Neurodiverse Family Life - Reclaiming Self-Care For Moms | Self-Care, Autism, Sensory Overload

Do you feel burned out — in a desert of energy — while your daily roles and tasks haven't changed? How do you recover? There are two steps you can take to begin reversing over-functioning and invest in yourself.   📩 Connect with me: Instagram  or  Facebook   If you are enjoying this episode and want more encouragement like this, make sure to join my  email list . Plus, you will be in the loop for...

You love so many of the quirky differences you see in your family, yet there are challenges with your marriage and raising your child(ren) your friends don't experience.  I'm guessing you have researched online and read books to understand the uniqueness of your famly and how to help them.  And you keep coming back to the question, are my husband and child autistic?  While I am not trained to diag...

In some neurdiverse marriages as spouse can be perplexed, unable or unwilling to meet their wife's needs.  What should you do? Ignore your needs and keep pushing on?  I am sharing how I found investing into these five areas of my self-care helped tremendously.    Want more encouragement like this? Join my  email list . Plus, you will be in the loop for my soon-to-launch planner designed to help yo...

As the end of year approaches, naturally we reflect on the past year and contemplate the potential joys and struggles for the upcoming New Year. Your emotions can swing from sweet and bitter as you reflect on the year. It seems easier to hit the fast forward button and ignore your emotions and challenges. When you do take a moment to reflect, over time amazing growth can occur. I have two vital qu...

Your husband has many good qualities but during Christmas time the seasonal sensory overload and changes in routine can cause many men to forget the mental load their wives carry this time of year.  Christmas gifts can be bought without thought or forgotten completely. Managing all the usual family responsibilities while adding extra holiday activities can be exhausting. So let's focus on you, you...

Creating time for our own self-care means we have a plan for those sick days with our sensory challenged kids.  Here is part 2 of my specific remedies for stuffy nose, earaches, sore throats and chapped lips/nose.    ❤️‍🩹  Self - Care Coaching Available Resources:  If you are enjoying this episode and want more encouragement like this, make sure to join my  email list . Plus, you will be in the l...

It’s never fun being sick, especially for kids. When your child has sensory challenges, a simple cold can turn into a search of remedies that don’t send them running. In this two-part series, I’m sharing some of my favorite approaches, beginning with immune-boosting options to help prevent illness or shorten the time you and your kids are sick. Remember having a plan for sick days is a form of sel...

At first the frustrations, misunderstanding and unmet needs slowly build up and are easier to ignore.  However, over time, these thoughts can become overwhelming and all you can see are the problems, the differences and the lonelienss. Added onto these overwhleming feelings are the holidays and the last thing your interested in is celebrating. Toxic positivity isn't the answer to this hopelessness...

As the seasons change and holiday tasks start to pile up, do you find yourself spending most days stuck inside? With more to do, it’s easy to slip into working longer hours. In more ways than one, that stagnant routine can take a toll on both your physical and mental health. I believe taking the tiniest of steps will add up for our good, so join me for Week 3 of preparing our mind and bodies befor...

All the "should do" tasks on our list multiplies with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and all the festivities in between. On one hand, we hold onto our idealized vision of a joyful holiday season, but on the other hand, we're faced with the stark reality of the bittersweet challenges our family is navigating. Usually as a wife and mom, we focus on keeping the peace to our detriment. I am encouraging you...

I love Thanksgiving and Christmas, the whole holiday season. So many special traditions. These were moments I’ve always looked forward to sharing with my future family. Life shifted as I realized the holiday season with a neurodiverse husband and kids meant unique challenges I wasn't prepared for. That's why prioritizing your and my self-care is crucial. Join me for a special 4-week series where w...

I was told ALL THE TIME to get better sleep by health providers but no one could really provide me a guide, except "go to bed earlier".  Not helpful in my situation and likely not yours either. From years of frustration, here are my tips to slowly transforming your sleep.  A shout out to Heidi and Thaddeus from Dreamwalkerz whose videos have helped tremendously. Resources: All of these glasses I p...

