Not Your Average Autism Mom: Recent Episodes
Shannon Urquiola
If you are raising a child diagnosed with autism this podcast is for you. Every week, we talk about ALL things that go hand in hand with our unique parenting journey. info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
In episode 189 of the Not Your Average Autism Mom podcast, Shannon tackles the challenging topic of explosive behavior as a form of escape behavior inchildren with autism. She explains why these behaviors often occur due to frustration, sensory overload, or discomfort and highlights the importance ofunderstanding why your children feel the need to escape.
Shannon shares practical strategies for managing these behaviors, including lowering demands, providing support, and teaching alternative communication, such asusing words or hand signals to indicate the need for a break or help. She emphasizes the importance of matching interaction styles to the child's needsand reinforcing new, appropriate behaviors through consistent practice and positive reinforcement.
By adjusting the environment and reinforcing appropriate behaviors, you can help your children feel more in control and less overwhelmed. Shannon emphasizes theneed for patience and consistency, reminding listeners that progress takes time and consistency, but reassures you that you are doing amazing on this sometimeschallenging journey.
Tune in to learn effective ways to navigate and manage explosive behaviors while supporting your child's unique needs.
đ Leave a Review: If this episode resonates with you, share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a review. Your feedback not only supports the podcast but also creates a space for other parents to find inspiration and connection.
Are you registered for our FREE Webinar?
Journey to Resilience; Navigating Autism Parenting
REGISTER NOW
â â â â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/webinar â â â â
Join Shannon as she uncovers (3) hidden truths you need along your journey.
Together, we can overcome challenges and create a brighter future for our families.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and join the WAITLIST for our Private Membership.
â https://www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/â
Additional Resources:
Join the MOVEMENT on Facebook
â https://www.facebook.com/groups/thenotyouraverageautismmommovement â
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at â info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Episode 168. Navigating the Autistic Brain; A Complex Journeyâ
â Episode 165. Confidence in Uncertainty; Finding Strength in the Unknown
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In this episode of Not Your Average Autism Mom podcast, Shannon tackles a common challenge for many families raising children on the autism spectrum: going out in public. Feeling confined to the safety of home is a familiar struggle, but Shannon shares practical strategies to make outings not only possible but also enjoyable.
Key topics include:
- Sensory Considerations: Use tools like iPods, fidget toys, and strategic seating to minimize sensory overload.
- Special Arrangements: Plan seating and physical space to ensure your childâs comfort.
- Handling Waiting Times: Bring activities to occupy your child and reduce wait times by planning ahead.
- Clarify and Verify: Use visual supports and clearcommunication to explain the outing's steps.
- Preview and Review: Create picture stories to prepare and review outings with your child.
- Giving a Sense of Control: Involve your child inthe outing process to reduce anxiety.
- Preparing for Overwhelm: Develop a proactiveplan to handle overwhelming situations.
- Reaction Strategies: Have a plan for addressingunanticipated behavior challenges.
- Graded Exposure: Gradually increase the complexity of outings to build confidence and success.
Join Shannon as she shares these valuable insights and encourages families to take small, manageable steps toward successful community integration.
đ Leave a Review: If this episode resonates with you, share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a review. Your feedback not only supports the podcast but also creates a space for other parents to find inspiration and connection.
Are you registered for our FREE Webinar?
Journey to Resilience; Navigating Autism Parenting
REGISTER NOW
â â â â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/webinar â â â â
Join Shannon as she uncovers (3) hidden truths you need along your journey.
Together, we can overcome challenges and create a brighter future for our families.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and join the WAITLIST for our Private Membership.
â https://www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/â
Additional Resources:
Join the Movement on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/thenotyouraverageautismmommovementâ
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at â info@notyouraverageautismmom.comâ
â Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Differentâ
â Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Timeâ
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In this episode of the Not Your Average Autism Mom podcast, we're tackling the ups and downs of video gaming for children on the autism spectrum. Video games can be both asource of joy and frustration, providing excitement and a sense of control but also leading to emotional meltdowns when things don't go as planned. We dive into why video games are so appealing to autistic children and discuss the challenges they face when playing.
Key topics covered include:
- Understanding the Appeal: Why video games are soengaging for children on the spectrum.
- Setting Boundaries: How to gradually reduce gaming time and set clear expectations.
- Emotional Regulation: Strategies to help your child manage their emotions during and after gaming.
- Managing Game Complexity: Identifying whichgames cause more frustration and how to handle it.
- Teaching Coping Skills: Using video games as atool to teach emotional control and frustration tolerance.
- Partnering in Play: Playing alongside your child tocoach them through challenging game stages.
- Building Competency: Focusing on positive reinforcement and building your child's coping skills.
Join us as we share practical tips and real-life scenarios to help you navigate the world of video games with your autistic child. With these strategies, you canturn gaming time into an opportunity for growth and learning.
Tune in to learn more about managing video game frustrations and helping your child enjoy their gaming time while also developing essential life skills.
Are you registered for our FREE Webinar?
Journey to Resilience; Navigating Autism Parenting
REGISTER NOW
â â â â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/webinar â â â â
Join Shannon as she uncovers (3) hidden truths you need along your journey.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. We are the single best online resource for moms raising autistic children.
Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can also join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered.
Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com â
Additional Resources:â Join The Not Your Average Autism Mom Movementâ â â â
These are our most downloaded Special Education Editions. We have these and many others too. It's important you understand what your expectations should and shouldn't be in relation to your child's education.
â â Episode 124. What to Do When They Say No [SPECIAL EDUCATION EDITION]â â
â â Episode 27. Special Education Things You Should Know [SPECIAL EDUCATION EDITION]â
â Episode 35. Early Intervention and IFSP Explained [SPECIAL EDUCATION EDITION]â
â Episode 73. Let's Clear Up the Confusion About Category of Eligibility [SPECIAL EDUCATION EDITION]
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
Join host Shannon Urquiola on the Not Your Average Autism Mom podcast as she explores the theme of embracing the unexpected on the journey ofautism parenting. Think of this episode as the encouragement and pep talk you need on a tough day.
In this episode, Shannon shares her personal experiences and insights, from the initial fear and uncertainty of receiving her son's diagnosis to the unexpected joys and blessings that have unfolded along the way.
Shannon highlights the strength found in community, and the redefinition of success in the autism journey. She also discusses the challenges faced and the resilience cultivated, emphasizing the celebration of uniqueness and the joy and happiness found in embracing the unexpected.
Tune in to discover how embracing the unexpected can transform your perspective, and gain inspiration and encouragement for your autism parenting journey.
Join us as we navigate the complexities of parenthood, finding joy amidst the highs and lows, and embracing the extraordinary in the not-so-ordinary. đ
đ Leave a Review: If this episode resonates with you, share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a review. Your feedback not only supports the podcast but also creates a space for other parents to find inspiration and connection.
Are you registered for our FREE Webinar?
Journey to Resilience; Navigating Autism Parenting
REGISTER NOW
â â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/webinar â â
Join Shannon as she uncovers (3) hidden truths you need along your journey.
Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at â info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
-
Seeing the Forest through the Trees
-
Explaining Our Children's Differences
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In this episode of the Not Your Average Autism Mom podcast, Shannon talks about autistic meltdowns and shutdownsâtwo very different ways that kids on the autism spectrum might react when things get too overwhelming.
She helps listeners spot the signs of each and understand what causes them.
Shannon shares helpful ways to handle these tough situations, giving advice for both right when they happen and for the long run. Whether your child has loud, upset reactions or goes very quiet and withdrawn, this episode gives you practical advice to help them through these times.
Tune in to learn how to support your child with kindness and understanding, making sure they feel safe and supported.
đ Leave a Review: If this episode resonates with you, share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a review. Your feedback not only supports the podcast but also creates a space for other parents to find inspiration and connection.
Are you registered for our FREE Webinar?
Journey to Resilience; Navigating Autism Parenting
REGISTER NOW
â â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/webinar â â
Join Shannon as she uncovers (3) hidden truths you need along this parenting journey we weren't prepared for.
Additional Resources:
Join the MOVEMENT on FB
https://www.facebook.com/groups/thenotyouraverageautismmommovement
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at â â info@notyouraverageautismmom.comâ
Did you miss these episodes?
â 129. Getting a Grip on Escalating Behaviorsâ
â 124. What to do When They Say No (Special Education Edition)
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In this episode of the Not Your Average Autism Mom podcast, Shannon gets passionate about building independence and ways you can begin teaching independence through everyday things.
She discussed the importance of teaching life skills from early childhood through the teenage years, highlighting the potential consequences of neglecting this aspect.
Throughout the episode, she shares practical strategies and real-life examples to guide you in supporting your children's journey toward independence.
From establishing routines and incorporating life skills into play to introducing chores and responsibilities, she provides actionable tips for you, regardless of where you are along your journey.
By the end of the episode, you will have gained a deeper understanding of the significance of promoting independence and will leave with concrete strategies to implement at home.
Join us as we navigate the complexities of parenthood, finding joy amidst the highs and lows, and embracing the extraordinary in the not-so-ordinary. đ
đ Leave a Review: If this episode resonates with you, share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a review. Your feedback not only supports the podcast but also creates a space for other parents to find inspiration and connection.
Are you registered for our FREE Webinar?
Journey to Resilience; Navigating Autism Parenting
REGISTER NOW
â â â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/webinar â â â
Join Shannon as she uncovers (3) hidden truths you need along your journey.
Additional Resources:
JOIN The NYAAM Movement Group on FB
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at â â info@notyouraverageautismmom.comâ
â 141. The Lying Paradox; Exploring Truth & Autism â
â 139. Summer Survival; Successfully Navigate Summer
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In this episode of the Not Your Average Autism Mom podcast, host Shannon Urquiola explores the concept of acceptance in the context of parenting children on the autism spectrum.
She discusses how accepting your child's diagnosis changes the trajectory of parenthood and reshapes the plans you once had.
Then she shares the concept of secondary losses - the unforeseen shifts and changes that accompany your journey. From the loss of certain milestones and expectations to the shift in social circles and relationships, she shares the impact of these secondary losses on your life.
Despite the challenges, you will find resilience, strength, and joy in the unexpected twists and turns of this parenting journey you weren't prepared for.
Join us as we navigate the complexities of parenthood, finding joy amidst the highs and lows, and embracing the extraordinary in the not-so-ordinary. đ
đ Leave a Review: If this episode resonates with you, share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a review. Your feedback not only supports the podcast but also creates a space for other parents to find inspiration and connection.
Are you registered for our FREE Webinar?
Journey to Resilience; Navigating Autism Parenting
REGISTER NOW
â â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/webinar â â
Join Shannon as she uncovers (3) hidden truths you need along your journey.
Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at â info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
-
Seeing the Forest through the Trees
-
Explaining Our Children's Differences
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In Episode 182 of Not Your Average Autism Mom Podcast, we explore the complexities of sharing your child's autism diagnosis with others.This episode addresses the tough questions that arise as well as the conversations that may come up.
Host Shannon Urquiola navigates the intricacies of disclosure, discussing when, why, and how parents should share this information with family, friends, and caregivers. Drawing from personal experiences and expertinsights, Shannon offers practical advice for handling this sensitive topic.
Listeners will gain valuable insights into the potentialbenefits and challenges of disclosure, as well as strategies for managing both positive and negative reactions from those they confide in. From dispelling myths to navigating meaningful conversations, this episode highlights theimportance of autism awareness and understanding within our inner circles.
Join us as we unravel the autism disclosure dilemma and empower parents to make informed decisions that best support their child's unique journey. Tune in for heartfelt discussions, expert tips, and compassionate guidance on this vital aspect of the autism parenting experience.
And please, take a minute to leave us a review if you found this episode helpful! Your review matters and your feedback helps us continue providing valuable content to you.
đ Leave a Review: If this episode resonates with you, share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a review. Your feedback not only supports the podcast but also creates a space for other parents to find inspiration and connection.
Additional Resources:â
Join The Not Your Average Autism Mom Movementâ
â 150. From Struggles to Strength; Relationship Survival Guide
â 136. The Truth About Being Triggeredâ
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talkabout on the podcast, email us directly at â info@notyouraverageautismmom.comâ
If you want to change your life and become NotYour Average Autism Mom, get all the details at â www.notyouraverageautismmom.comâ
We would love to walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In this episode of the Not Your Average Autism Mom Podcast, host, Shannon Urquiola goes pretty deep into the complex topic of impulse control in individuals with autism.
Shannon provides valuable insights into understanding impulsivity and its impact on daily life for both children, parents, teachers, and caregivers. Exploring practical strategies, she discussed the importance of consistency, patience, and finding personalized approaches tohelp manage impulsivity effectively.
Additionally, the episode covered the role of medications in addressing impulsive behaviors, emphasizing the importance of careful consideration and professional guidance. Whether you're seeking practical tips or a deeper understanding of impulsivity, this episode provides valuable guidance and support.
đ Leave a Review: If this episode resonates with you, share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a review. Your feedback not only supports the podcast but also creates a space for other parents to find inspiration and connection.
