aVERY BRIGHT LIFE

Our goal as parents is to give our kids the skills they'll need to live as independently as possible. In this episode we share four fabulous tools that help do just that. We chat about: Smart Watches and air tags D isability I ntroduction C ards Mydoh (this episode's awesome sponsor!)  PFOs aka " P lanted F riendly O bservers" These tools make up part of our ever growing Life Skills Toolkit ....

The title doesn't explain what this episode is about at all. I'm terrible at titles. This episode is about how freaking hard it is to let our disabled teens shop or run errands independently. I give examples of WHY it's problematic (and dangerous at times) and what we're doing to make it work.  Here's the Insta Reel where I follow Avery and her friends to the store so she can shop independent...

Five friends join in on this episode to share some of the remarks made about them in the past that have been impossible to shake. We should never be commenting on people's bodies, appearances, mannerisms, differences or anything really.  This is also the episode where I talk about how to effectively and respectfully address our kids' questions about differences when we're out in public. And I...

Disability mamas and parents in general have a lot going on and we don't have a lot of extra mental space to work with. This episode is about the 10 ways I've found to help clear out some of the clutter and free up some much needed head space. * Adult Language Gift Hiding Hack **** This podcast was recorded in Garageband and edited by Lisa Thornbury. Read more and find the transcript for this epis...

Sometimes parents of kids with disabilities, or all parents I'm assuming, struggle with when it's appropriate to step in and went to step back. I personally really struggle with this. These are my thoughts about when stepping in is helpful for our kids and peers who might need some insight into how to interact positively with people with disabilities. And when we should step back and let our kids...

Reflections on some self-care attempts—exposing which went well and which crashed and burned. This episode is longer than most, but I had a lot to talk about. Not all of it is flattering, but nobody wants sunshine all the time. Some days it rains. Which helps the flowers grow, er, whatever. You know what I mean. LOL!  Links mentioned in this episode: Self-Care for Caregivers How-To  The...

We're back from summer hiatus and we have loads to tell you! This episode begins with updates... what happened this summer (and there was a lot) and ends with our FIVE whys. WHY do we do this podcast. Like for real, what's the point? Plus, that biiiiiiiiiig announcement. The suspense, right? :)  As mentioned in this episode, here are the creators to check out: Kathy Buckworth - Instagram / Go...

We're taking a SUMMER BREAK! We'll be back with brand new episodes in the fall. This final episode before taking a much needed pool side popsicle break is about why we ALL need a break and how feeling burned out and bitey is something so many of us are feeling right about now.  See you back here September 1st!  **** This podcast was recorded in Garageband and edited by Lisa Thornbury. Re...

Is it rude to discuss somebody's disability? Maybe in some cases. But not when the discussion is intended to educate your kids about what a particular disability might involve. When people, kids especially, are rude or judgmental, it’s usually coming from a place of fear. I’ve found a great remedy for fear is to simply provide a little understanding and context. By knowing what’s up, the fear disa...

I wanted to call this episode "Genes, Genes, What Do They Means?" But I'm keeping it serious. Well, serious-ish. This is a quick and dirty explanation of what DNA is, what genes do, and how chromosomes work—with a bit about how rare chromosome disorders can occur and specifically, what Avery's rare chromosome deletion and duplication syndrome looks like.  Full Disclosure. I am not a scientist...

.... and, should we tell our older kids with intellectual disabilities the truth about S. Claus, the E. Bunny and the gang?? And if so, how?  This episode is about that AND how we celebrated Christmas in May 2019 when I nearly ruined future holiday magic forever.  *Content Warning: Not for kids... sensitive info.  **** This podcast was recorded in Garageband and edited by Lisa Thorn...

School is Avery's happy safe place. So for her to come home the other day, distraught and scared and worried about going back, it was upsetting. This is the story of her terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.  *Content Warning: Not for kids. Violence.  **** This podcast was recorded in Garageband and edited by Lisa Thornbury. Read more and find the transcript for this episode at aver...

