Special Needs Supermom podcast

Imagine you are an anxious kid, set in his or her ways. Now combine that with the festive season. First there is Halloween, one parade of darkness filled with creepy masks. Then comes Thanksgiving, long travels in a cramped place - lots of family that says you need to interact (because it’s fun!) and ‘that you just have to act normal (what’s that?)’. After which that creepy elf suddenly appears at...

Homework. As a kid I was easily distracted and had a hard time focusing. But that was nothing compared to the challenges I saw with my autistic wonderboy and my dyslexic supergirl. Having to do homework for half an hour is impossible if you can’t grasp the concept of time. And there is no chance you can solve a math problem if reading the instructions is a challenge all by itself. But Thank God th...

You often hear people say they knew something was wrong from the early stages. And how they had to fight the system and often family too, to get a diagnosis and help. Listener Melody asked how this was for us. Well, in our case it was the opposite. We saw a wonderboy that looked just like his parents. Having a lot of fantasy and only interested in playing with one thing we didn’t see the problem (...

Have a kid that doesn’t grasp time? Has no sense of which month it is, or which one follows after the other? Doesn’t get that if he sleeps in until noon breakfast = lunch? During summer holidays is completely lost and freaks out if you mention school will start in 4 weeks, or 2 days? This episode is about how your dreamer can go from lost in space to master of the universe. And how that will set h...

Have you gone loco yet during your staycation? Or were you lucky enough to be able to escape for a while? If not, here are some great tips to make the end of this weird summer a fun adventure! At home. Start with everybody’s expectations - see what is doable and what and how to bring those vacation adventures and vibes to your house - and pencil them into a calendar! Have a great staycation!  

Summer holidays can be a challenge. This year maybe even more than before. Whether you have special needs kids or not. Whether you’re staying at home or are able to go on a trip. This episode is about how to keep sane and not become your kids’ personal holiday entertainment planner. How everybody can have quality fun time, including you as a mom! 

Part 2 of the Grieving Series. As special needs parents, we are constantly confronted with the limitations the special need brings, the uncertain future and more. It can be a relief when there is finally a diagnosis. But at the same time, it is sad as well. In this episode I talk to grief coach, Tammy Faulds from www.innertravelcoaching.com , about how personal and individual grief is, how to reco...

Did you ever think about getting help for you? And I don’t mean like therapy, but support for your everyday activities? This podcast is actually inspired by my interview with Laura Hernandez of Mamasystems. When she talked about having a babysitter drive her special needs kids to therapy, because her time is more valuable spent at home with the other kids… my mind was blown. And it started me thin...

Feeling overwhelmed with all that's on your plate? Get inspired by Laura Hernandez, a supermom of 10 kids, of whom 3 are adopted and have prenatal alcohol syndrome. She homeschools 5 of her kids and has her own business! Did I mention she still has a weekly date night and has time for herself? Get inspired and uplifted by hearing Laura’s story, how systems brought calm and order to her home,...

Jessica Temple is a neuro psychologist and a young mom of two special needs boys, 4-year old Benji who is on the autistic spectrum and almost 2-year old Alex who had a prenatal stroke causing all kinds of developmental challenges. In this episode, Jessica talks about the frustration of not being heard when you know there is something wrong. Her journey since. How friendships change. Skeptical reac...

Special Need or not: there is something seriously going on that needs to be talked about. The death of George Floyd and what is happening now. Why? Because the news is everywhere. Racism is everywhere. No matter where you live. And in some countries being of color can be downright dangerous. So, talk. Especially if you have an autistic kid that just doesn’t get it that some remarks or behavior is...

As special needs parents we are constantly confronted with the limitations the special need brings, the uncertain future and more. It can be a relief when there is finally a diagnosis. But at the same time, it is sad as well. Because sometimes this means saying goodbye to dreams you might have - for your kid, but also for yourself. And after accepting (what else can you do) whatever diagnosis, the...

Shelly started a parent group in Fort Bliss years ago, supported by MG (Ret.) Dana J.H. Pittard and Garrison Commander Col. (Ret.) Joe Simonelli, to connect to other people going through the same experiences but also to find people she could learn from. Today Shelly is a trained advocate for special needs kids and their parents (ISEA-trained and member of COPAA). She believes in “Bridging the Gap”...

Rant time! The so-called advice or comments you get as a special needs parent can be annoying to say at least. Yes, people often mean well, but truth is there are things you should never ever say to a parent of a special needs kid. It is almost never helpful and can be quite dumb or even hurtful. Here’s my list of the things that really get to me and how I deal with it. Truth be honest: that deali...

Jennifer Chamberlin is a successful bilingual virtual assistant and founder of My Bilingual VA based near Paris, with her own team. On top of that she is also a mentor for aspiring French VA's. She is also a supermom of a 12-year-old boy who has type 1 diabetes. How do you manage if you have a kid who needs to be monitored 24/7? Who can’t just have a sleep-over or go on a fieldtrip? How do yo...

Do you also get constant so-called advice from the outside world? Do your parents, siblings, friends and even total strangers you walk past in the grocery store know exactly what you should do? Did any of these comments ever made you feel better? Are they ever really helpful? No matter how good their attentions are, it is not OK. And after 16 years of practice, I found THE solution to handle these...

Joan Hale is an inspiring businesswoman I’ve met on a business event in Florida! Side detail: she is 73-years old! I can only hope I will have her thrive and energy at that age. Besides being her awesome self, Joan is also a special needs supermom of a 45-year-old son. How was it for her to raise her son in a time where autism still really wasn’t talked about much, where special needs wasn’t even...

Monica Delgado is an entrepreneur extraordinaire with several successful businesses and is the stepmom of a fantastic teenager with autism - son of famous UFC & Pride fighter, Jiu Jitsu world Champion and MMA coach Ricardo Almeida. How is it to be a stepmom, dealing with ‘the other parent’ who might see things differently? What can you do, how far do you go in guiding your kid the best possibl...

Why is it so important to talk to your special needs kid about special situations like Covid 19? Because no matter their IQ, their age, their special need: kids notice. They notice that something has changed and more importantly: how you’re handling it. This episode is about how to talk (and listen) to your kid and find a way to deal with whatever new situation you are in. This might be different...