Additional Resources:â Join The Not Your Average Autism Mom Movementâ
â 177. From Anxious to Assured; The Q & A Mazeâ
â 173. Front Seat Chronicles; Your Passengers Make a Difference
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at â info@notyouraverageautismmom.comâ
If you want to change your life and become Not Your Average Autism Mom, get all the details at â www.notyouraverageautismmom.comâ
We would love to walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In this episode of the "Not Your Average Autism MomPodcast," host Shannon Urquiola goes deep into the intricate world of autism processing, exploring the differences between intellectual and emotionalrealms.
Listeners gain a deeper understanding of the cognitivedifferences between these two worlds, as Shannon expertly unpacks scenarios faced by autism moms and offers practical strategies for successful navigation.From communicating emotional needs to managing sensory overload, each scenario is met with thoughtful guidance aimed at fostering understanding, connection,and empowerment.
Throughout the episode, Shannon emphasizes the importance of bridging the gap between emotional and intellectual processing, advocating for empathy, acceptance, and collaboration within the autism community and beyond.
With engaging anecdotes, expert insights, and actionable advice, "Bridging Emotional and Intellectual Worlds" leaves listeners inspired to embrace the diversity of the autism spectrum and build meaningful connections.
Tune in to this insightful episode to gain a deeper understanding of autism processing and discover practical tips for navigating the unique challenges and opportunities it presents.
Additional Resources:
Join The Not Your Average Autism Mom Movement
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talkabout on the podcast, email us directly at â info@notyouraverageautismmom.comâ
â Episode 148: Shifting Perspective; Looking Through A Different Lensâ
â Episode 48. Differentiating a Speech Delay and/or Autism
If you want to change your life and become Not Your Average Autism Mom, get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
We wouldlove to walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In Episode 179 of the Not Your Average Autism Mom Podcast, host Shannon Urquiola dives into the world of understanding and addressing stressorsfor children on the autism spectrum.
Shannon breaks down the seven common stressors faced by these children, including sensory challenges, level ofinterest, uncertainty, degree of control, performance demands, social demands, and length of time. She explores real-life scenarios where these stressorsmight show up and provides practical examples and strategies to support our children proactively.
Listeners learn how to recognize and lessen sensory overload, navigate uncertainties, provide their children with a sense of control, and ease social and performance-related stressors. Shannon emphasizes the importance of understanding and accommodating these stressors to set our children up for success in various environments.
When you can assess the stressors and plan appropriateaccommodations, you can help your children navigate challenges with confidence and resilience.
For Not Your Average Autism Mom members, there is a 7-Stressors Worksheet for you to download in the portal in the Behavior Support section that will help you figure out potential stressors in different situations and plan appropriate accommodations.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. We are the single best online resource for moms raising autistic children.
Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered.
Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:Join The Not Your Average Autism Mom Movementâ These are our most downloaded Special Education Editions.
We have these and many others too. It's important that you understand what your expectations should and shouldn't be.
â Episode 124. What to Do When They Say No [SPECIAL EDUCATION EDITION]â
â Episode 27. Special Education Things You Should Know [SPECIAL EDUCATION EDITION]
Episode 35. Early Intervention and IFSP Explained [SPECIAL EDUCATION EDITION]
Episode 73. Let's Clear Up the Confusion About Category of Eligibility [SPECIAL EDUCATION EDITION]
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In episode 178 of the "Not Your Average Autism MomPodcast," host Shannon Urquiola dives into the complexities of Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) within the autism spectrum.
Shannon emphasizes why a specific PDA diagnosis isn't always paramount when autism is already in the picture. She walks listeners through common scenarios, parents,may encounter, offering practical strategies for navigating the challenges associated with severe avoidance and anxiety.
The episode explores the fear of uncertainty, unexpected events, and the need for control that often characterizes the behavior of children with PDA or intense anxiety within autism. Shannon provides real-life examples toillustrate these concepts, helping parents relate to the daily struggles they might face. She dives into the importance of understanding and respecting achild's comfort zone, regardless of the diagnostic label, and highlights the significance of collaboration over control.
Throughout the episode, Shannon provides specific strategies for parents, emphasizing the importance of predictability, consistency, and reducing external pressure. She addresses the performance anxiety and social challenges these children may encounter, offering valuable insights into building trust and minimizing meltdowns.
In the end, the episode encourages parents to focus on the unique needs of their children, emphasizing collaboration, understanding, and support. Whether dealing with PDA or severe anxiety within autism, this episode serves as a guide for parents navigating the intricate world of their extraordinary children.
đ Leave a Review: If this episode resonates with you, share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a review. Your feedback not only supports the podcast but also creates a space for other parents to find inspiration and connection.
Additional Resources:
Join The Not Your Average Autism Mom Movement
-
The Lying Paradox; Exploring Truth and Autism
-
From Silence to Celebration; A Rollercoaster of Emotions
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talkabout on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
If you want to change your life and become NotYour Average Autism Mom, get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
We would love to walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In this episode of the Not Your Average Autism Mom Podcast, your host, Shannon Urquiola is talking about the complex world of repeated questioning in our autistic children.
As parents, we know firsthand the exhaustion and frustration that can come with hearing the same question over and over again. But why do our children engage in this behavior, and how can we lessen its impact on boththem and you?
Shannon explores the various reasons behind repeatedquestioning, from seeking reassurance to managing anticipatory anxiety or simply craving attention. Understanding the underlying motives is crucial indeveloping effective strategies to address this behavior.
She discusses how repeated questioning impacts your emotional well-being and the importance of validating your child's attempt to communicate.
The heart of this episode lies in practical strategies. I'llguide you through techniques that reduce questioning and build communication. Shannon talks about the power of reciprocal interaction, providing answers that go beyond a simple 'yes' or 'no,' and expanding ontopics to redirect your child's attention.
Moreover, we discuss the emotional toll repeated questioning can take on parents and offer self-care strategies to maintain our well-being amidst the challenges. By fostering open communication, setting realistic expectations, and prioritizing our own needs, we can navigate this journey with resilience and compassion.
Tune in as we embark on a journey to transform frustration into connection, one question at a time.
Additional Resources:
Join The NotYour Average Autism Mom Movement
-
The Benefits of Setting Boundaries
-
Rigid Thinking and the Inability to be Flexible
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talkabout on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
If you want to change your life and become NotYour Average Autism Mom, get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
We would love to walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In this episode of the Not Your Average Autism Mom Podcast, host Shannon Urquiola digs into the complex world of socialization within the autism spectrum.
Shannon explores the diverse social interests and preferences among autistic individuals, shedding light on the challenges they face in navigating social interactions while also emphasizing the beauty of their unique perspectives.
Drawing from personal experiences and insights from autistic adults, she discusses the detrimental effects of conforming to neurotypical social norms, commonly referred to as "masking." She highlights the exhaustion, anxiety, and loss of self-identity that often accompany efforts to suppress autistic tendencies in favor of fitting in.
However, Shannon also offers hope and practical strategies for parents and caregivers. She emphasizes the importance of understanding each child's strengths, interests, and comfort zones when it comes to social connections.
Throughout the episode, she emphasizes the power of authenticity over conformity, urging listeners to embrace the unique qualities of their child and celebrate their diverse ways of relating to the world.
Tune in to learn how to break free from societal expectations.
đ Leave a Review: If this episode resonates with you, share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a review. Your feedback not only supports the podcast but also creates a space for other parents to find inspiration and connection.
Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook
â https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020 â
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at â info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
-
Getting a Grip on Escalating Behaviors
-
What to do When They Say No (Special Education Edition)
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In this episode of "Not Your Average Autism Mom" podcast, Shannon digs into the challenging world of self-injurious behaviors in children with autism.
We explored the various forms these behaviors can take, from hand/arm biting to head banging, and discussed why they occur, often as a means of releasing stress chemicals when the nervous system becomes overwhelmed.
Throughout the episode, we provided practical strategies for parents and caregivers to address these behaviors effectively.
Listeners learn the importance of identifying triggers and reducing stressors, as well as the value of teaching alternative communication methods for nonverbal children.
We emphasized the need to understand the function the behavior serves and to replace it with healthier alternatives through consistent practice and reinforcement.
By empowering parents with knowledge and actionable steps, we aimed to provide hope and support for families navigating the complexities of autism-related self-injury. Through understanding and compassionate intervention, we can help our children overcome these challenges and thrive.
đ Leave a Review: If this episode resonates with you, share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a review. Your feedback not only supports the podcast but also creates a space for other parents to find inspiration and connection.
Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook
â https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020 â
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at â info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
-
Seeing the Forest through the Trees
-
Explaining our Children's Differences
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In this episode, host Shannon Urquiola goes deep into thecomplex world of disciplining children on the autism spectrum.
She begins by emphasizing the importance of setting clear boundaries and expectations for all children, particularly for those on the spectrum who may struggle with understanding unwritten social rules.
She provides practical strategies for parents, such as using visual aids and consistent consequences, to help their children navigate these boundaries effectively.
Throughout the episode, Shannon illustrates these strategieswith specific scenarios that parents commonly encounter, such as managing public meltdowns and handling homework battles. By empowering parents with practical tools and strategies,
Shannon aims to help you navigate the uniquejourney of disciplining children on the autism spectrum with confidence, compassion, and above all consistency.
đ Leave a Review: If this episode resonates with you, share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a review. Your feedback not only supports the podcast but also creates a space for other parents to find inspiration and connection.
Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook so you won't miss an upcoming Community Collective - Creating Collaborations Together
https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Episode 148: Shifting Perspective; Looking Through A Different Lens
Episode 48. Differentiating a Speech Delay and/or Autism
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In this episode of the Not Your Average Autism Mom Podcast, host Shannon Urquiola takes the wheel and guides you through the essential art of staying in control while parenting a child on the autism spectrum.
Drawing on her expertise as a Life and Parent Coach exclusively for moms on this journey, Shannon explores the metaphorical road trip of autism parenting, emphasizing the importance of being the driver and choosing your passengers wisely.
From teachers and professionals to friends and relatives,Shannon discusses the valuable support you'll encounter along the way.
Discover the importance of positive conversations, maintaining a collaborative spirit, and gracefully letting go of those who hinder your progress. Through relatable examples, Shannon illustrates how to navigate challenges, overcome roadblocks, and celebrate the triumphs of this unique journey.
As the podcast unfolds, Shannon shares practical advice ontaking breaks, regrouping, and enjoying the scenic moments with your child. The episode closes with a poignant reminder that this is not a race but a long journey, urging listeners to stay positive, collaborate, and revel in the joy of the ride.
Tune in to gain insights, tips, and a renewed sense ofempowerment for your autism parenting journey. Whether you're just starting or further along the road, "Driving with Purpose" offers a roadmap for a fulfilling and positive experience. Don't miss this transformative episode - your front-row seat to navigating the autism journey awaits!
đ Leave a Review: If this episode resonates with you, share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a review. Your feedback not only supports the podcast but also creates a space for other parents to find inspiration and connection.
Together, we can overcome challenges and create a brighter future for our families.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and join the WAITLIST for our Private Membership.
https://www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/
Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In Episode 172 of the Not Your Average Autism Mom Podcast, host Shannon Urquiola talks about the challenges faced by individuals with autism on the journey to self-actualization.
Inspired by her son Jordan, she explores the delicate balance of fitting in while ensuring our loved ones receive the dignity they deserve.
In a world that may perceive them differently, finding this balance is necessary. The struggles, from clothing mishaps to social norms, highlight the unique lens through which individuals with autism experience the world.
As parents, we advocate for embracing diversity while equipping our children with the tools to navigate the world successfully.
A plea goes out to educators, caregivers, and administrators to treat our children with the same care and respect they would afford their own. Collaboration is key, and concerned parents are encouraged to speak up in IEP meetings, seeking support from their teams.
Mindblindness adds complexity to the challenge, emphasizing the importance of respect and fostering self-awareness. The spotlight extends beyond visible struggles to include all children, deserving acceptance and understanding in every environment.
The episode concludes with a reminder that self-awareness is a journey for both parents and children. Reflecting on love, joy, anxieties, fears, passions, and priorities is a vital step in understanding.
Your time with us is valued, and if you found this episode meaningful, please consider leaving a review. Your reviews contribute to spreading awareness and building a supportive community.
Remember, it's not just about fitting into a neurotypical world; it's about empowering our children to coexist with authenticity.
Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com â
Additional Resources:
â â Join The Not Your Average Autism Mom Movementâ
â https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020
â
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at â info@notyouraverageautismmom.comâ
Episode 40. The Impact of Mind Blindness
Episode 64. Self-Injurious Behaviors and Autism
â
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In this episode, host Shannon Urquiola goes deep into the often misunderstood challenges of self-initiation and sustained attention in autistic children.
Acknowledging the frustration parents may feel when their child appears unmotivated, Shannon emphasizes the importance of understanding these difficulties as linked to executive functioning skills rather than attributing them to laziness.
She provides insights into the workings of the pre-frontal cortex, the brain's command center responsible for managing tasks, making decisions, and regulating emotions.
