Full Spectrum Parent: Christian Autism Support | Special Needs Parenting | Faith & Autism Resources

Glass children are the typical kids in a special needs family who often feel invisible because their parents are consumed with caring for their special needs sibling. If both kids were standing side-by-side, the parents often see right through the typical child, as if they are made of glass.  In Episode 79, we share the struggles we have had attending to the needs of our three typical children whe...

Pregnancy is a an exciting time. Future parents throw the baby shower, study “What to Expect When You’re Expecting”, and dream about their tiny soon-to-be-bundle. But what happens when things don’t go as expected? Rachelle Keng is an author, a special needs mom, and a board-certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist.  As an OBGYN, she has cared for women through normal pregnancies and she has also ca...

As parents, we often develop a savior complex.  We want to protect our kids from harm, provide for their every need, and teach them everything that they need to know. But no parent—no matter how great—can be everything to everyone.  In Episode 77, Becky Beresford joins us to share how, as an autism mom, God has moved her from a place of self reliance to God dependence.  If you’re tired of trying t...

As parents, we want to push our kids to be the best they can be.  But as special needs parents, it’s hard to determine what the best looks like for our kids. Oftentimes. when our kids lag behind in their milestones and it’s easy to give up hope.  In Episode 76, we talk candidly about setting realistic expectations for our kids on the spectrum as we define the difference between GIVING UP and GIVIN...

Jessica’s book, Unlimited Motherhood hits shelves March 19th, so we decided to give listeners a peek behind the veil of publishing.  In Episode 75, Jessica shares how writing was never on her radar and how God lead her to abandon her plans of teaching and start ministering through the written word. Jess also shares the miraculous ways God is moving in the weeks and months before the book releases...

Hiddenness is not something that is often talked about in parenting, but the truth is, parenting young children or special needs kids can often cause you to feel isolated and alone.  In Episode 74, in honor of Jessica’s upcoming book, we share about our hidden season. Rather than fighting it, we offer four tips on how you as parents can learn to embrace this season for all it’s worth.  If you want...

Parenting is the hardest job on the planet and if you are blessed to have a partner to tackle this feat with, you want to both be on the same page.   In Episode 73, we offer four tips that we have applied in our own parenting journey to ensure we are working as a unified front to raise our kids well. Also, in Honor of Valentine’s Day we’re giving away $100 gift card to TJMaxx and a $50 gift card t...

Entering a New Season: We are launching a new season on the Full Spectrum Parent Podcast and we thought we’d talk about just that—seasons.  As parents, seasons come and go, and each season we encounter blessings and challenges.  In Episode 72, we share how God has promised us a season of joy and how often the enemy tries to rob us of that joy. While sharing an update on our life and kids, we encou...

Parenting tests us, tries us, and reveals our character. Some seasons are full of joy and excitement, while other seasons are dry and barren. But how do we navigate the seasons when we have nothing left to give as a parent?   In Episode 71, Faith Eury Cho shares candidly about her own wilderness season. Rather than allowing bitterness to seep in, Faith pressed into God and found a friendship with...

Marriages that weather the storms of life are a rarity. When we throw in the demands of caring for a child with special needs, most marriages just don’t make it.  We know as parents we need to invest in our spouse, but how do we do that when so much of our attention is devoted to our children with special needs? In Episode 70, we interviewed Todd and Kristin Evans on how they cultivate a healthy m...

Last week my daughter snagged a copy of the Amazon Christmas catalog and began circling almost every toy on every page. I cringed because as a Christian parent, one of the virtues we all want to instill in our kids is gratitude. In Episode 69, boy mom, author and podcaster, Laurie Christine shares practical tips on how she cultivates a heart of gratitude in her kids.  Check out Laurie’s free print...

Sensory Processing Disorder is a condition where the brain has trouble receiving and responding to information that comes through the senses.  In Episode 68, we discuss our kid’s sensory challenges and the tips and tricks along the way we have picked up. Full Spectrum Parent is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual guidance to help you grow into the per...

