aVERY BRIGHT LIFE

When Independence Gets Real (and a Little Scary)... In this story time episode, Lisa shares a milestone moment in her daughter Avery’s journey toward independence: a trip to the mall with friends—no parents, no hovering, no safety net. What started as a proud (and slightly nerve-wracking) step into teenage freedom turned into a rollercoaster of emotions involving a shopping mishap, a heart-to-hear...

Avery and I got to chat with Diane Dupuy, founder of Famous People Players—the magical black light theatre where dreams take centre stage and everyone shines. We got to know Diane on a personal level and learned how she found the courage to be fully herself in a world that doesn’t always make space for people who see things differently. She also shared the origin story of Famous People Players, ho...

Ever feel like there’s a quiet divide in the disability community, where some parents compare challenges or judge what they don’t fully understand? Yeah, me too. In this episode, I’m talking honestly about how that kind of thinking only hurts all of us. Whether your child has physical, intellectual, medical, or invisible disabilities, we’re all navigating hard stuff. Let’s stop measuring who has i...

In this feisty solo episode, Lisa’s airing out a few lingering thoughts, tying up loose ends from past episodes, and sharing a couple of fresh experiences that sparked some big feelings. Tune in to hear why she's a little extra spicy—and what she's doing about it. Stick around to the end for the debut of a brand-new feature from Avery that will warm your heart. (Bonus: she sings the intro in the s...

Avery says I’m over-protective and, honestly? She’s not wrong. Letting go, even just a little, can feel terrifying when you're raising a child with disabilities. But here's the truth: our kids need space to grow, and we need to grow too. In today’s episode, we’re talking about the big, scary, beautiful journey toward independence (for them and for us) and the little changes we’re making to...

Avery just wrapped up an 8-week program all about relationships, dating, and gulp, sex! She’s sharing what she learned, and let’s just say… mom has realized there are a few missing pieces that might need filling in eventually (but when is the right time and how much do I explain?!). Tune in for an honest chat about navigating relationships as a disabled teen, because love is complicated, no matter...

If you think students with developmental or intellectual disabilities can't go to college, think again. :) Join us as Avery interviews her friend "Nicole" (not her real name, but a great drinking game for those who imbibe—you'll see what I mean when you hear the episode). The interview starts at the 20 minute mark if you'd like to skip past me rambling about my hopes and fear...

How do you explain religion, spirituality, and big life questions to your person with intellectual disabilities—especially when your own beliefs don’t fit into a neat little box? That’s exactly what we’re diving into in this episode, inspired by a simple but loaded text from Avery: “Are we Christian?” We chat about what religion means, why people believe, and how our family embraces spirituality o...

If your child is 18+ they can and should vote! This episode is about how we can support people with intellectual disabilities through the voting process. Plus, a good ol' rant about our current bizarro political landscape. Links mentioned in this episode -Elections Canada Voter Registration - Elections Ontario Voter Registration -The Ontario Register of Future Voters is designed for eligible 1...

This is something new... something we've wanted to try for a while and we finally did it! Avery recorded most of this episode entirely on her own! Take THAT speech delay. Avery answered five questions about life, in her own words. She kept her answers brief (unlike her blabby co-host) and the results were short and sweet. We'll definitely do this again soon. This young lady has a lot to say. *** T...

This episode is from over two years ago. I'm resharing now because I'm still in the same place, struggling with the same dilemma. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the magic of the holidays and all the merry traditions. But, I'm not a huge fan of the "festive fibs" families and caregivers tell in order to keep the story of Santa and the other holiday characters alive. It just doesn't sit well with me. Bu...

We have a very special guest joining us on World Diabetes Day. My BFF (who I definitely didn’t have to bully or strong-arm into this) joins us to share her family’s journey through her daughter’s Type 1 Diabetes diagnosis—in the middle of the chaos of Covid, no less! Tune in for an inspiring story of resilience and maybe a couple of laughs at how life sometimes throws everything at you all at once...

Since it's Halloween, I thought I'd tackle one of the scariest monsters out there—the future. As a mom of a child with disabilities, the unknowns can be downright haunting. So, I wrote a little ghost story inspired by my life as a disability parent—a tale full of bone-chilling doctor's appointments, eerie government forms, and the endless maze of support services. I’ll warn you now: this episode h...