Shannon explores the hurdles autistic children face in initiating tasks and sustaining attention, highlighting the tendency for misconceptions due to these challenges.
She encourages parents to support their children by breaking down tasks into manageable steps, offering visual checklists, and providing gentle prompts. The paradox of sustained attention is discussed, emphasizing the need to comprehend why children can focus on preferred activities but struggle with seemingly mundane tasks.
Practical strategies for parents are outlined, including building structured schedules, implementing visual morning routines, preparing for transitions, and avoiding assumptions of incompetence.
She shares insights on homework strategies, mealtime challenges, and bedtime routines, offering practical tips to support initiation and sustained attention.
The episode concludes with a call to maintain high expectations for autistic children, advocating for active participation and independence while acknowledging ongoing support needs.
Shannon urges parents to help their children get started but allow them to finish, emphasizing the importance of providing necessary support to navigate their unique brain differences.
đ Leave a Review: If this episode resonates with you, share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a review. Your feedback not only supports the podcast but also creates a space for other parents to find inspiration and connection.Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Episode 30. The Eligibility Determination Meeting & The Differences of a 504 Plan and an IEP
Episode 24. STOP Taking Other People's Opinions Personally
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In this episode, host Shannon Urquiola takes you on a journey into the world of routine mastery and skill-building for children on the spectrum.
Shannon guides listeners through practical strategies to integrate new skills seamlessly into existing routines.
Discover how to celebrate progress, reward success, and stay motivated in the face of setbacks. Uncover the secrets of being specific and realistic to ensure lasting success.
Join Shannon as she explores the nuances of routine mastery, and shares insights, examples, and tips to create positive changes in your family's life.
đ Leave a Review: If this episode resonates with you, share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a review. Your feedback not only supports the podcast but also creates a space for other parents to find inspiration and connection.
Together, we can overcome challenges and create a brighter future for our families.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and join the WAITLIST for our Private Membership.
https://www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/
Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Episode 168. Navigating the Autistic Brain; A Complex Journey
Episode 165. Confidence in Uncertainty; Finding Strength in the Unknown
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In this episode, Shannon explores the unique challenges our children on the spectrum face in understanding and navigating the social world.
The episode sheds light on the difficulty some children have in predicting how others think or feel. Shannon provides practical strategies for parents to help their children develop theseessential social skills.
The goal is to help our children build the skills necessary to actively engage in social interactions while predicting and adjusting their responses based on an understanding of the social setting.
The episode encourages parents to make the learning process enjoyable, turning it into a game and fostering a mindset of being a "social detective."
Shannon guides parents through things they can do to practice these skills, making the learning process enjoyable for both parents and children.
The episode encourages a fun approach to social learning, emphasizing the role of parents as detectives and social interpreters in their child's journey.
đ Leave a Review: If this episode resonates with you, share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a review. Your feedback not only supports the podcast but also creates a space for other parents to find inspiration and connection.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and get registered for our FREE Course, Unburdened; Finding Balance Living Alongside Autism
â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/freecourse â
It is a self-paced video course that will help you reduce your stress and overwhelm and show up better every day.
Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In Episode 168 of the Not Your Average Autism Mom Podcast, host Shannon Urquiola takes listeners on a fascinating journey into the intricate world of the autistic brain.
The episode begins by unraveling the consequences of overload â impaired processing, deteriorating levels of cognition, and the accumulation of stress chemicals that lead to physical pain and panic. Communication becomes a challenge, with language skills weakening, and attempts to reason often exacerbating the overwhelm. The heightened senses of autistic individuals add an extra layer to this complex experience.
Shannon then introduces the concept of the brain as a circuit, illustrating the relationships between the brain stem, limbic system (emotion center), and frontal cortex (thinking center). The metaphorical racecar encounters a double whammy as poor filtering systems bombard the Limbic System with intense stimulation, while weak connections with the frontal cortex render thinking centers unable to control emotional floods. This dynamic often results in strong emotional reactions.
The explanation of how these dynamics contribute to meltdowns, where processing, thinking, and problem-solving skills fall apart, provides valuable insights into the challenges faced by autistic individuals.
She explores shutdown as a protective mechanism when the brain is overwhelmed. Gradual exposure to stress may lead to a shutdown, where one or more senses close down, and the individual becomes lethargic and unresponsive. Unfortunately, this defensive response is often misread as daydreaming or noncompliance, leading to increased prompting and potential meltdowns.
Listeners are encouraged to embrace a deeper understanding of the autistic experience, recognizing that the challenges are rooted in brain-wiring rather than intentional behavior.
đ Leave a Review: If this episode resonates with you, share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a review. Your feedback not only supports the podcast but also creates a space for other parents to find inspiration and connection.
Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com â
Additional Resources:
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and get registered for our FREE Course, Unburdened; Finding Balance Living Alongside Autism
â â â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/freecourse â â â
It is a self-paced video course that will help you reduce your stress and overwhelm and show up better every day.
Additional Resources:
â â Join The Not Your Average Autism Mom Movementâ
â https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020 â
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at â info@notyouraverageautismmom.comâ
â Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Differentâ
â Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Timeâ
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In this episode, we get into one of the most common challenges faced by parents of children with autism: sleep disruptions.
Join host Shannon Urquiola as she provides a comprehensive guide to understanding the intricate relationship between autism and sleep, along with practical tips and strategies to improve your child's sleep and overall well-being.
She explores the impact of sleep disruptions on behavior, talks about common sleep challenges faced by children on the spectrum, and uncovers potential causes that might be keeping your child awake at night.
If you're a parent seeking to enhance your child's well-being through better sleep, this episode is a must-listen. Join us as we navigate the path to more restful nights and happier days.
Tune in now to discover practical strategies and gain valuable insights on how to improve your child's sleep journey.
Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and get registered for our FREE Course, Unburdened; Finding Balance Living Alongside Autism
â â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/freecourse â â
It is a self-paced video course that will help you reduce your stress and overwhelm and show up better every day.
Additional Resources:
â Join The Not Your Average Autism Mom Movement
https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In this empowering episode of Not Your Average Autism Mom Podcast, host Shannon Urquiola explores a crucial topic: the journey to understand and appreciate the unique neurology of individuals on the autism spectrum.
Inspired by a thought-provoking article titled "Be True to Their Neurology," Shannon discusses the pitfalls of trying to mold individuals with autism into neurotypical expectations.
Delving into the concept of neurology, Shannon emphasizes the importance of embracing the diverse neurological profiles that shape how individuals experience the world.
Listeners are invited to reflect on the profound insights shared in the article, encouraging a shift in perspective towards fostering the strengths inherent in each individual's neurological makeup.
The episode encourages listeners to reflect on the unique neurological profiles we all possess.
As Shannon explores the profound insights from the article, she invites the audience to join the conversation, making this episode a powerful exploration of neurodiversity, authenticity, and the path to true happiness.
This episode invites you to celebrate the uniqueness of the autism spectrum. Join Shannon as she advocates for a world where differences are not just acknowledged but celebrated.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and get registered for our FREE Course, Unburdened; Finding Balance Living Alongside Autism
â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/freecourse â
It is a self-paced video course that will help you reduce your stress and overwhelm and show up better every day.
Additional Resources:
â Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Differentâ
â Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time â
Follow us on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020
JOIN The Not Your Average Autism Mom MOVEMENT
https://www.facebook.com/groups/thenotyouraverageautismmommovement â
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
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In Episode 166 of the Not Your Average Autism Mom Podcast, host Shannon Urquiola delves into the common challenge of perseveration in children on the autism spectrum.
Perseveration, or getting stuck on a particular behavior, activity, or thought, can be a source of frustration for both parents and children.
Shannon explores the reasons behind this phenomenon, emphasizing the weak executive functions in the frontal cortex of the brain that often contribute to the difficulty in shifting focus.
Drawing from personal experiences and expert advice, the episode provides practical strategies for parents. From using warnings and visual timers to creating concrete endings and incorporating oneself into the child's activity, Shannon shares actionable tips for easing transitions.
The episode highlights the importance of understanding that perseveration is a neurological challenge, requiring gentle assistance rather than demanding an immediate stop.
Furthermore, Shannon addresses the emotional toll perseveration can take on parents and offers self-care strategies.
The episode closes with a message of support, reminding listeners that they are not alone in facing these challenges and encouraging a sense of community strength.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and get registered for our FREE Course, Unburdened; Finding Balance Living Alongside Autism
â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/freecourse â
It is a self-paced video course that will help you reduce your stress and overwhelm and show up better every day.
Additional Resources:
Join The Not Your Average Autism Mom Movement
-
Navigating Hygiene Struggles; Path to Cleanliness
-
Why Waiting is So Difficult
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
If you want to change your life and become Not Your Average Autism Mom, get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
We would love to walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
Join your host, Shannon Urquiola for a transformative journey in this episode of the Not Your Average Autism Mom Podcast.
Shannon dives into the powerful concept of saying "I don't know" in the realm of parenting children on the autism spectrum. Discover how uncertainty can be your greatest ally, propelling you toward growth and confidence.
From navigating new and daunting situations to overcoming the fear of the unknown, Shannon provides practical strategies for parents to face challenges head-on.
This episode is not just a conversation about the struggles; it's a guide to turning uncertainties into opportunities for connection, understanding, and, most importantly, magic.
Reflect on the vulnerability that comes with acknowledging the unknown and find strength in sharing your journey with others. Embrace the unfolding nature of parenting a child on the spectrum, creating room for growth and unexpected joys.
Tune in to uncover the beauty of not having all the answers and learn how to navigate your parenting journey with grace and confidence.
Don't miss this empowering episode that will leave you inspired and ready to face the unknowns of autism parenting with a newfound sense of strength.
đ Leave a Review:If this episode resonates with you, share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a review. Your feedback not only supports the podcast but also creates a space for other parents to find inspiration and connection.
Together, we can overcome challenges and create a brighter future for our families.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and join the WAITLIST for our Private Membership.
https://www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/
Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook so you won't miss an upcoming Community Collective - Creating Collaborations Together
https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
Parenthood, often described as a rollercoaster of emotions, takes a unique turn when partners find themselves on opposite ends of the parenting spectrum.
Are your differences in parenting currently a source of negativity and conflict in your relationship?
In this episode, host Shannon Urquiola, Life and Parent Coach explores the intricate dynamics parents face when raising autistic children, particularly when their parenting styles don't align.
Shannon talks about the common scenario where one parent often takes the lead in research and advocacy, while the other parent may have different perspectives on their child's behavior. The episode emphasizes the importance of unity in parenting and understanding the three main parenting styles.
Shannon discusses the significance of recognizing and embracing each partner's parenting style, offering insights into the authoritarian, permissive, and authoritative approaches.
Shannon highlights the power of self-awareness and the willingness to adapt, emphasizing that meaningful change starts with oneself.
The podcast also addresses the impact of childhood experiences on parenting styles, discussing how parents may unconsciously recreate or react against their upbringing.
Listeners gain practical strategies and actionable goals for fostering a healthy relationship between parents, including effective communication, private discussions, and avoiding disagreements in front of children.
The episode serves as a guide for parents raising autistic children, offering a roadmap to navigate challenges, promote unity, and create a supportive environment for their child's unique needs.
Additional Resources:
If you're a mom or female caregiver, make sure to join The Not Your Average Autism Mom Movement group on FB.
-
Emotional Ups and Downs of Raising a Child with Autism
-
The Most Important Relationship in Your Autism Parenting Journey
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In this episode, Life and Parent Coach Shannon Urquiola provides a comprehensive guide for moms raising children on the autism spectrum, offering strategies to navigate the holiday season with less stress, anxiety, and frustration.
She explores the power of preparation, emphasizing the importance of visualizing events and creating detailed plans to anticipate challenges.
She also highlights the significance of managing expectations, encouraging realistic outlooks, and open communication with family members.
Self-care takes center stage, with Shannon urging moms to prioritize their well-being during the holidays. Flexibility becomes a valuable skill, and Shannon shares strategies to adapt to changing plans with ease.
Finally, she highlights the power of gratitude, encouraging moms to find moments of appreciation amidst the challenges.
Overall, this episode provides practical strategies to survive and thrive during the holiday season with your children on the spectrum.
Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook so you won't miss an upcoming Community Collective - Creating Collaborations Together
https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Episode 94. Not All Autism is the Same
Episode 89. Calming Down BIG Emotions
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In this episode of the Not Your Average Autism Mom Podcast, host Shannon Urquiola explores the topic of talking about your children on the spectrum with others. She shares her emotional journey, acknowledging moments of sadness and discouragement but also emphasizing a sense of hope and belief in possibilities.
Shannon encourages using positive language when describing children with autism, opting for "challenges" instead of "weaknesses," or "deficits".
Explaining autism to your childâs peers and their parents and just onlookers when you are out and about in your own communities is an essential step in creating a more inclusive and accepting world for individuals on the spectrum.
By fostering understanding and providing education to help those who donât know, we can bridge the understanding gap and build a supportive network for our children.
Your experience with autism will teach you profound life lessons.