I am a big fan of having a game plan for the unique challenges we face in neurodiverse families.  But for many years I was stuck in the middle (with no plan) between my husband's needs for a quieter home and my kids being endless energy bunnies. Over many conversations, strategies and practices we began finding success using these steps.     Connect with me: Instagram or Facebook   If you are enjo...

Have you ever been so tired that you started crying out of sheer exhaustion—but the situation was so ridiculous you couldn’t help but laugh too? It's obvious everyone is at their limit in your family, so what do you do? Here are two routines we use in our family for moments exactly like this.   Connect with me: Instagram or Facebook   If you are enjoying this episode and want more encouragement li...

If five minutes to yourself is as rare as an albino deer, this chat is for you. While most of us would love a spa day, often it is not a feasible option. But with a little creativity and intentionality, we can still find little moments to relieve the constant pressure we frequently feel.   Connect with me: 💌 Instagram or Facebook   If you are enjoying this episode and want more encouragement like...

I really wanted to meal plan, I knew it would save time and money. However, it seemed impossible to plan meals for myself, husband and kids would eat, especially considering the sensory challenges. After many years of trial and error (and lots of wasted food), I found success when I ditched mainstream ideas for these solutions.     Connect with me: Instagram or Facebook   If you are enjoying this...

Are meals always a battle in your home? Feel caught between feeding picky eaters but also serving a balanced meal? I am sharing the methods I used to slowly change our challenging meal time.   Connect with me: Instagram or Facebook   If you are enjoying this episode and want more encouragement like this, make sure to join my email list . Plus, you will be in the loop for my soon-to-launch planner...

After this week's news conference on autism and possible causes, I am sharing encouragement to you Momma.  This chat will be helpful in processing the emotions and questions these discussions can bring up.    Connect with me: Instagram or Facebook   If you are enjoying this episode and want more encouragement like this, make sure to join my email list . Plus, you will be in the loop for my soon-to...

Previously, I didn't consider the cost of overfunctioning and pushing myself to beyond my limits to rise to the challenges facing my neurodiverse family.  I didn't realize beside the cost to myself, there was a cost to my family.  I hope this episode inspires you to pause, reflect, and consider other options.   Resources: Pause App Julia Ada Jim Wilder -  Life Model and Resources   Connect with me...

How we respond after losing our cool or making mistakes with our kids truly matters. Blaming, shaming, or ignoring can damage our relationships, so it’s important to be intentional in those moments. In this episode, I share tips on how to restore and reconnect with your kids.   Connect with me: Instagram or Facebook   If you are enjoying this episode and want more encouragement like this, make sur...

Once you know your warning signs (see Episode 36), what do you do if your at a critical level and limited time available for self-care? Let's be real, some days you and I may only have 5-10 minutes, so here is my suggestions for emergency self-care. Connect with me: Instagram or Facebook If you are enjoying this episode and want more encouragement like this, make sure to join my email list . Plus,...

Would it be great if you knew beforehand that your self-care gauge is dangerously low and your ability to carry out your roles is at risk? Today, I'm sharing the four signs I personally watch for in myself.   Connect with me: Instagram or Facebook   If you are enjoying this episode and want more encouragement like this, make sure to join my email list . Plus, you will be in the loop for my soon-to...

When I began adding this supplement to my and my family's health, I found success in a couple of key areas.  I hope this sparks some ideas for yourself and your families health.   Resources: Adult version of the supplement Kid version - also has a powdered version to add to drinks Connect with me: Instagram or Facebook   If you are enjoying this episode and want more encouragement like this, make...

Big emotions and big responses seems to be a common situation in neurodiverse families. These intense emotional reactions can become challenging when small problems trigger disproportionately big responses. These two tips have helped our whole family process these moments better. Resources: Feeling chart for kids Anger Iceburg Kids Communicatin Chart Teens/Adults Communication Chart ThriveToday Em...

Ever have a crazy moment where everyone around you is melting down and you reach your limit and you explode? If so, I have a practical strategy for you, your spouse and your kids. Resources: Chris Coursey Video on Quieting 5 Minute Self-Care Reset Guide   Connect with me: Instagram or Facebook   If you are enjoying this episode and want more encouragement like this, make sure to join my email list...