-Marie discuss the effect of music on their children with special needs. They share personal experiences of how certain music can calm or excite their kids. Ann-Marie's son does echolalia, which is repeating speech or sounds over and over. They both found that classical music, like that on Lyric FM, has a soothing effect. Ann-Marie's son settled down at the dentist when c...

Angelina and Ann-Marie discuss their plans for the episode, which includes reading a story called "Welcome to Holland" by Emily Pearl Kingsley. The story is a metaphor for the experience of raising a child with a disability. They reflect on their own journeys and the emotions involved. They emphasize the importance of embracing the unique aspects of their children's lives and finding joy in unexpe...

On this episode of the Windy Bog Road of Motherhood, Angelina and Anne-Marie discuss the joy of February 1st, the beginning of spring, and their intentions for the new year. They also talk about birthday parties for their children and how they prefer smaller celebrations rather than big parties. They realize that what matters most to their children is spending time with family, not extravagant par...

Angelina and Anne-Marie discuss their 'recording studio' AGAIN!! This time Angelina is patting herself on the back for her 'ingenius idea' to use the ironing board as a desk instead of hauling in a table to the utility room every week. Eventually, the women settle down to the serious business of the day and shift the conversation to the concept of deep listening, which they describe as listening w...

The hosts are stay-at-home moms and full-time carers who share their experiences and conversations about raising children with special needs. This week Angelina and Ann-Marie discuss the effects of the full moon on their kids' behavior, including disrupted sleep and increased energy. They also mention that the full moon can affect adults' moods and decision-making. They emphasize the importance of...

This week Angelina and Ann-Marie discuss their experiences as full-time caregivers for children with special needs. They talk about their makeshift recording studio in the laundry room and the challenges of doing laundry!! They also discuss the process of opening a bank account for their children with disabilities and the importance of future-proofing and financial planning. They mention the need...

This week Angelina & Ann-Marie discuss their experiences with their children's addiction to screens! Ann-Marie talks about her six-year-old son's withdrawal symptoms when screens were taken from him after he screen-binged over Christmas while Angelina discusses her teenager's addiction to the XBox. They both acknowledge that screen time can be a necessary break for parents, but also recognize...

The two speakers, Angelina and Anne-Marie, are stay-at-home moms and full-time caregivers for their special needs children. They discuss the challenges of maintaining friendships while navigating the special needs journey. They share personal experiences of friends backing away or drifting apart due to not knowing how to handle their situations. They also talk about the stages of grief and the ten...

Two friends, Angelina and Anne-Marie, discuss their experiences as stay-at-home moms and full-time caregivers. They talk about the upcoming Christmas season and how they used to dread it due to the challenges of caring for their special needs children. However, they have learned not to overthink things and let go of unnecessary worries. They share a funny story about Ann-Marie using up her husband...

Two stay-at-home moms discuss their experiences as full-time caregivers for their special needs children. They talk about the challenges of taking care of themselves. They reflect on the pressure to prioritize their children and the guilt they feel when they prioritize their own needs. They also discuss the resilience of children and the importance of self-care for mothers. They share humorous ane...

Anne-Marie and Angelina are two stay-at-home moms and full-time carers who have formed a friendship through their experiences with special needs children. They discuss the challenges of communicating with others who work with their children and how their children's needs are sometimes misunderstood. They also express frustration with the medical model of viewing their children's communication and...

The podcast hosts, Angelina and Anne-Marie, discuss why they call themselves the Windy Bog Road of Motherhood. They feel like they are on a challenging and isolated road with their children, including those with special needs. They talk about the struggles and joys of parenting, comparing it to being zookeepers or farmers. They also mention the importance of patience and learning on this road. The...

The podcast hosts, Angelina and Anne-Marie, discuss their experiences as mothers of children with special needs. They talk about the challenges they face, the lack of understanding from others, and the importance of finding support from other parents in similar situations. They also share stories of their children's unique qualities and how they have learned to advocate for them. The hosts emphasi...