It isn’t easy to change our perspective and stay positive. It’s way easier to focus on all negative stuff. And man, there's a lot. Especially right now. This episode is about how we can actively change our perspective and reshape our reality, including the challenges we face as disability families. Here is the link to the EXCELLENT study I talked about in this episode: Strength in Diversity: Posit...

Sometimes we're all a little (or a lot) negative. Of course we are. I mean, have you looked around lately? There is some STUFF happening. There's also some stuff happening in our house right now too. Nothing we can't manage but holy man, it takes a toll. So, in this "keepin' it real" episode, I share a bit about what's going on over here in the format of a game we used to play with the kids. The g...

*Content Warning: some rather traumatic content about a child (my child) choking.  This episode is about why children, kids with disabilities in particular, choke. And also, what we as caregivers can do to keep our kids as safe as possible.  **** This podcast was recorded in Garageband and edited by Lisa Thornbury. Read more and find the transcript for this episode at averybrightlife.com...

As soon as I feel like I have a handle on the terminology in the disability community, I come across something new. Like "Glass Children." I'd never heard of this until a few months ago. In this episode I share a bit about who Glass Children are and what parents and the community at large can do to help make sure that kids with disabled siblings feel SEEN and heard.  Jamie Guterman's TED Talk...

Ever hosted a puppy party? How about a dog wedding? Just me? I know, it's a bit out there. But isn't that what we do as parents? I feel like I've lost that creative, silly side this past few years. A pandemic will do that. So I thought I'd share the old "fun" dog wedding planner, puppy party host Lisa. Just FUR fun. Oh and in case you were wondering who let the dogs out? I did.  This episode...

Part of working toward inclusion, includes talking about exclusion—where it comes from and how it feels. Disability advocates like me talk a big talk. But, I haven't always been a shining example of inclusion. My history includes plenty of ableism. Sharing my missteps doesn’t paint me in the most flattering light, but exposing our flaws and our subsequent growth can be one way to uncover hidden bu...

A resounding welcome and happy hello to our new listeners! This episode begins with a brief intro about who we are and what this podcast is about. We then move into a medical update and some thoughts about how as parents, our identities are so tightly connected to our kid's diagnoses—whether we mean it to be or not.  **** Living With The Fear of SUDEP : https://averybrightlife.com/living-with...

I thought it might be cool to go 'viral' on social media. And then we did. And now I'm not so sure it's all that it's cracked up to be. Though there's no adult language in this episode, it still has an E xplicit rating because there are topics around online bullying and derogatory comments that are not meant for little ears.  In this episode mom Lisa explains how an Instagram reel that went v...

What?! How has it been a year already? In this retrospective anniversary episode we look back over our first year of mama/daughter podcasting—highlighting some of our favourite episodes and we sharing why we started this "journey" in the first place.  Thank you SO MUCH for sticking with us this year; for commenting, sharing and for just making us feel so dang good.  Here's to another yea...

I'm an inquisitive person. I'm also nosy. I like to know things about people. But, I'm not a jerk about it. I don't make unwelcome comments about people I don't know or ask them personal questions. So why do some people feel it's okay to cross that line when it comes to disabled children? I've been asked, "What's wrong with her?" and "Why does she talk like that?" and other equally rude questions...

Sometimes, for whatever reason—bad weather, an illness or simply isolating due to, let's say... a virus, you might have to stay home for a bit. And when that happens, it stinks. But, we came up with a list of socially distanced and/or at home activities that can make it stink a lot less.  This episode begins with our recent brush with Covid and the resulting quarantine which lead to how we ca...

Life for women can pose challenges that men might not have to deal with. And life for disabled women can include extra difficulties and dangers. This episode outlines some of those obstacles. We also share ten things we are doing now to develop skills that will help Avery live a more independent life as she gets older.  Shower Belt **** This podcast was recorded in Garageband and edited by Li...

It's PURPLE month so we're devoting the first ABL episode in March to the subject of epilepsy. This episode starts with a personal update. Then we share some "fast facts" about epilepsy before diving into some listener questions. But, the sweet spot of this episode starts at 21 minutes in—where some of Avery's favourite people in the world share what epilepsy means to them. It's... 💜! Links menti...