Additional Resources:
Join The Not Your Average Autism Mom Movement
-
Understanding Memory in Autism
-
Why Waiting is So Difficult
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
If you want to change your life and become Not Your Average Autism Mom, get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
We would love to walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In this episode of Not Your Average Autism Mom Podcast, your host, Shannon Urquiola talks all about emotional resilience for parents raising children on the autism spectrum.
She discussed the significance of emotional resilience, emphasizing that it's not a fixed trait but a skill that can be cultivated over time. She also explored specific scenarios where you can gain resilience, from managing meltdowns to navigating the educational system.
She introduced the concept of cognitive reframing, encouraging parents to notice, challenge, and replace negative thoughts.
Emotional resilience is not about perfection but progress.
Remember, you are not alone on this journey, and together, we can navigate the extraordinary adventure of parenting children on the autism spectrum.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. We are the single best online resource for moms raising autistic children.
Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered.
Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In this special Thanksgiving episode of the "Not Your Average Autism Mom Podcast," we are taking a break from the regular format to share a message from your host, Shannon Urquiola.
As we approach the holiday season, Shannon wants to remind all her incredible listeners that there's no right way to celebrate.
She encourages you to embrace your family's uniqueness and celebrate the holiday in your special way, free from expectations and regrets.
The holidays can look different for each family, and that's perfectly okay.
It's all about focusing on gratitude, love, and the joy of being with your loved ones, in whatever way works best for you.
Shannon also invites you to take a moment during the upcoming week to scroll through some of the past episodes you might have missed.
And don't worry â She will be back with another new episode next week.
Remember that there's no "should" when it comes to celebrating with your family. Embrace it just as it is.
Happy Thanksgiving from our "Not Your Average Autism Mom" family to yours.
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
We know for many families, the holidays and travel can be asource of joy, but for families like yours and mine it also presents unique challenges when you're raising a child on the autism spectrum.
Traveling during the holidays can be a sensory overload forour kids right? The unfamiliar environments, crowded airports, and even family gatherings can be overwhelming. I've experienced this firsthand, and I know many of you have too.
Our children on the spectrum usually thrive on routine andpredictability. They offer a sense of safety, predictability, and structure. But when we travel during the holidays, these routines are often disrupted leading to heightened anxiety and negative behaviors.
So, how can we balance the need for routine with the necessityof adapting to a new environment?
Through this episode, your host, Shannon Urquiola answers that question and much more.
Additional Resources:
-
Understanding Memory in Autism
-
Why Waiting is So Difficult
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
If you didn't get our FREE BOOKLET- Embracing the Journey; Accepting Autism and Finding Support, you can grab your copy at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In this episode, Shannon focuses on unique challenges and effective strategies for teaching personal hygiene skills to children on the autism spectrum.
Exploring the hurdles faced by children with autism, such as fine motor skill deficits, sensory issues, and more, she provides a comprehensive guide for parents and caregivers.
She discusses the importance of creating daily routines, using visual supports, and providing fading prompts to help children develop independence in essential hygiene tasks.
With practical examples and considerations for privacy and safety, this episode equips parents with valuable tools and expert insights to empower their children's journey toward hygiene independence.
Join Shannon and discover the path to Hygiene Skills and Autism â a fundamental episode for parents navigating this vital aspect of autism parenting.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and get registered for our FREE Course, Unburdened; Finding Balance Living Alongside Autism
â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/freecourse â
It is a self-paced video course that will help you reduce your stress and overwhelm and show up better every day.
Additional Resources:
Join The Not Your Average Autism Mom Movement
-
Understanding Memory in Autism
-
Why Waiting is So Difficult
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
If you want to change your life and become Not Your Average Autism Mom, get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
We would love to walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
Raising a child on the autism spectrum is not a linear journey and itâs by far, not easy. I think that one of the most challenging aspects of raising a child on the autism spectrum is the constant search for what works.
It's a topic that many of us have faced and continue to wrestle with â those moments when we feel like we're on the edgewhen the challenges of raising a child on the spectrum seem overwhelming. It's the feeling of wanting things to be easier, even if just for a moment.
Maybe you tell yourself, "I've tried everything, I've doneit all, and nothing is working." Sound familiar?
Something that many of us experience when raising a childon the spectrum is the feeling of defeat when our child isn't making progress, or perhaps they're experiencing regression in their skills.
In this episode, I share why is it unhelpful to buy into this "nothing is working" narrative. When it feels like progress is stagnant or there's regression, it's essential to take a step back and assess the situation.
As parents, our role is to support, encourage, and believein what is possible for our children. Embrace their uniqueness and celebrate the progress they make, no matter how small it may seem.
Let's embrace the quirks, the challenges, and the extraordinary love that defines our lives. After all, it's in these shared experiences that we find strength, compassion, and the reassurance that we're part of a community that truly understands.
Together, we can overcome challenges and create a brighter future for our families.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and join us, and if we're not open for new members when you get there, be sure to join the waitlist so you are the first to know when we do open.
Last OPENING of 2023
November 2nd - 6th ONLY
â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook so you won't miss an upcoming Community Collective - Creating Collaborations Together
https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
In this episode, I'm talking about the impact of electronics on our kids and how they can become addicted to screens. It's a subject that hits close to home for me, and I believe it's one of the mostcritical issues we face as parents and caregivers.
Iâm sure that youâve questioned the impact of social media, YouTube videos, and video games on your childâs overall well-being, right? How many times have you tried to encouragethem to go outside or read, but it felt like they were always choosing screens over anything else? Youâre not alone.
And please, don't get me wrong; I'm not here to demonize electronics or the internet. In many ways, they can be incredibletools, offering learning opportunities, connections, and entertainment. But we can't ignore the fact that there are real consequences to excessive screen time and honestly, our children with autism can be particularly vulnerable to the negative aspects, and that's what we're going to explore today.
The pros and cons of screen time, and how many families havefound that the benefits of unplugging far outweigh the challenges.
The problem arises when it becomes a never-ending rabbit hole, and children, particularly those on the spectrum, find themselves glued to screens for hours on end. It's easy for them to miss out on real-life experiences.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and JOIN THE WAITLIST for our PRIVATE MEMBERSHIP. LAST OPENING of 2023 SOON!
â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com â
Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook so you won't miss an upcoming Community Collective - Creating Collaborations Together
https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Episode 7. Electronics and the Benefits of Screen Time Limits
Epiosde 72. Ripping the Band-Aid Off on Electronics
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
Join me as I chat behind the scenes with real moms just like you who are raising children on the spectrum and finding balance and happiness along the way!
These women are MY VILLAGE as much as I am theirs.
Each of their stories is different, yet similar. You might just hear your story in theirs.
They were drowning and felt overwhelmed and since becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom they are becoming who they want to be along this unique parenting journey we are on.
They are learning to stop resisting and instead, they are embracing their life, just as it is. Chaos and all, because well, that's autism, right?
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, we invite you to join us inside our PRIVATE MEMBERSHIP.
Get All the Details HERE
Our LAST OPENING for 2023 is November 2nd - 6th, 2023.
You deserve this! I would love to be your coach!
Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook so you won't miss an upcoming Community Collective - Creating Collaborations Together
https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
The path of being an autism mom is a unique and often challenging one. It's a journey that begins with a diagnosis, then often becoming consumed with confusion, fear, and uncertainty. Many of us start this journey feeling overwhelmed by the unknown that lies ahead. We fear the unknown. We fear for our child's future, their well-being, and our ability to navigate this complex world we werenâtprepared for.
In this episode, I speak to your fears, share some examples and scenarios, and, above all, provide you with hope and encouragement because I firmly believe that you are absolutely meant to be your child's mom.
When our child is diagnosed with autism, it can feel like we've been thrown into a world where nothing is familiar. Imagine for a moment that your child is like a puzzle, and this diagnosis is the first piece. It may not make sense right away, but asyou gather more pieces along the journey, the picture becomes clearer.
Guilt is a constant companion for many of us. Autism is not anyone's fault, and perfection is an unrealistic standard. You are doing the best you can, and your love and commitment are what truly matter.
Being an autism mom is a remarkable, transformative journey. It will challenge you, test your limits and for sure your patience and forgiveness many many times, and it will change you in profound ways. But it will also fillyour life with love, strength, and purpose beyond measure.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and get registered for our FREE Course, Unburdened; Finding Balance Living Alongside Autism
â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/freecourse â
It is a self-paced video course that will help you reduce your stress and overwhelm and show up better every day.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. We are the single best online resource for moms raising autistic children.
Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered.
Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook so you won't miss an upcoming Community Collective - Creating Collaborations Together
https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
My goal in every podcast is to share things that will help make your day-to day mom life a little easier and if you want to go deeper and work more closely with me, I invite you to consider joining our NYAAM PRIVATE Membership.
Why Do After-School Meltdowns Happen? Imagine your child was an absolute star at school, but as soon as they get home, it feels like all heck breaks loose. You're not alone in this, trust me, many moms face the same thing. I know this can be puzzling and confusing but please know, that nothing has gone wrong and it is quite normal in fact.
We always want to provide a safe space for our children to release their emotions while also teaching them healthier coping mechanisms.
Try different things, explore various methods and adapt them to meet your childâs unique needs, there just isnât a one-size-fits-all along this parenting journey and we all know that.
Consistency is key. Stick with these strategies, and you will hopefully begin to see improvements in your child's after-school demeanor.
As parents, we have the privilege and responsibility to shape the lives of our children. When you have an unwavering belief in their abilities, it can be a transformative force that opens doors, breaks barriers, and unlocks their fullest potential.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. We are the single best online resource for moms raising autistic children.
Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered.
Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook so you won't miss an upcoming Community Collective - Creating Collaborations Together
https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020
Join The Not Your Average Autism Mom Movement
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
Asking "Why" is a natural response to life's challenges, a way to make sense of our experiences. But there are a few reasons why asking "Why" may not be as helpful as we think. Asking why is really just us searching for insight, right? We are trying to make sense of what we think are our negative experiences in life. But here's the thing - we can't always know or figure out the reasons why things outside of our control happen.
So, what's the alternative to constantly asking "Why"? What can you do when those "Why" questions seem to be consuming you?
Join me in this episode as I share strategies and examples for moving past the "Why" and regaining a sense of control and purpose in your life.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and get registered for our FREE Course, Unburdened; Finding Balance Living Alongside Autism
â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/freecourse â
It is a self-paced video course that will help you reduce your stress and overwhelm and show up better every day.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. We are the single best online resource for moms raising autistic children.
Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered.
Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook so you won't miss an upcoming Community Collective - Creating Collaborations Together
https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
Individuals on the spectrum have what we can describe as different brain wiring. Their neurological connections between various brain centers are not as strong, which makes it challenging for them to process multiple pieces of information rapidly. This can make navigating our fast-paced world incredibly exhausting and difficult for them.
Neurotypical people like you and me can effortlessly filter out around 80% of information that's not relevant to the task at hand. We focus on what's important. This filtering mechanism allows us to quickly process information despite this fast-paced world. We immediately and subconsciously filter out all the information irrelevant to that objective.
For some of our kids, this might be only a mild problem, but for others, this is severely disabling, making the world very confusing and overwhelming. It's essential to be patient, give extra time to process and respond, and above all, be proactive to provide them with tools and strategies that work for them.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and get registered for our FREE Course, Unburdened; Finding Balance Living Alongside Autism
â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/freecourse â
It is a self-paced video course that will help you reduce your stress and overwhelm and show up better every day.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. We are the single best online resource for moms raising autistic children.
Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered.
Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Have a topic you would like me to discuss on the podcast? Email us at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
Today's episode is one that hits close to home for me. We're going to talk about maintaining relationships successfully while raising autistic children. As a Master Certified Life and Parent Coach, I've made it my mission to help families like yours navigate these challenging waters and I'm also here to tell you that it's possible to thrive as a couple and as parents raising autistic children.
Iâm going to share with you the top 10 reasons that relationships tend to fail when you're raising autistic children.
And more importantly, I'm going to offer some relationship-saving strategies to help you stay connected and on the same parenting page with your partner.
So, grab a cup of coffee, take a deep breath, and join me.
Neglecting your own well-being can lead to burnout and resentment, affecting your relationship. Those feelings of resentment can build up if one of you feels like you're carrying the majority of the caregiving.
One of you might be more accepting of the diagnosis, while the other may struggle to come to terms with it or even adamantly resist it. And then what happens is that this discrepancy in coping mechanisms can create tension and misunderstandings. Share your fears, your hopes, and yourconcerns about your child's future.
Coming to terms with your child's diagnosis can be a long and challenging road. Be patient with each other, recognizing that you may be on different timelines in processing the diagnosis.
By understanding, respecting, and supporting parents like us, you can contribute to a more inclusive and compassionate world for all individuals, regardless of their differences.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and get registered for our FREE Course, Unburdened; Finding Balance Living Alongside Autism
â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/freecourse â
It is a self-paced video course that will help you reduce your stress and overwhelm and show up better every day.
Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook so you won't miss an upcoming Community Collective - Creating Collaborations Together
https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Episode 140. Unleashing Potential; Believing in the Possibilities
Episode 79. Uncharted Territory in Special Education
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
Today's episode is all about a topic that's near and dear to my heart - the guilt that often accompanies us on this incredible journey of parenting that we werenât prepared for. When you are parenting a child with autism, this journey may take on unique dimensions.
Guilt tends to creep in when we dwell on our perceived shortcomings. It can manifest in various ways:
We all make mistakes, but sometimes, we dwell on them for too long and beat ourselves up for not being perfect. I'm not doing enough, taking time for myself is selfish, comparing your child's progress, self-blame, and constantly second-guessing your choices.
Whether your child is neurotypical or on the spectrum, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to being a perfect parent. We all have moments when we wish we had handled a situation differently or said something else. The key is to recognize that these moments don't define us as parents.
Let's embrace the quirks, the challenges, and the extraordinary love that defines our lives. After all, it's in these shared experiences that we find strength, compassion, and the reassurance that we're part of a community that truly understands.
Together, we can overcome challenges and create a brighter future for our families.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and get registered for our FREE Course, Unburdened; Finding Balance Living Alongside Autism
â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/freecourse â
It is a self-paced video course that will help you reduce your stress and overwhelm and show up better every day.
Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook so you won't miss an upcoming Community Collective - Creating Collaborations Together
https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
It's remarkable how our journey evolves over time. Every moment you're navigating, every lesson you're learning, it's all building a foundation of skills and resilience that you'll carry forward as your child grows. With each new challenge, you'll be able to lean on the expertise you're cultivating right now.
Even though Jordan is older now, I vividly recall those early years that taught me skills that I still use, even now. With each year that passes, you'll grow more confident, tapping into the wisdom you've accumulated. Whether you're facing the uncertainties of age 3 or navigating the complexities of the teenage years, the experience you're gaining today will be your guiding light for whatâs to come.
You know, being the parent of a child with autism is a role that requires an immense amount of strength, patience, and understanding. I firmly believe that we, as parents, are the ultimate resources for our children. It's our ability to ride the waves of challenges, to take care of ourselves, and to be resourceful that truly serves both us and our children.
And more importantly, your ability to weather the storm, to prioritize self-care, and to tap into your resilience, it's not just for you. It's the foundation for supporting your child. I truly believe that our collective strength and mutual support are game-changers in shaping our children's lives.
Have you ever noticed how, once you're deeply involved in the world of autism, it can feel like you're seeing autism everywhere?
All of a sudden, you've got these glasses on, you might have heard them referred to as âautism-colored glassesâ and it's like the world is illuminated by autism traits.
It's like a new perspective opens up, and you begin attributing behaviors to autism even in people you've known for years.
You've known people for years, but now, with this new perspective, you're questioning if their quirks might be related to autism. There isnât a family member that is exempt from this personal evaluation. ANDLet me say this â autism-colored glasses aren't necessarily a bad thing.
Our autism-colored glasses sometimes can lead to increased anxiety and misguided actions. This happens when we attribute all behaviors, even unrelated ones, to autism, which can inadvertently create unnecessary stress for us and our children.
When you attribute every behavior to autism, you might miss the bigger picture and end up feeling more stressed and anxious.
Sometimes if you start relating all your child's feelings and behaviors to their autism, that mindset can lead you to believe there's something to fix, that every behavior tied to autism is a problem and that simply isnât true.
Comparing our child's progress with neurotypical children can be disheartening. Each child's journey is their own. For us, even small achievements are significant. Our children and adults on the spectrum have a wide range of abilities and levels of independence. Some might require more support than others.
By understanding, respecting, and supporting parents like us, you can contribute to a more inclusive and compassionate world for all individuals, regardless of their differences.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and get registered for our FREE Course, Unburdened; Finding Balance Living Alongside Autism
â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/freecourse â
It is a self-paced video course that will help you reduce your stress and overwhelm and show up better every day.
Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook so you won't miss an upcoming Community Collective - Creating Collaborations Together
https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
Every week I talk about topics that directly impact your life along this parenting journey and today, Iâm talking about a fascinating topic that many parents and caregivers encounter on their journey: verbal stimming. Verbal Stimming is a behavior that many autistic children will do.
It's like a window into your child's world, helping them cope with various situations and even express themselves.
Interestingly, these sounds aren't just about auditory pleasure â they provide a comforting vibrating sensation in their inner ears which is soothing and feels good to them. You might even notice them covering their ears when humming, which enhances that internal vibration sensation.
It might be an enjoyable rhythmic pattern, that allows them to create a predictable and controllable sensory experience. It could be a way of calming their nervous system, especially when they're over-stimulated. And on the flip side, it can also help alert and engage them when they're feeling under-stimulated or bored.
Imagine verbal stimming as a tool for our children to manage their sensory experiences and emotions. It's not just a random behavior â it's their way of self-regulating and adapting to the world around them.
Remember, we all engage in forms of self-stimulation to regulate our nervous systems. The key is teaching our children when and where it's appropriate while respecting their individual needs. Let's create an environment where everyone can live comfortably while understanding and accommodating each other.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and get registered for our FREE Course, Unburdened; Finding Balance Living Alongside Autism
â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/freecourse â
It is a self-paced video course that will help you reduce your stress and overwhelm and show up better every day.
Additional Resources:
-
Understanding Memory in Autism
-
Why Waiting is So Difficult
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram and never miss a Community Collective
I would love to be your COACH and walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shannon-urquiola/support
Our journey begins with an autism diagnosis, a diagnosis that flooded you with a wave of emotions and the weight of uncertainty like youâve never experienced before.
And then as you begin to navigate all the uncertainty, you're told that "one day," your children will overcome their challenges and live lives similar to their neurotypical peers. But what happens when that "one day" doesn't unfold as expected?
The truth is, that the allure of that day, though well-intentioned, can lead you down a path of unrealistic expectations, overshadowing the uniqueness of your children's journeys and thatâs what I donât like about the whole âone-dayâ thing.
As mothers, our well-being is intricately intertwined with our children's happiness and progress. The weight of our aspirations for that "one day" can have unintended consequences on our mental and emotional health. It's easy to overlook the present joys, accomplishments and even struggles when you become preoccupied with a future that may not unfold as you imagined.
When you can shift your focus from "one day" to today, it allows you to embrace your life, just as it is, right now, chaos and all.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and get registered for our FREE Course, Unburdened; Finding Balance Living Alongside Autism
â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/freecourse â
It is a self-paced video course that will help you reduce your stress and overwhelm and show up better every day.
Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered.
Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Episode 117. Let's Dump the Mom Guilt
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
Raising a child on the autism spectrum presents unique challenges that can be difficult to grasp for those who haven't experienced it firsthand. I really believe that the difficulties we face out in the world often stem from a lack of understanding about autism.
I hope that by increasing awareness and embracing inclusivity, together we can bridge the gap and create a more supportive and understanding environment for all families, regardless of their experiences with autism.
While some kids on the spectrum may have unique abilities most of our kiddos are not like Rain Man or the Good Doctor. Autism is not what you see in the movies and TV. Many kids on the spectrum struggle to learn the very basics like independent toileting, using words to communicate, and avoiding self-injurious behavior.
Society's misconceptions about autism can add to the confusion.
We appreciate your genuine interest in learning about autism. Remember that autism is a spectrum disorder, and each individual is unique. What works for one child may not work for another.
Raising a child on the spectrum often involves navigating unique communication styles and social interactions. Many autistic individuals may struggle with verbal communication, making it challenging to express their needs and emotions. Nonverbal or atypical communication methods can be confusing for those unfamiliar with autism.
Comparing our child's progress with neurotypical children can be disheartening. Each child's journey is their own. For us, even small achievements are significant. Our children and adults on the spectrum have a wide range of abilities and levels of independence. Some might require more support than others.
By understanding, respecting, and supporting parents like us, you can contribute to a more inclusive and compassionate world for all individuals, regardless of their differences.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and get registered for our FREE Course, Unburdened; Finding Balance Living Alongside Autism
â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/freecourse â
It is a self-paced video course that will help you reduce your stress and overwhelm and show up better every day.
Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook so you won't miss an upcoming Community Collective - Creating Collaborations Together
https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
As the new school year begins, I know many of you may be feeling a mix of emotions - excitement, anxiety, and maybe for some of you, a bit of sadness as summer comes to an end. For our children on the spectrum, this transition can be particularly challenging.
Open communication and collaboration with your child's school team will pave the way for your child's success. Communicating with your childâs teacher is critical to their success at school and in the classroom. You can be a tremendous resource in helping your child have a smooth transition into a new classroom with a new teacher. Share information about your child's strengths, and challenges, and share with them what has and hasnât worked in the past.
Make sure you are well informed about the services and accommodations your child is entitled to and advocate for them if necessary.
If youâve been with me for any amount of time, you know I always say that if your child is going to need additional educational support, learning and understanding Special Education isnât optional, it is necessary.
Transitions can be especially difficult for our kids on the spectrum. They might struggle with new people to meet, new routines to learn, and the sensory overload of a busy school environment.
Mindset matters and managing your expectations is crucial. Instead of expecting everything to fall into place immediately, recognize that progress takes time. and it's okay if things don't go perfectly from day one. Focus on small victories, celebrate them, and remember that changing your perspective can make a world of difference.
Remember, building their independence is a gradual process, and each child may require different levels of support and guidance.
I want to encourage you to remember that the new school year might have its challenges, but with the right support and strategies, it can be a rewarding experience for both you and your child.
Believe in yourself and your ability to advocate for their needs. I wish you and your children a wonderful new school year filled with making memories and above all endless possibilities for their continued growth and development.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, be sure to get over and get registered for our FREE Course, Unburdened; Finding Balance Living Alongside Autism
â www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/freecourse â
It is a self-paced video course that will help you reduce your stress and overwhelm and show up better every day.
Additional Resources:
â These are a few of our most downloaded Special Education Editions.
We have these and many others too. It's important that you understand what your expectation should and shouldn't be.
â Episode 124. What to Do When They Say No [SPECIAL EDUCATION EDITION]â
â Episode 27. Special Education Things You Should Know [SPECIAL EDUCATION EDITION]
Episode 35. Early Intervention and IFSP Explained [SPECIAL EDUCATION EDITION]
Episode 73. Let's Clear Up the Confusion About Category of Eligibility [SPECIAL EDUCATION EDITION]
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 and imitation. However, for children on the autism spectrum, the social world can be puzzling and overwhelming.
Boundaries, as they relate to social norms, refer to the unspoken rules that dictate appropriate behavior in social interactions. In society, there are generally accepted norms for personal space, physical touch, sharing, and conversational topics, among other things.
You donât stand too close, you donât pull a chin hair off a woman behind you in line, and you donât touch people.
There are specific topics you know when and where to and not to talk about.
Our children on the autism spectrum usually have difficulties understanding and following these boundaries, which you guessed it, can lead to misunderstandings and sometimes negative perceptions from other people.
Societal expectations for social norms can take a toll on families like ours, affecting us emotionally, mentally, and even physically.
If you find yourself constantly striving to meet societal norms it can leave you feeling overwhelmed and anxious, worried that your child may be excluded or judged for their differences.
You might feel isolated, both from mainstream social circles and even within the autism community, if your child's challenges are different than others.
So while the negative impacts of social expectations can be significant, you can shift your perspective, advocate for awareness and pave the way for a more inclusive and understanding world.
It's essential for us to challenge these societal expectations and advocate for understanding and acceptance.
I believe that together, we can build a more compassionate and inclusive society.
As parents, we have the privilege and responsibility to shape the lives of our children. When you have an unwavering belief in their abilities, it can be a transformative force that opens doors, breaks barriers, and unlocks their fullest potential.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. We are the single best online resource for moms raising autistic children.
Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered.
Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
Maybe you recently received an autism diagnosis for your child or maybe youâve 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 emotions, from confusion or grief to fear about the future.
The journey of parenting a child with autism can be both rewarding and demanding.
I dive into an important topic that many parents face: accepting an autism diagnosis for their child. Iâm discussing the significance of acceptance instead of resisting it, the benefits of early intervention, a little bit about the outside world and their inability to understand, and why finding support within a community is crucial for navigating this unique parenting journey successfully.
It's completely natural to have a wide range of emotions when receiving an autism diagnosis for your child. You might feel overwhelmed, confused, or even fearful about what the future holds. The diagnosis simply provides insight into their strengths and challenges.
Acceptance, early intervention, allowing yourself to have understanding and grace with others who donât understand, and being part of a supportive community is the cornerstone of your family thriving along this journey.
Embrace your child's unique journey and remember that they are the same wonderful child they were before the diagnosis.
Additional Resources:
-
Understanding Memory in Autism
-
Why Waiting is So Difficult
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Sign up for our Let's TALK AUTISM Monthly Newsletter and get on our mailing list at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
We would love to walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
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 navigate situations that feel overwhelming or confusing.
