Neuroshambles

The issue of how to navigate sleep with our neurodivergent kids is one of the most requested topics on Neuroshambles, so Mark brought in someone who actually knows what she's talking about. This episode tackles the question that haunts pretty much every household raising neurodivergent kids: how do you get them to sleep, keep them asleep, and stop them waking up at some ungodly hour demanding an a...

Part two of our deep dive into EBSA for neurodivergent children is essential listening for anyone navigating the school avoidance minefield as a parent or carer of a neurodivergent child - whether they are autistic, ADHD, PDA profile, or any combination of the above. Heidi Mavir returns to offer her advice as someone who has lived every corner of this experience - not only in her own life, but als...

If you are a parent or carer of a neurodivergent child, the chances are that school attendance has been a topic that has kept you awake at night. Whether you know it as school refusal, emotionally based school avoidance, or one of a dozen other terms, it is one of the most stressful and isolating things a family can go through. As a neurodivergent parenting podcast, Neuroshambles has been asked ab...

This week we're back with part two of a candid, deep dive into screen time. Last time we covered all the good stuff - the regulation, the social connection, the sense of mastery. This time, we're braving the darker side of the coin. Mark is joined again by Hannah, mum to nine-year-old Henry (autistic, ADHD, PDA profile) and six-year-old Thea (suspected neurotypical). Together they work through the...

Description If you're a parent of a neurodivergent child and you've ever felt quietly judged for your approach to screen time, this episode of Neuroshambles is for you. Mark is joined by Hannah Woods - one of the founders of the Spectrum Squad, a neurodivergent youth group in Penarth, South Wales - to tackle one of the most requested topics the show has ever had: managing screen time with our neur...

If you've ever found yourself having to outline the entire day's schedule before you've even had your first coffee, or negotiating bath time as a sacred non-negotiable human right, this episode might just be the one you didn't know you needed. Mark is joined by the brilliant Jo Matthews for a deep dive into what it really means to be your child's safe person. Whether your neuroshambolic family is...

If you've ever stared at a parenting book and thought "none of this applies to my child whatsoever" - this episode is for you. Mark is joined by comedian, author, and fellow parent-in-the-trenches George Lewis for a proper deep dive into one of the great unspoken challenges of neurodivergent parenting: figuring out who your kid actually is, and how to parent them, when the instruction manual simpl...

Mark is joined by Sam Bayley - founder of mASCot, a Sussex-based parent-to-parent support network for families of autistic, ADHD and PDA children and young adults - for a warm and genuinely uplifting conversation about one of the most important things you can do as a neurodivergent parent: find your people. They dig into why parenting a neurodivergent child can feel so isolating - especially in th...

Mark is joined by returning guest Rebecca Hussain for a hilarious chat about the perils of trying to introduce any kind of hair care routine to our neurodivergent kids. It’s a knotty issue for loads of Neuroshambolic families - whether it's brushing, washing, cutting it or trying to navigate dreaded nit combs. Mark and Rebecca unpick why hair-related stuff can be so dysregulating for our autistic,...

Mark Allen is joined by Terry Lloyd for an honest, insightful and humorous chat about what it feels like to parent neurodivergent kids from a dad’s perspective. They lift the lid on why dads are always “late to the party” when it comes to recognising neurodivergence, struggling to process what it all means, and figuring out how to show up properly for your family - especially when one parent has a...

Episode 50 of this neurodivergent parenting podcast takes a clear, practical look at how families in the UK end up navigating the healthcare system when they suspect their child might be autistic and/or ADHD. Mark is joined by Lucy Pocock, a registered GP and parent of a neurodivergent child, as they pull back the curtain and take a deep dive into how the system works (and why it so often doesn’t)...

If you’ve ever felt like Key Stage 2 at school was when it all got harder - not only for your neurodivergent child, but also for you as a parent - this is the episode for you. Mark is joined by philosophy educator and fellow Neuroshambler Grace Lockrobin for a cathartic look at the ages of 7-11, which is where the wheels can start to wobble more for our autistic, ADHD or PDA kids. Together, they u...

What do we mean when we describe someone as “severely autistic”? Why is it so hard to explain what being autistic actually means? And how useful (or harmful) are terms like high-functioning, low-functioning, profound autism, or even Asperger’s? Kieran Rose returns for a deep dive into the language we use to describe autism - and why it often does more harm than good. He and Mark explore the flaws...