In Episode 67, we answer a listener's parenting question. This episode's question: How to deal with your teenagers starting to be attracted to people, go on dates, and have crushes?   Full Spectrum Parent is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network.     To find practical and spiritual guidance to help you grow into the perfectly imperfect parent you want to be visit www. Christian...

In Episode 66, we answer a listener's parenting question. This episode's question: How do you handle anxiety with younger children? Full Spectrum Parent is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual guidance to help you grow into the perfectly imperfect parent you want to be visit www. ChristianParenting.org

Hope is a tricky word. We desperately want to have hope for our futures, but what do we do when our lives don’t go as planned?  In Episode 65, we share three lessons God has taught us on our autism journey and how God can breathe hope back into yours. Also, Jessica’s book, Unlimited Motherhood: Overcome 12 Limits that Overwhelm and Conflict our Hearts is now available for preorder on Amazon.  If y...

Tonight, I found myself hiding in my car in the Walmart parking lot eating one too many sea-salted caramels.  We all have moments of overwhelm as moms and sometimes it’s good to bare our souls and be honest about it. In Episode 64, I share five confessions as a mom with a child on the spectrum and how God loves to show up in the middle of our fear and vulnerability.  Full Spectrum Parent is a part...

In the Spring of 2014, I had my first panic attack. I was caring for five kids at the time, three of them were still in diapers. But it wasn’t just the demand of parenting that brought me to the brink of a mental breakdown. It was my backward thinking when it came to topics like self-care and self-denial.  In Episode 63, we share candidly how we have learned to lay down our lives for our kids whil...

The smell of fresh sharpened pencils is in the air… We all know what that means, BACK TO SCHOOL! Back-to-school season is stressful for every family, but special needs parenting takes it up a notch. In Episode 62, we share five back-to-school tips for parents to consider if they have kids on the spectrum. Also, make sure you enter our $200 Back-to-School Giveaway. We are giving away $200 worth of...

In Episode 61, we answer a listener's parenting question. This episode's question: How do I teach my soft-hearted child to be tough when people are mean? Full Spectrum Parent is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual guidance to help you grow into the perfectly imperfect parent you want to be visit www. ChristianParenting.org  

Back when my daughter was first diagnosed with autism, I would have never admitted that I struggled with depression. I would just say I didn’t want to get out of bed in the morning. But as a parent, that was never an option.  In Episode 60, we wrap up our 4-part series titled, “Anxiety, Depression, Grief, and Keeping the Faith” by candidly sharing our struggles with depression and how we have lear...

In Episode 59, we answer a listener’s parenting question.   This episode’s question:   How do you parent multiple kids when they have such a variety of needs when all you hear from them is “that is not fair!” Full Spectrum Parent is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual guidance to help you grow into the perfectly imperfect parent you want to be visit w...

In Episode 58, we continue our 4-part series titled: Anxiety, Depression, Grief, and Keeping the Faith. In this episode, we discuss grief with Lisa Appelo, a mom of seven, regarding the unexpected loss of husband. Lisa Appelo inspires women to deepen faith in life’s storms and is an ECPA best-selling author of Life Can Be Good Again: Putting Your World Back Together After It All Falls Apart.  A fo...

In Episode 57, we answer a listener’s parenting question.   This episode’s question:   “What is your opinion on the rest of the family doing something—like a vacation—that your child on the spectrum is unable to do? Is it wrong to leave them behind?” Full Spectrum Parent is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual guidance to help you grow into the perfect...

Admitting you struggle with anxiety is hard—especially in Christian circles.  Oftentimes, people give cliche answers like “trust God” and “pray more.”  But the Bible doesn’t tell us to hide our anxiety, rather we are reminded to cast our worries upon Jesus. (1 Peter 5:7) In Episode 56, we continue our  4-part series titled: Anxiety, Depression, Grief, and Keeping the Faith. In this episode, we dis...

In Episode 55, we answer a listener’s parenting question.   This episode’s question:   “How do you inspire your special needs kids to own their faith? My husband and I have two boys with autism, and we want nothing more than for them to know that their true hope is in Jesus.” Full Spectrum Parent is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual guidance to help...