Most often, kids lie to avoid trouble. If they donât have another way out, and because our kids often have challenges with forward-thinking and their executive functioning skills are lacking, rather than suffer the consequences, they lie to avoid getting into trouble.
They donât have the skill set necessary to deal with a problem or conflict or problem solve. Sometimes itâs the only way they know how to solve a problem.
Reinforce the understanding that lying will not change the situation.
So to them, itâs a survival skill, albeit a faulty one.
Talk about the consequences of lying and how it can impact trust in relationships. Reinforce the importance of honesty and set clear expectations moving forward.
Lying is a problemâsolving issue. Lying is a lack of skills issue and an avoiding consequences issue.
Your children lying is not a result of your failed parenting. Your child isn't lying to hurt you. Your kids are not broken and you are not a terrible parent.
This journey isnât easy.
Additional Resources:
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Emotional Ups and Downs of Raising a Child with Autism
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The Most Important Relationship in Your Autism Parenting Journey
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Our life is surrounded by technology. Electronics are a part of everyoneâs 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 hyperactivity, short attention span, and irritability.
You have to establish clear rules, boundaries, and schedules for electronic use. Until you RIP OFF THAT BAND-AID of their dependency on electronics they donât have the need to have any other interest.
Listen with an open mind. Be willing to consider that making some changes just might work.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered.
Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Episode 7. Electronics and the Benefits of Setting Screen Time Limits
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
"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 some sort of order to the confusing overwhelming world they are in.
Our children struggle with being flexible because of their need for sameness and being in control and when things have to change or you have to drive a different way home because of a traffic accident their ability to be flexible is nowhere to be found, right?
Our world honestly is way too uncertain and unpredictable for our kids on the spectrum. What applies in one situation doesnât necessarily apply to the next and that results in increased anxiety and sometimes anger when things donât go the way they anticipated.
Our goal is never to overwhelm them but we want them to mentally engage and tackle their uncertainty and reduce that rigid thinking. We want them to be able to evaluate options when there is a roadblock or something doesnât go as planned. Everyone makes mistakes until they practice and get better. You have to learn what doesnât work to ultimately learn what does work, right? That is what we want to teach them.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered.
Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
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 share core symptoms, and while every child on the spectrum will struggle to some degree with social interaction, communication, and behavior, the level of disability and combination of symptoms varies tremendously from each individual.
No diagnostic label can tell you exactly what challenges your child will have. Your job as your childâs mom and the best thing that you can do is to seek treatment that addresses your childâs individual needs and not focus on what to "call" the problem.
Here is what I believe. I believe that yes, our children, all children but especially our children with autism, need to have clear rules and consequences, I also believe that you have to be the parent who is willing to listen and willing to help them navigate what they donât understand.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered.
Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Episode 135. Having Language vs Using Language
BEST OF Summer Podcast Series BEGINS...
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 medical professionals and certain autism organizations are harmful to you or your child?
This is an episode where I get a little passionate, so stay with me through until the end because my hope is that by the end you might just have a different outlook or some new things to consider.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. We are the single best online resource for moms raising autistic children.
Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered.
Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Have a topic you would like me to discuss on the podcast? Email us at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
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, resilience, and ability to overcome challenges.
When our children see that you believe in them, it fuels their own belief in themselves.
Assuming competence and believing in what is possible doesn't mean that you are ignoring the challenges they face. It means acknowledging their struggles while focusing on their strengths and potential.
Our children may face setbacks and obstacles along the way, but whatever you do, donât let that discourage you from maintaining your belief in their abilities.
As parents, we have the privilege and responsibility to shape the lives of our children. When you have an unwavering belief in their abilities, it can be a transformative force that opens doors, breaks barriers, and unlocks their fullest potential.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. We are the single best online resource for moms raising autistic children. Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered. Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
If thereâs one thing that I see over and over, itâs like, we know summer is coming, but weâre not prepared for it, and then what do we do? The kids are home, thereâs no school, thereâs no structure, thereâs no routine, and we feel panic.
You have to ask yourself, âWhat it is that you want? What is your big why and what are you committed to doing?â
Once you have those questions answered, you have to prioritize what is most important to you because they can't all hold equal value.
Things you want to do for yourself, things that want to do with the kids, things that need to be done at home or for work. All of these things must be prioritized. When you look at your summer, when you look at the time that you have with your kids, what do you want that to look and feel like?
You have to get creative in ways that you will do things that are important to you. Put it on your calendar.
So many times, we just keep pushing things aside, because it just seems like one more thing to do, but in order to FEEL the way you want, you have to do the things that will get you there.
Whatever it is, get creative, get resourceful, and be determined to figure it out because that is what it will take.
How can you move towards what you want and how you want to feel, instead of just putting out all the little fires all summer and just getting through without even being present?
You have so much more control over your life than you give yourself credit for, and when you slow down and really decide, âHow you want to feel and then take action from that, you will be amazed at what you can create.
You have to be intentional, you have to live your life with purpose and have a plan whether itâs summer or not.
You need to supervise your brain. You need to become aware of what you are thinking. Learning to manage your mind and control your emotions along this journey is a game changer and will literally transform your life if you are willing to do the work.
Additional Resources:
-
Emotional Ups and Downs of Raising a Child with Autism
-
The Most Important Relationship in your Autism Parenting Journey
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
If you want to change your life and become Not Your Average Autism Mom, get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
We would love to walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
Join The Not Your Average Autism Mom Movement
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 significant impacts is delayed motor development and toe walking limits the engagement of certain muscles that are required for proper walking.
Another important thing to consider is could their vestibular system not be functioning properly. When you understand the potential role of a dysfunctional vestibular system, interventions should focus on providing appropriate stimulation that will support the development of a more typical walking pattern.
Understanding the complex nature of toe walking in autistic children is so important for effective and early intervention.
It is up to you to observe the signs, seek a professional evaluation, explore appropriate interventions, and actively involve yourself in their interventions.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered.
Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
The Not Your Average Autism Mom Movement Facebook Page
Episode 135. Having Language vs Using Language
Episode 136. The Truth about Being "Triggered"
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 itâs on the playground. Maybe itâs at a local restaurant or maybe you are in the line at Target or your local grocery store and you see a child orparent staring, yes, weâve all been there and while that moment becomes what you make it, I say this is the perfect time to spread autism awareness.
Explaining autism to your childâs peers and their parents and just onlookers when you are out and about in your own communities is an essential step in creating a more inclusive and accepting world for individuals on the spectrum.
By fostering understanding and providing education to help those who donât know, we can bridge the understanding gap and build a supportive network for our children.
Additional Resources:
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Join The Not Your Average Autism Mom Movement
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Understanding Memory in Autism
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Why Waiting is so Difficult
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
If you want to change your life and become Not Your Average Autism Mom, get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
We would love to walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
The word âtriggeredâ 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 what you are thinking every time they do something that you think âtriggersâ you to act or react in a way that you donât want to.
When your kid does the thing that triggers a thought for you, you have to figure out what you feel at that moment.
When we ask why is she doing that and we canât answer it because we donât know their motive, we donât know what theyâre thinking, we get triggered. The real answer is why is she doing that? Well, because she is. Thatâs why. When our brain canât answer a question, it often leads to a feeling of frustration. Frustration is a gap between expectation and reality. The bigger the gap, the bigger the frustration.
You need to supervise your brain. You need to become aware of what you are thinking.
Learning to manage your mind and control your emotions along this journey is a game changer and will literally transform your life if you are willing to do the work.
Additional Resources:
If you find yourself overwhelmed while raising your children, we invite you to join our upcoming FREE webinar.
Click for Webinar details
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The Impact of Mind Blindness
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Why Waiting is So Difficult
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
If you want to change your life and become Not Your Average Autism Mom, get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
We would love to walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
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 it functionally. For instance, some individuals on the spectrum might have an extensive vocabulary and be able to recite facts, but they may struggle with using language in social situations.
Having language means that a child has learned words and can use them to express themselves. However, being able to use language functionally means that a child can use their language to communicate effectively and appropriately in social situations. It's important to note that these two things are not always the same. Some children may have a large vocabulary but struggle to use their language in a meaningful way in social situations.
Many of our kids might develop language skills at a similar rate to their neurotypical peers but they struggle with the functional use of language in social situations, which is known as pragmatic language. Pragmatic language refers to the social use of language, including the ability to understand and use nonverbal cues, take turns in conversation, and understand the underlying meaning behind what is being said.
In this episode, I talk about what to look for as well as what you need to have when you are ready to sit down and collaborate with your child's team to discuss interventions.
Having language is not enough. Children with autism need to develop functional language skills, particularly in the area of pragmatic language. Successful use of pragmatic language involves understanding social cues, adjusting language depending on the situation, taking turns in conversations, understanding figurative language, and using language to build relationships.
By focusing on developing our children's pragmatic language skills, we can help them communicate effectively and appropriately in social situations, leading to greater success in all areas of their life.
Additional Resources:
Click for Upcoming Webinar details
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Understanding Memory in Autism
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Why Waiting is so Difficult
Join The Not Your Average Autism Mom Movement
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
If you want to change your life and become Not Your Average Autism Mom, get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
We would love to walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
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 sense of smell, taste, and texture which can make certain foods just unappealing to them. They may also have difficulty communicating their hunger or fullness, which can lead to overeating and some of our kids might engage in food-seeking behavior as a form of self-stimming which can be calming or soothing for them.
For many of our kids on the spectrum, their interception can be impaired or disrupted and when it is, it can contribute to food-seeking behaviors, as well as other health issues such as dehydration or poor nutrition. Interception is an important aspect of overall body awareness and it is critical to many of our basic functions, like regulating hunger and thirst, controlling our breathing and heart rate, and sensing, and responding to pain.
I know our kids often have a limited range of foods they will eat, but I want to encourage you to continue to offer them a variety of foods to help them expand their palate, donât give up, and continue to encourage them to try new things and donât get discouraged.
Donât stay stuck in how hard your life is or you wonât be present in the now and that mama is what is most important. Find the good in every day because I promise, even when you feel like you are in quicksand, there is good there too, and when you look for it, you are training your brain to look for more.
JOIN The Not Your Average Autism Mom Movement on Facebook
I promise, if you are willing to do the work on yourself, this entire parenting journey, even in the most chaotic times will be a lot easier for you to navigate.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. We are the single best online resource for moms raising autistic children. Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered. Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
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 doing too much for our children and inadvertently preventing them from developing their independence.
While we all want to see our children succeed, I think we must understand the consequences of doing too much for them and not giving them the opportunity to reach their full potential.When we have an autistic child, we sometimes feel the need to control every aspect of their life to ensure their safety and success.I would just like to suggest that maybe you question it sometimes. Maybe he could do that thing? Would it hurt to allow her to try it?
Just ASK yourself the questions in those moments. Ask yourself, am I limiting their potential because of my own fears?
When we "stretch" our children outside of their comfort zones and encourage them to do things they are capable of, we give them the chance to develop their independence and build their self-esteem. It's important to remember that "stretching" doesn't mean pushing them beyond their limits or overwhelming them.
Instead, it means finding the right balance between supporting them and allowing them to explore and grow on their own.
You need to teach them life skills. Everyday things that you do, that we do, and those things that we take for granted as just what we do. Our children need to learn these practical skills early on. Break down these skills into smaller, manageable steps and give your child opportunities to practice them in a safe and supportive environment.
Stretching your child outside of their comfort zone can be challenging, but you can do it.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered.
Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
The Not Your Average Autism Mom Movement Facebook Page
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
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 canât imagine our child going thru puberty since maybe their chronological age isnât aligned with their cognitive age or abilities.
All children go through puberty regardless of their abilities or IQ. Puberty is a normal milestone in development. It is a complex process that involves physical, emotional, and social changes that may vary among different individuals.
Our kids likely will experience puberty differently compared to neurotypical children and that is because of the differences in their sensory processing, social communication, and executive functioning skills.
You really want to prepare them for puberty by starting to talk to them about the changes they may experience before they start experiencingthem. For most kids, but our kids on the spectrum especially, if they donât know in advance, they might get scared, they might think that something is wrong with them and they could withdraw and be too scared to tell you what is happening.
It is important for you as parents and caregivers to be prepared to provide extra support when they need it throughout this process
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. We are the single best online resource for moms raising autistic children.
Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered.
Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
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 flexibility-Sensory processing issues-Communication challenges-Anxiety
There are several types of transitions where autistic individuals may struggle. Changes in routine, switching from one task to another, changes in their environment or location, and new social situations.
Social settings have always been challenging for Jordan, particularly if he is expected to interact with unfamiliar people or navigate social rules.
Transitions can be challenging for autistic children due to their difficulty with flexibility, sensory processing, and communication challenges.
So what can you do to help them be more successful?
Come along with me as I share some strategies you can try in this episode.
If you want to change your life and become Not Your Average Autism Mom, get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
We are open and enrolling NEW MEMBERS now and IF you join us we have a VERY SPECIAL APRIL GUEST joining us. We would love to walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
Additional Resources:
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
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 week, I realized just how many of us are doing this. Our life experiences and thinking shape the way we see and interact with the world around us. From the moment we are born, we begin to form beliefs andperceptions based on our experiences, interactions, and environment.
