Moms Talk Autism Podcast

This is the final installment on our version of the stages of grief. We bring it all together and discuss what happens during and after the process of grieving an autism diagnosis. You've reached a level of acceptance and peace...now what?  There is a wheel of adaptation in relation to grief, broken down into four hemispheres, all intersecting and overlapping. This concept was first presented in t...

The idea of acceptance can give the false impression that everything is ok or that you are not struggling anymore. A better way to look at acceptance is that you have reached a certain level of resolve or can see the reality of your life for what it is now. In this episode, we talk about the first time we reached a level of acceptance with our autistic children and how we strive to come back to th...

Depression is an appropriate response to processing any kind of grief. It is often portrayed as unnatural, something to be fixed, or to get rid of as quickly as possible. The truth is, it would be unusual NOT feel it. There are times and circumstances when a longer period of depression may be part of your life and having discernment to recognize and know when you are depressed is essential to your...

This stage usually goes hand and hand with feelings of guilt, whether or not those feelings are well founded or not. A frequent thought in this stage is the "if only" statement: "If only I would have done THIS, than THAT would have never happened", etc. Bargaining can last a while as we sort through our emotions. It can also be fleeting thoughts that come and go as we begin to process our child's...

On to the next phase of grief: ANGER! When we think of anger, we tend to associate it with being vexed or upset with others. The closer we are to someone emotionally, the more anger we can feel towards them. It's also important to remember that anger can be directed towards ourselves. This is an important part of grief, allowing time for us to feel, acknowledge, and process. It's not the best plac...

Denial: It’s the first stage of grief and it can be a sneaky, tricky thing. Most people think of denial as being bad, but truthfully, denial can fill an important role as protector. Denial can give a semblance of control when confronted with situations that are unknown or overwhelming. It allows us time to adjust and grow while grieving. Listen in as we dive into all things denial and our personal...

Let's talk all about back to school transitions! We'll discuss how we prepare not only the little things, like school supplies and clothes, but some of the bigger tasks like IEP reviews, transportation services, and working with new teachers. It's hard to get our kiddos back into the routine of early bedtimes and morning wake ups. Hopefully this will give you some great ideas and time to get your...

You have all heard the cliches about comparing ourselves to others and we know it can be quite harmful if not in check. In this episode, we have a raw conversation, just scratching the surface really, about contrast in the autism community. There are so many different ways to compare: families, abilities, parenting styles, behaviors, the list goes on and on. We've all done it and we're hear to tal...

Join us and our guest, Catherine Michael, as we continue the conversation of educating our kids and the barriers we face. Catherine Michael JD, has spent more than twenty years working with thousands of families, behavior therapists, psychologists, parents, and teachers on designing success for children with special needs.  She is the managing partner of the Connell Michael Kerr, LLP law firm and...

How do you get to a point where you can leave your special needs child with another adult? How do we feel comfortable doing so? What steps can we take to help our kids, and let's be honest, ourselves, feel like we can trust others to care for our kids?  Today, we have Doug Crabtree (Brittney's husband) on to discuss some of these questions and more. Trusting others is a daunting task and can take...

Special Guest Alert! We are thrilled to have Charley Qaqa on the podcast with Brittney today. Charley has three children, two diagnosed with Fragile X Syndrome, a genetic disorder closely related to autism. She and her family have also lived outside the United States and experienced special needs services abroad. Charley talks about the early years, life in Fiji, and the decision to move back to t...

Proper sleep is elusive to so many special needs families! Join us as we chat about our own kids' sleep histories (thus far) and what we have done to try to not only help them sleep better, but help ourselves catch a few more zzzz's. There isn't a one size fits all perfect answer, but there are a few things we have learned along the way. How's your sleep schedule going right now?  Instagram: @moms...

We have a special guest on the show with us this week! Brittney and Jane have been friends for over a decade, their autistic boys have been in the same preschool and elementary special eduation classrooms through the years. The moms get together often to check up on each other and the boys' progress. We hope you enjoy learning more about Jane's journey with her son, Alex, and how both she and Brit...

We're talking all things siblings in this episode! We offer our perspectives on our kiddo's sibling relationships. How do our neurotypical and neurodivergent kids interact and live in the same space?  We'll also share some ideas on how we as parents can tend relationships with each of our children, making sure they feel special in their connection to us. Instagram: @momstalkautism Email: hello@mom...

We are ALL about inclusion over here at Moms Talk Autism. We want to include our kids in everything we can and we want others to do the same. There are times, however hard it is to make that call, where it just may not be best to to bring our kids. Whether it's due to environmental factors, safety concerns, upsetting others around us, or you know they just wouldn't enjoy the event, we have to make...

The last of our Mom Bonus series this month. Come listen to Brittney's story. Mom of four, two with autism. Instagram: @momstalkautism Email: hello@momstalkautism.com   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's hard enough to care for our children in the comfort of our own homes, surrounded by familiar objects, food, and routines. It's asking way too much to expect us to take our kids on vacation. Traveling...no way!  It is really difficult, and not every experience out in the great, big world is going to go well. It is vitally important for our families to go out on excursions and experience the go...

A bonus episode all about our girl Tash! She is fiesty, loyal, warm, loving, and ready to have real talk about anything and everything. Tash is married to her husband, Tyler, and they have two amazing kids, Jack and Sloan, along with their angel baby, Jameson.  Tash's energy is infectious. Her love of life, Christ, and plant care is strong and very inspiring to all of us. Have a listen and learn m...

We're answering listener questions today! Over the last few weeks, we've been collecting your questions through emails and social media. We can't wait to dive and discuss, let's go! If you have a question or topic you'd like to hear us talk about in a future episode, contact us here: Instagram: @momstalkautism Email: hello@momstalkautism.com   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adsw...

Shanny Shan Shan...first responder's wife, Jill of all trades, and mother of all mothers!  This lady truly is extraordinary at all things, but she truly shines as a mom. She loves her girls more than anything and is fierce in her advocacy for them. Shannon is all about self-care, especially in the form of moving your body daily. She believes that when we fill our cups first, we can adequately pour...

To medicate or not to medicate...that is the question! Brittney, Jean, and Tash talk about  looking into over the counter and perscription medications for their autistic children. What works for one child won't necessarily work for another, but hearing our experiences will hopefully shed some light if you are considering medications now or in the future.  Disclaimer: we are not doctors or trained...

Jean: a simple name, complex in nature. Many of us walk into parenthood with our "stuff". It shades and colors our lens when seeing our child’s diagnosis. Jean wanted an exceptional child and the universe delivered an extraordinary, beautiful, autistic son.  Gone were the days of the fast-paced, creative life in hospitality.  She carried her intensity and advocacy into a new life; one focused on s...

How do we manage our child's exceptional needs AND our own health, specifically mental health? It's a question we strive to answer in this episode. We share our own personal experiences, struggles, and successes in this area of our lives. We would love to hear your thoughts on this VERY important topic. Instagram: @momstalkautism Email: hello@momstalkautism.com   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz c...

Dad's Talk Autism Final Bonus Eposide! In our final April Dad installment, we will hear from Jay: husband to Shannon and father to Gracie and Maya. Jay gives another view of our interesting, and sometimes challenging, parent life. He's honest and you'll never have to wonder where he stands on any topic. Jay also dives into a subject that Shannon hasn't shared on the podcast: his adult autism diagn...

An autism diagnosis can be life chaning for your child. It can also greatly impact your family and what the future holds for family planning. In this episode, we tell our personal stories of when we decided to have or not have more children after diagnosis. It's a very personal decision and we hope hearing our stories will help you along your family's autism journey. Instagram: @momstalkautism Ema...