Not Your Average Autism Mom

Society has certain expectations regarding social norms, which can be challenging for families like ours raising children on the spectrum. We live in a world that values conformity and often overlooks individual differences. Certain unwritten rules govern how we interact, communicate, and behave in society. For neurotypical children, these norms are often picked up naturally through observation an...

Maybe you recently received an autism diagnosis for your child or maybe you’ve been navigating life for however long with your child but you spend a lot of time feeling discouraged and disappointed or maybe even sad, if this is you, this episode is for you. Do you find yourself wishing, hoping, and dreaming your life was different? I want you to know that it is completely normal to have a range of...

I am going to explore some reasons why our children might lie and why it is important for you to recognize when you find yourself feeling betrayed or angry or frustrated when it happens. As parents, we know our children on the spectrum face unique challenges in communication, social understanding, and problem-solving skills. Lying becomes an easier way out for them because it allows them to naviga...

Our life is surrounded by technology. Electronics are a part of everyone’s life but it is important that you understand the negative effects too much screen time can be causing for our children with autism. Some studies suggest that increased screen time in young children is associated with decreased cognitive ability, impaired language development, mood, and autistic-like behavior including hyper...

"BEST OF" SUMMER PODCAST SERIES featuring our most downloaded episodes of all time. We know that in autism our children's repetitive and fixated behaviors are generally the strategies they use to reduce the chaos and minimalize their overload by seeking the predictability and routine of sameness. These are their attempts to decrease their overwhelm from the stimulation and provide so...

This is our "BEST OF" SUMMER PODCAST SERIES featuring our most downloaded episodes of ALL TIME. Raising our children is difficult at times, we know that. When they exhibit often unexpected and disruptive behaviors it can be hard to determine if it is just a phase they are going through or if there is more.  Autism is not a single disorder, but a spectrum of closely related disorders that...

BEST OF SUMMER PODCAST SERIES - Featuring our most downloaded episodes of all time.   This is a HOT topic in the autism world today.  Autism diagnosis or being autistic.   Puzzle piece or no puzzle piece.   Our company name, Not Your Average Autism Mom, and what our values and beliefs are. Who we are and what we do and do not do as a growing company in the autism community.   Do you believe that m...

Assuming competence means recognizing that our children have thoughts, feelings, and dreams just like every other child. But why is assuming competence so crucial? The answer lies in the power of belief. When you believe in your children, you instill in them a sense of self-worth and the confidence to believe in themselves.  Your belief in them becomes a driving force behind their determination, r...

If there’s one thing that I see over and over, it’s like, we know summer is coming, but we’re not prepared for it, and then what do we do? The kids are home, there’s no school, there’s no structure, there’s no routine, and we feel panic. You have to ask yourself, “What it is that you want? What is your big why and what are you committed to doing?” Once you have those questions answered, you have t...

Many typically developing children will do some toe walking prior to age three, but for our children on the spectrum who continue to toe walk past the age of three or four, there may be some cause for concern. Toe walking is fairly common in children on the spectrum. It is a walking pattern in which a child walks primarily on their toes instead of using their entire foot.  One of the most signific...

As a parent coach working exclusively with moms raising autistic children, I continue to see how challenging it can be to explain to other parents and other kids why your child acts and behaves differently. In this episode, I am sharing some ideas to hopefully help make it a little easier for you.  Maybe it’s on the playground.  Maybe it’s at a local restaurant or maybe you are in the line at Targ...

The word “triggered” comes up a lot when I am coaching and I think that understanding the truth about where it comes from will be so helpful for you.  Whatever it is your kid does or doesn't do, that is not what is triggering you. The trigger is coming from a thought you have about what they did or didn't do. If you want to see changes in the way you parent, then you have to figure out wha...

As parents raising autistic children we are all likely very familiar with the challenges that come with language development for our children.  Language is a system of communication that involves words, and grammar, and it allows us to express what we are thinking and feeling, share our thoughts, and connect with others. However, just because someone has language, it doesn't mean they can use...

For many of our children, food-seeking is a constant source of frustration and anxiety.  They may constantly ask for food, even when they have just eaten, or they may fixate on specific foods or textures and exclude all others.  Sometimes, no matter how much they eat, they never seem to feel full, which can lead to weight gain and other health issues. Many children with autism have a heightened se...

In this episode, I am talking about the importance of finding the balance between helping and controlling our children on the spectrum.   As parents, it's natural to want to protect and care for our children, and for parents of autistic children like us, this is even more true. However, there's a fine line between helping and controlling.  It's important to recognize when we're doi...

This is a topic that many parents avoid like the plague but listen, it is important and especially for our children who are easily influenced, and to be honest, they can be very vulnerable. The truth is that many of us can’t imagine our child going thru puberty since maybe their chronological age isn’t aligned with their cognitive age or abilities. All children go through puberty regardless of the...

Transitions refer to changes that occur in a child's routine or environment, such as moving from one activity to another, changing locations, or starting a new school year. Transitions can be challenging for many children, but they can be especially difficult for autistic children. There are many reasons for this that I talk about in this episode. -Executive functioning -Difficulty with flexib...

As women and mothers, we are beating ourselves up way too much and way too often and the reason that is happening is that we create stories and we have these beliefs about how life should be or how you should be doing this or not doing that or how nothing ever goes right and you are failing in so many areas of your life and parenting. Ever felt that way? That is why I did this episode because this...

How do you handle those unpredictable and sometimes explosive moments without losing your ever-loving mind? The good news is that there are some strategies that I am going to talk about in this episode, but on the flip side, the bad news is that there will probably be times when absolutely none of these strategies will work, nothing will work, and that mama, that is just autism. Aggression, unfort...

This episode is all about interrupting conversations. I’m going to talk about some reasons why our kids do it, why it seems more difficult for them than it does for their typical peers, and most importantly, how you can help them to develop this skill. They often will interrupt a conversation to share random facts they know that may not even pertain to the topic of conversation.  The concept...

Does your child struggle to pay attention? Do they have challenges with following multi-step directions? Do they lose track of what they are supposed to do? Or have difficulty applying what they know in different settings? Appear very distracted or like they are daydreaming? If any of those things sound familiar, today’s episode may just be enlightening for you, or I hope it is anyways.  One...

I asked this question a million times if not more along this journey.  Is their behavior a result of their autism or just bad behaviors and how can we discipline them if their behaviors are a result of their autism?  So many moms I have worked with through the years say this is their biggest challenge.   The reason we discipline our children is not to punish or embarrass our childre...

Our kids often have difficulty navigating social situations, yet, this skill is necessary for all aspects of social interactions, and maintaining relationships so then it is up to us, to you, to their team to help them build these skills.   Much of the problem is that they miss the non-verbal social cues like body language and facial expressions and then add to that, their inability to unders...

Here is something that most parents don’t know, most parents don’t know that they have an option if the school says no.  Unfortunately, all schools and school districts don’t always do what is in your child’s best interest. When you have a child who will require additional educational support, learning and understanding special education isn’t optional, it is necessary. So you have to be will...

Playtime for our kids can look a lot different than it does for their typical peers.  Many of our children have social and communication deficits that are noticeable at an early age, and their ability to learn from their peers is significantly impacted. While our kids may not always use toys the way others would, you can help them expand what they are focused on if you play with them.  J...