Our stories and beliefs can have a powerful impact on our lives. They shape the way we see ourselves and our potential, as well as our attitudestoward others and the world around us. However, just because we think something doesn't mean that it is true.
Negative thinking is a common problem that many people struggle with and the truth is most people were never taught that they can question their thoughts. It's important to understand that your beliefs and stories are not set in stone and more than likely many of them are simply not true.
WE ARE OPEN FOR NEW MEMBERS IN APRIL for Autism Awareness Month!!
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. We are the single best online resource for moms raising autistic children. Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered. Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
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, unfortunately, is one of the most common challenges that we as parents of a child or adolescent on the spectrum face. It's important that we learn how to decrease challenging behavior so that it doesnât become dangerous for you, your child, or other people.
In this episode, I share strategies and what to do and what not to do in those moments, and what you must do outside of those moments for success.
Validating their feelings is critical. Just like us, it is normal for them to be frustrated or mad when something isn't going their way or the way they expected it to. Feelings and emotions can be confusing sometimes. Here's something to remember:
- Sadness needs comfort
- Anger needs patience and boundaries
- Fear needs safety and reassurance of being safe
It is important that you remain calm and rational. You cannot control their behavior, but how you respond to their behavior will have a direct effect onwhether the situation escalates or deescalates. If your child invokes you to engage in these difficult times, you MUST remove yourself from the situation.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered. Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook so you won't miss an upcoming Community Collective - Creating Collaborations Together
https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020 If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
This episode is all about interrupting conversations. Iâm 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 of waiting is very hard for our kids, but there are ways to practice.
When something is being talked about it triggers a thought for them and their lack of impulse control and need to share takes over. Turn-taking can be frustrating for our kids too because many times when they are patiently waiting, they are talking to themselves to help them not interrupt and when they are doing that, they canât listen to the conversation, and it is just exhausting for them which honestly is one of the reasons I think many of our kids donât want to engage in social activities.
Our children will develop some things naturally over time, on their timeline, and other things like this, like interrupting and the nuances in conversations need to be practiced over and over again for them to really master the skill.
Additional Resources:
Follow us on Facebook so you won't miss an upcoming Community Collective - Creating Collaborations Together
https://www.facebook.com/NotYourAverageAutismMom2020
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Emotional Ups and Downs of Raising a Child with Autism
-
The Most Important Relationship in your Autism Parenting Journey
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
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, todayâs episode may just be enlightening for you, or I hope it is anyways. One of the brain regions that is said to be affected most by autism is the pre-frontal cortex and within the pre-frontal cortex resides our working memory. Working memory is the system in our brain that we use to keep information immediately available to us.
Working memory affects how we learn and having a poor working memory makes everything more difficult. Everything from learning to read, following verbal directions, or keeping up with back-and-forth conversations. Working memory helps us stay focused when there are distractions.
Children with autism can be easily overwhelmed by many everyday experiences and unlike their typical peers, they arenât able to automatically notice and focus on what's important or relevant in any given situation. Many of our children are concrete thinkers right and they are focused on facts therefore, that is what they often gravitate to.
Improving working memory takes time. Donât expect results overnight and be sure to celebrate your childâs small wins as this will motivate them to keep going.
And if you think your child struggles with working memory, I definitely recommend that you speak to a Licensed Speech and Language pathologist about your concerns and discuss options for evaluations.
Additional Resources:
Click for Webinar details
https://getgoally.com/
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Understanding Memory in Autism
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Why Waiting is so Difficult
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
If you want to change your life and become Not Your Average Autism Mom, get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
We would love to walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
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 children, but instead, it is to teach them healthy boundaries and what is and isnât expected and acceptable behavior, right? So while there are absolutely some different challenges that we come up against with our children on the spectrum, it is important they also learn these lessons.
Unfortunately, traditional discipline techniques donât always work for our kids and there are several reasons for this that I am going to talk about throughout this episode but before I get started, I also want to say that I am a huge proponent of consequences rather than traditional punishment which is often aimed at making a child suffer for their inappropriate behavior. I believe that having consequences and establishing boundaries teach our kids responsibility, problem-solving, and accountability.
There are some things that you want to consider too as it relates to disciplining your children on the spectrum and the most important one in my opinion is that safety must come first. The safety of your child and other people.
There are also behaviors that our children exhibit that canât be âdisciplined awayâ so it is really important that you have realistic expectations and donât discipline them for behaviors that help them adapt to their environment.
Discipline teaches children to do the right thing and think and act for themselves and for our children, it might be more difficult but being consistent will help teach them the skills they need to function independently.
Additional Resources:
-
Emotional Ups and Downs of Raising a Child with Autism
-
The Most Important Relationship in your Autism Parenting Journey
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
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 understand why they donât fit can lead to them becoming frustrated just trying.
When it comes to socialization, our kids might have a language delay and they donât respond to social cues and usually struggle with understanding social circumstances which can be frustrating for them.
There are so many just basic day-to-day things where you could practice this and they wouldnât even know you are actually teaching them. You want to do it across settings and at different times during the day. The goal is for them to work toward independently figuring out their solution but it will take lots and lots of time and practice. It definitely doesnât happen overnight, but it does happen.
Additional Resources:
If you find yourself overwhelmed while raising your children, we invite you to join our upcoming FREE webinar.
Click for Webinar details
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The Impact of Mind Blindness
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Why Waiting is so Difficult
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
If you want to change your life and become Not Your Average Autism Mom, get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
We would love to walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
Here is something that most parents donât know, most parents donât know that they have an option if the school says no. Unfortunately, all schools and school districts donât always do what is in your childâs best interest.
When you have a child who will require additional educational support, learning and understanding special education isnât optional, it is necessary. So you have to be willing to invest the time to learn and understand it because if you count on the school to always provide your child everything they need, they will likely be missing out on services that could benefit them. Not every school or district is bad and not every one of them is good, but wouldnât it be nice to feel confident and just know that you know what your expectations should or shouldnât be without having to count on them? Wouldnât you like to be a knowledgeable and informed parent?
Every IEP TEAM should look at the data to determine the student's needs in writing an IEP AND data is used to evaluate the student's progress on the goals as often as necessary. Data MUST be collected for an IEP team to work together for the student the way it was intended under IDEA.
Some of you may have never heard of a PWN (Prior Written Notice) and that is ok. Some families go through their entire special education journey without ever having a PWN be part of it.
If the district refuses your request they are obligated to give you a Prior Written Notice that outlines exactly what the district either proposes or refuses to do.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered. Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
Additional Resources:
Not Your Average Autism Mom - Become part of a COMMUNITY that understands this parenting journey because we live it every day, just like you.
Autism vs Autistic, A Mom's Perspective
Special Education Things That You Should Know
The Evaluation Process of Special Education
The Eligibility Determination Meeting & The Differences of a 504 Plan and an IEP
What is an FBA and Why Your Child Might Need One
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. Join in with them exploring the toy, you can talk about sizes, shapes, and which way the wheels spin, think about it, you are actually working on other skills while joining in with them.
Imaginative Play... Tell a Story. You can pick anything, a plane, a train, a toy, just pick something and make up a story and then ask about what the character, you know the thing, the plane or train or whatever it was, ask them what they are doing? Are they happy or sad? Are they moving fast or slow? Does the train have friends?
Physical play facilitates gross motor development, proprioception, and coordination which again, is something our kids often have deficits in and often fall behind their peers in this area.
Just get moving, and have fun!
Donât forget to have fun yourself. It can be easy to see everything as learning or therapy along this journey â but, play is about fun.
Additional Resources:
FREE WEBINAR Get all the Details
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Emotional Ups and Downs of Raising a Child with Autism
-
The Most Important Relationship in your Autism Parenting Journey
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
If you want to change your life and become Not Your Average Autism Mom, get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
We would love to walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
Many of us find ourselves judging ourselves when our kid's actions or behaviors take us right to the end of our rope, right? Have you ever been there? I know you have because all kids, whether they are on the spectrum or not seem to find a way to get on our very last nerve sometimes, donât they?
I want to help you not only get through those times without losing your mind or at least thinking you are going to but I want to explain a little bit about how and why this happens.
I have spent years learning how our brains work and fortunately for me, I am fascinated by this work and always want to learn and understand more. I am going to share with you some strategies that you can use starting today to lower the emotional temperature in those moments.
There is an easier way and so much of it comes down to your engagement, how you act or react to or with them in these moments which is what I want to talk about today.
Do you ever think they are doing it to you or that they never listen to you or that they are just manipulative? Let me tell you, your thoughts and your words are very powerful and even if you donât say them out loud, it is likely that your kid feels the negative energy in your body language.
Itâs important that we stop assuming why they are doing what they are doing or not doing what we want them to do because when we assume we know, it leads us to feel resentment which ultimately leads us to react in a way that we donât want to.
Get curious about what you are thinking about their behavior because you are reacting the way you are because of your past experiences, because of your thoughts, because of the story you have created, not because of their behavior.
I promise, if you are willing to do the work on yourself, this entire parenting journey, even in the most chaotic times will be a lot easier for you to navigate.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. We are the single best online resource for moms raising autistic children. Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered. Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
Think about all of the sounds in the world, not just speech, but the sounds of the environment, the birds, the crying baby, the motorcycle, the garage door opening, and the wind, those sounds all have to be filtered throughout our day and that doesnât even include our words or people talking to you.
Some of our kids struggle to take in information verbally even though they donât have a hearing problem. They have trouble processing what is said to them and remembering what they hear which can lead to trouble learning to read and expressing themselves because they confuse the sounds of different words.
Sound affects the nervous system in a fundamental way and can put us on alert and in fight-and-flight mode very easily.
The second part is how our brains understand speech and this is the reason some of our children have challenges understanding what people are saying, which has nothing to do with their intelligence or hearing deficits.
There are four auditory processing skills that can have an impact on learning and communicating with others that fall into the auditory processing disorder.
So while they have normal hearing, for some reason they have a deficit in basic skills for decoding language that most kids develop naturally. I dive into these four processing skills in depth in this episode as well as give you some tangible things that you can practice with your child to help support them if they struggle in any of these areas.
Additional Resources:
Click for Webinar details
- Why Waiting is so Difficult
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
If you want to change your life and become Not Your Average Autism Mom, get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
We would love to walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
In order for you to embrace your relationship with your autistic children, you have to first accept that it isn't going to look like or probably even resemble the relationship you have with your other child or children or the relationship you have with your own mother.
The mother-child relationship is a unique bond that lays the foundation for a child's physical, emotional and social development and when you add in autism, it creates a layer of confusion for us as their parent. Maybe your child is non-verbal or limited verbally or struggles to connect emotionally or physically or both.
Many of us are just longing to have the more traditional closeness that we have with our other children or our own mother. If you stay stuck in that place of wishing it were different, you will never accept and love it for what it is.
What if you just accepted that it isn't going to look like any other relationship in your life? What would that mean for you?
Our children often think, speak and behave differently and because of that, we don't always know how to connect with them. Guess, take a guess and try it.
What I do want you to do is TRY something, then TRY something different and then one more time, TRY something again. This journey is full of changes and ups and downs. Just because he doesnât want to do it now, doesnât mean that in 6 months or a year, he might not love it.
My relationship with Jordan looks NOTHING like my relationship with Maddie and honestly, it never has.
You have to do the work to believe that your child loves you because if you spend your time wondering or questioning, if you are asking yourself if she really loves you or how come he doesnât ever tell me he loves me, your brain will always give you evidence of what you are asking.
I spent years asking myself those questions, the wrong questions, and when I finally realized that if I just changed the narrative I had with myself I felt so much better and it changed my life. I stopped wondering, I stopped doubting and questioning because I decided on purpose what I was going to choose to believe.
You can get there. Be willing to do the work.
If you want to get to know me a little better and learn how to reduce your stress and overwhelm be sure to register for our upcoming webinar.
Click the link below for all the details:
https://www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/webinar
Additional Resources:
-
Emotional Ups and Downs of Raising a Child with Autism
-
The Most Important Relationship in your Autism Parenting Journey
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
Today we have our very first guest on the podcast, and who better than my daughter, Jordan's sister, Madison?
Maddie and I talk about her experience growing up with a brother with autism and a single mom.
It is a candid and open conversation and she shares her perspective on what it was like and the differences she sees now as a young adult.
- What was the most difficult part for you growing up with a brother on the spectrum?
- Do you remember me explaining Jordan's autism to you at various times to help you understand?
- Did you ever feel like you were missing out on anything because of Jordan?
- Were there any times that you can remember when he did something that embarrassed you?
- Are there any things that you worry about as Jordan get's older?
- How do you see that your relationship has changed as you are both young adults now?