Why won’t our neurodivergent kids just take the bloody Calpol? Michelle Parton joins mark to explore the baffling and emotionally loaded issue of kids who resist medical help. Mark and Michelle swap tales of their kids’ iron-willed resistance to all forms of treatment - even when they’re clearly in pain, bleeding, or itching uncontrollably. Together, they explore the many reasons this might be hap...

In part two of this deep dive into transitions, Mark reunites with Pete Wharmby to look at more reasons they can cause such a monumental challenge for autistic, ADHD and PDA kids (and adults). From difficulties pulling our kids away from screen-time and replacing a broken fridge, to the regular flashpoint of brushing teeth, Mark and Pete share real-life strategies that can make these transitions m...

This episode of Neuroshambles, will resonate will all parents of neurodivergent kids, as Mark discusses difficulties with transition with the wonderful autism advocate, Pete Wharmby. Together, they delve into the messy, stressful, and often misunderstood world of transitions – from seemingly small everyday routines to major life changes. Whether it’s leaving the house, going into school, or prying...

How do you hold down a job when your home life is full-on chaos? Mark is joined by fellow dad Mark Holborow to take a refreshingly honest look at the difficulties of holding down a job, while raising neurodivergent kids and trying (often unsuccessfully) to keep those two worlds from colliding.. They explore the dubious benefits of working from home, burnout, discrimination, and what happens when e...

Why do so many neurodivergent kids swear - loudly, creatively and often at the worst possible moment? Heidi Mavir returns for a lively and cathartic deep dive into swearing. From F-bombs on the trampoline to grandparent-safe alternatives, they explore how language, context, and neurodivergent wiring all shape how (and why) our kids swear. They explore the relationship between swearing and regulati...

The Summer holidays. Six weeks of unstructured time. No routine. No school. Mark and Lisa Galley explore why the this can be such a challenging experience for parents of autistic, ADHD or PDA kids and why the concept of a “relaxing summer” is more often myth than reality. Touching on the common parental feelings of boredom, guilt and the ever-present FOMO, this is a candid, humorous and insightful...

For autistic children - or those with ADHD, PDA, and other forms of neurodivergency, swimming can be simultaneously a magical sensory experience and an absolute logistical nightmare. Hatty Ashdown joins Mark to dive into the deceptively simple but totally chaotic world of swimming. From the infuriating act of trying to get them to swim in the first place, to negotiating the changing room routine,...

Following on from part 1, fan favourite Jo Matthews joins Mark once more for another laughter-filled, cathartic rant through the most mind-bogglingly ill-informed things people have said about raising autistic, ADHD, PDA and otherwise neurodivergent kids. In this episode, Mark and Jo go deeper into strategies for pushing back against ignorance without burning out. They discuss when to educate, whe...

In this episode, Mark is joined once again by the brilliant Jo Matthews for a cathartic, hilarious, and occasionally sweary dive into the unfiltered reality of parenting autistic, ADHD and PDA kids. From "It's just a label" and "He’s fine with me" to "You just need to push them out of their comfort zone", this is part one of a two-part special on the unsolicited commentary we all get, whether it’s...

In this episode, Nicole Bateman joins Mark to explore why neurodivergent kids often struggle to take up hobbies - those wholesome after-school activities that see neurotypical kids flourish… but which, for many parents of autistic, ADHD or PDA kids are either a logistical nightmare, a sensory minefield, or a fast track to public meltdown. Together, they explore the myths, pressures and downright r...

Shopping - whether it’s for clothes, food or shoes - can be a sensory, emotional and logistical nightmare when you’re parenting autistic or ADHD children. Helen Stuart joins Mark to discuss why “just popping to the shops” is a long-held pipedream. They share tales from the front line of their own shopping trip traumas, and discuss how sensory overload, PDA, and unpredictable environments make supe...

Starting school is a big deal for any child – but for neurodivergent children, it can be the beginning of a long and complicated relationship with the education system. Mark is joined by Helen Daniel to explore what happens when the school system isn’t built for your child. They discuss transitions, sensory overload, academic gaslighting and the slow-burning isolation that builds in the school pla...