Happy "World Menopause Day!" Wait, is it happy? Or is it more sweaty? Either way, this episode is a little TMI about my own experience with perimenopause and menopause. And, how it affects me, as a parent of a kiddo with disabilities. Sorry in advance for my weird reading voice. Clearly I won't be hired as a narrator at Audible any time soon. *** This podcast was recorded in Garageband and edited...

Join us on the aVery Bright Life podcast as we explore the love/hate relationship parents have with technology, especially when raising kids with developmental disabilities. This episode is about the challenges of dopamine addiction linked to screen time, and a personal experience with Avery. Whether you're navigating the tech in daily life or seeking a healthier balance in your family's tech use,...

In this episode, I’m catching you up on Avery’s summer camp experience, a sleep study that uncovered some unexpected news, and the frustration of having her surgery canceled last minute due to a nursing shortage. I’m sharing what we’ve been navigating as a family and how we’re finding ways to keep moving forward, even when things don’t go as planned. *** This podcast was recorded in Garageband and...

In a nutshell this episode is about how brave Avery's parents are for dropping her off at camp. LOL! It's also about Avery's upcoming surgery. And... a bit of a Debbie Downer moment about what I'm worried about and obsessively researching at the moment. I thought I'd share it with you in case you'd like to join me in worrying about this thing that currently, we have no cont...

This camper is headed off to summer camp... sleep away camp! Ohmygod I'm nervous. This is a first for us. But it's going to be great. We've got this. We've done the research and chatted with our friend, Mabels Labels, Julie Cole. Julie shared her expert packing tips and some valuable "camp for newbie parents" insights. Grab your flashlight and some bug spray and let's...

Content Warning: I share some unpleasant/hateful comments left on our Instagram page. This is not what we had planned for our 100th episode. In fact, I had a really creative and "inspiring" episode planned. But for the reasons mentioned in this episode, it didn't happen. So here we are. Please enjoy this episode where we share a few things learned throughout the course of 100 episode...

For Rare Chromosome & Gene Disorder Awareness Day I put on my scientist hat (I'm not a scientist... I barely passed high school chemistry class!) and share... in VERY basic terms... what we've learned about chromosomes and genes and how it all relates to rare genetic disorders like Avery's. *** This podcast was recorded in Garageband and edited by Lisa Thornbury (with assistance fr...

Avery's big brother aka "Bruh" talks about growing up with a sibling who has disabilities. He also shares how he views the future as a 'lion hearted' trustee in Avery's Microboard. *** This podcast was recorded in Garageband and edited by Lisa Thornbury (with assistance from Avery). Read more and find the transcript for this episode at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠averybrightlife.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ . An...

In this ode to Mother's Day and Nurse's week, I share how my mom was the original mama bear (I learned from the best) and talk about nurses and their "secret magic." I also over-share why my husband had to take a flashlight to my undercarriage. 🧐 Avery independently recorded and edited her own jokes this week and recorded a brief segment on what she loves about her mom. 😍 *** T...

If you have a child with developmental disabilities, you might want to check out cheerleading. This sport is active, accessible, inclusive, empowering, highly social, and a lot of fun. In this episode we talk about our experience with cheer and Avery hops on to explain what she loves about this sport. This episode was prerecorded and will air on the day Avery's team competes at the World Cheer...

I'm feeling a little "meh" lately. Not happy, not sad. Just flat. Maybe you can relate? *** This podcast was recorded in Garageband and edited by Lisa Thornbury (with assistance from Avery) Read more and find the transcript for this episode at ⁠⁠⁠averybrightlife.com⁠⁠⁠ . And, come chat with us on social! No seriously, c'mon over! It's fun there. Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@LisaThornbury⁠⁠...

I don't love talking about the dark stuff. But I feel like the more we know, the better prepared we are to protect our vulnerable kids. *Content Warning—not for younger or sensitive listeners. *** This podcast was recorded in Garageband and edited by Lisa Thornbury (with assistance from Avery) Read more and find the transcript for this episode at ⁠⁠averybrightlife.com⁠⁠ . And, come chat with u...