I believe that Madison growing up with an autistic brother gave her compassion and understanding at a very young age. She is the least judgmental person I know and I think much of that comes from having a brother that was different.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered. Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Episode 93. When your Autistic Child isn't your Only Child
Episode 90. The Many Negative Impacts of Yelling
It isn't uncommon to feel like you are losing yourself in this parenting journey and you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, frustrated, and alone, right? You might have even had thoughts that you arenât cut out for this autism parenting thing and you constantly feel like you arenât doing enough. Caring for a child on the spectrum takes a lot of time and energy parenting isnât easy and when you add in autism, itâs usually next level.
Whether you have been here for a while with me or if you are brand new to me, you will hear me say all the time that you cannot travel this journey without support, honestly, it just isnât sustainable. You will need help learning how to manage your feelings when faced with the challenges along this autism parenting journey that I promise you, you will come upon.
Raising a child on the spectrum is difficult for the entire family not to mention your extended family and friends who likely arenât going to understand it and they might not even agree with it. You are going to need to learn how to manage your own emotions and feelings when you come up against these unique challenges. Find yourself a support network. It can be so easy when things are difficult along this journey for you to isolate yourself, please donât do that. Donât struggle to manage it alone. Loneliness will only increase your feelings of anxiety, depression, and isolation.
Your family and friends will likely respond in various ways and they might find it difficult to support you or they might respond in ways that actually arenât very helpful. I want you to feel totally capable of handling anything that comes your way. That is always my goal as I work with our moms. I help them to become the mom they want to be and build a life of resilience while embracing this unique parenting journey that we are on.
Maybe you are a single parent, and that brings with it, its own set of unique challenges but you are not broken, your family is not damaged and when you are willing to give up your story about how much harder your life is than everyone else, you can stop being so frustrated with your life and yourself. You will stop doubting your parenting and instead have confidence in yourself knowing that you are doing the best you can with what you know at any time. If you donât take care of yourself and your emotional well-being along the way, you wonât be able to be the best parent to your child that they need you to be.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered. Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
Ever hear that inner voice telling you that you weren't made for this autism parenting journey? It's too hard and you don't have enough patience to withstand it?
What about this? Do you ever feel guilty because you just want time away from your kids? Do you feel guilty for loving your job and going to work and you think that those stay-at-home moms must be much better moms than you?
Maybe over the holiday break screen time limits have gone out the window or youâve been through the fast food drive thruâs too many times or maybe you are continuously doubting if youâre doing things right or maybe you think that decisions you are making are going to have long term negative consequences for your child.
The truth is, there are so many reasons that we feel mom guilt. Sometimes it might be coming from your own personal insecurities or maybe itâs from your family members or it might be that you acted out in anger, and lost your cool, and before you knew it, you were yelling which isnât typical for you, have you been there?
Do you ever feel guilty because you just want time away from your kids? STOP THAT. It can be so easy to lose yourself along this journey of caring for your child.
When you can share your fears and self-doubt with other moms, you will often find that not only are you not alone but like-minded women can help each other let go of unrealistic comparisons that fuel mom guilt.
Make sure your expectations of yourself are reasonable and attainable and allow space for downtime. For some of you, your mom guilt may come from past trauma or maybe you are focused on doing it better than your parent or parents did. If that is you, I want to encourage you to journal and give yourself a chance to see your thinking on paper. Once you can identify your triggers, it allows you to move past it and create your own truth as a parent.
if youâve been ruminating over anything that has you feeling that mom guilt, I want to encourage you to let it go and give yourself grace that you too mama are learning along this journey and itâs bumpy and messy sometimes along the way, and every day is a new adventure.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered. Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Episode 100. Lessons I have Learned Along our Journey
An autism diagnosis can definitely take a toll on a family and very well could be a contributing factor to divorce and on the other hand, some couples come together and grow stronger every day.
For parents like us, raising autistic children, our life can be pretty crazy and unpredictable.
Having an autistic child does not mean that your marriage is going to fail. I have worked with some families who felt like their bond became stronger as a couple because they were on the same page looking for answers to support their child so I believe that depending on the strength of the marriage before autism determines the outcome after the diagnosis.
Here is what we know⌠we know that living with an autistic person changes the entire family dynamic and it can place a huge strain on the parent's relationship.
Communication is the key to keeping a relationship strong. You have to be willing to listen. You have to be open to hearing their opinions even when you donât agree with them. You have to be willing to agree to disagree and then be willing to meet in the middle. Learning to compromise and find a common ground will help maintain a strong relationship.
Every phase along this journey that your child and your family go through will be a new experience and there are many. I think the bottom line is that an autism diagnosis doesnât mean that a marriage or a relationship will fail, but it is important that you take the steps to alleviate the stress to allow for a better chance of succeeding and overcoming the obstacles along the way and most of all, make time for each other.
Additional Resources:
-
Emotional Ups and Downs of Raising a Child with Autism
-
The Most Important Relationship in your Autism Parenting Journey
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
If you want to change your life and become Not Your Average Autism Mom, get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
We would love to walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
We harbor so many unspoken fears, anxiety, and often hopelessness not to mention wanting to be the perfect parent to our child and then the guilt that comes along for the ride when we feel like we are falling short, right? I know, Iâve been there too. In this episode, I am going to talk about something that every single one of us comes up against along this autism parenting journey and that is judgment from other people.
Autism canât be seen and sometimes the things that we have to do for our children who to the unsuspecting public may seem too old for these things. Even though 1 in 44 children are diagnosed autistic, unfortunately, there are still way more people in the world we live in who donât know anything about autism.
I think one of the most important things that you can do for yourself is to remind yourself that they arenât intentionally being rude, they simply donât understand your childâs behavior or why you are doing what you are doing or why they are doing what they are doing. It's a lack of understanding.
What I donât want you to do is let the publicâs perception of you or your child dictate the course of your life. I want you to know that you have NOTHING to be embarrassed about. Your child has autism and while the outside world may not all understand and may offer too much-unsolicited advice, retreating into your home and avoiding the public wonât be beneficial for you or your child and they will never have the opportunity to learn the skill set they need if you isolate.
As the parent of autistic children, it is important that you hold your head high and realize that despite having one of the most challenging jobs in the world, your consistency and diligence to figure it out day after day, even on the days you think you just canât and yet you do, you are becoming a better person every day because of what your child or children are teaching you along the way.
All the judgment in the world, the looks, the comments, and the opinions of other people only affect you if you let them. You have a choice.
No one knows your situation. No one will ever fully understand your childâs struggles or the unique dynamics of your family. They donât understand your situation and therefore cannot ever make an informed judgment.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered. Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Episode 96. Our Parenting Journey is Different
Episode 74. You Cannot Fix All the Things All the Time
Sometimes, in our autism homes, the holidays are as stressful as they are joyful but much of that comes back to you and how willing you are to do things differently. Most people assume that everyone enjoys receiving gifts, especially children right? But if your child exhibits more stress and difficult behaviors when they receive gifts, maybe it is time to try something new this year.
I spent way too many years, expecting Jordan to show his excitement in a way I believed was typical and how I thought he should and being so disappointed when he didnât react to his gifts the way I thought he should. What if instead of following traditions or having unrealistic expectations you explore ways to help your child learn to enjoy this special time?
I think it is important to not leave gift-giving from your family open to random gifts. Take time to communicate with the people in your life who will be buying gifts for your child. Taking the time to do this ahead of time will make gift giving and receiving so much better for not just your child but also for those family members or friends who are giving the gifts.
Each of our children have individual characteristics and while the holidays and gift giving and receiving may not be what you imagined, like so many other things along this unique autism parenting journey we are all on, it is important that you donât get fixated on how things should be or what normal looks like and instead accepting your child and your family just as they are and most important, being willing to do the holidays different and in a way that works for you and your family without worrying about what anyone else thinks it should or shouldnât be.
Additional Resources:
-
Why Waiting is so Difficult
-
Changing your Script in the New Year
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
If you want to change your life and become Not Your Average Autism Mom, get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
We would love to walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
The holidays can be a magical time, but for us who are parenting a child on the spectrum, there is often additional pressure from so many different directions. We all likely have family members who donât understand, right?
In this episode, I am going to focus on giving you permission to do the Holidays however it works for you and your family. There are no rules⌠the holidays can be whatever you want them to be and whatever is best for your child and you. You donât have to say yes. You donât have to go.
I believe that as their parent, it is our job to control the small things that we do have control over so when the things that we canât control happen it makes it easier for them to deal with.
What if you decide ahead of time that your child is counting on you to set boundaries that help them feel safe what if you decide to make the holidays about what they can do right now, at this moment? You cannot control what other people in your family think about your decisions and itâs important that you donât create more stories in your head about what they do or donât think. You donât owe anyone an explanation.
Sometimes, you might choose to tell people what to expect. You arenât asking for approval or disapproval, you are just giving them insight into what they might expect, and in doing so, let them know that it is ok, you know how to handle it and it is no big deal.
Think about what your expectations are and whether or not they are realistic and I encourage you to question if they are REALLY that important. Is it that important to make them be in the picture? This journey is different, it isnât bad, itâs just different, and accepting life as it is right now in this moment is the best thing that you can do for your child or your children and for you.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered. Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Episode 100. Lessons I have Learned Along our Journey
Today I am talking about placement decisions on an IEP, Least Restrictive Environment, and Prior Written Notice. I also side note on supplementary aids and services as it pertains to the placement in the gen ed setting.
A childâs placement in a general education classroom is always the first placement that should be considered when the IEP team is determining placement. The primary goal is that the student has the maximum opportunity to learn with children who do not have disabilities, in academic, nonacademic, and extracurricular activities. . This is what IDEA calls Least Restrictive Environment, or LRE for short.
A student's placement needs to be considered annually for their IEP and it should always be the last thing the team determines after determining what the student needs to be successful in their educational setting. The student's needs drive the placement decision so those should always be developed in the IEP prior to determining placement.
What if you donât agree with the placement decision? What can you do? As outlined in IDEA procedural safeguards, you can request mediation or file a Due Process case and in many states, you can also file a State Complaint.
During your childâs educational path, there may be times when the school makes decisions about your childâs education that you donât agree with. When this happens, you have the right to request what is called a Prior Written Notice.
This is a written communication from the school outlining its decisions and the reasons for their decisions.
Prior Written Notice letters are always beneficial for you to have if you end up pursuing mediation, a State Complaint, or Due Process.
Additional Resources:
PRIVATE SISTERHOOD - Become part of a COMMUNITY that understands this parenting journey because we live it every day, just like you.
Autism vs Autistic, A Mom's Perspective
Special Education Things That You Should Know
The Evaluation Process of Special Education
The Eligibility Determination Meeting & The Differences of a 504 Plan and an IEP
What is an FBA and Why Your Child Might Need One
Grief can be complex for all of us.
Everyone responds to grief differently. Some may be angry, some may be sad, others may withdraw and some might seem totally unaffected. For our kids with autism, there could be a variety of emotional, behavioral, or physical reactions to grief. There might also be a delayed response because of their processing delays so their reactions are delayed or they may have either a more or less intense response.
When you have expectations of how your child or children should act or react and they donât do it in the way you expected, you create your own feelings of sadness or disappointment, right? What if you just believe that they will grieve in their own way and you pay extra attention to the coming days to see if they might be somehow internalizing their grief and experiencing it differently than you do?
If they want to talk, talk with them. If they want to cry, acknowledge that their feelings of sadness are normal.
Most of our children will be resistant to questions about how they feel and I think a lot of that is because emotions are hard to understand, even for neurotypical people.
I think that any of us, including our children, while we know about death, we arenât prepared for the intensity of grief when death takes someone from us, even if that is our animals.
Keep your discussions consistent with their level of development and what they will understand. Let them know that you are there to answer their questions if they have any, and be patient, there is no timeline for grief, no matter how big or small.
Keep their routines as normal as possible, we know that predictability goes a long way to help our kiddos feel safe and secure.
Loss and death and grief are difficult subjects to discuss and even more so with our kids who already struggle with talking about how they feel.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, becoming Not Your Average Autism Mom is your answer. Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered. Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a PRIVATE community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you when you BECOME Not Your Average Autism Mom.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Episode 45. Strategies for Talking about Tragedy and Death
Being Not Your Average Autism Mom means we embrace our lives as they are right now. Whatever that looks like for each of us, we accept that this is our life.
What about you? Do you embrace your life as it is? Even in the chaotic and uncertain times or do you find yourself still wishing and hoping and dreaming it was different?
So the question is when you should accept what is?
If you are putting all of your energy into focusing on wishing that something or someone was different when you canât change it, you are wasting your time and energy.
Here is what you should be doingâŚ. Ask this questionâŚ
When you accept the reality, the truth of what is, then what is possible?
As a society, we have to realize that our internal anger will never change things. We think that our frustration or resentment or anger is actually doing something, but here is the truth, the situation or the other person has NO IDEA of what you are internalizing, so the truth is, you are causing your own pain.
When you are angry about something, whether that is that your child is autistic and life isnât as you expected it to be or maybe itâs how someone treated you or something that happened in the past, you just carry it around with you. No one else is carrying it, just you.
Wanting reality to be different is hopeless.
I donât think it is a question of when you should accept reality and when you shouldnât. I believe we should always accept what is without emotionally resisting it.
The truth is that when you think something shouldnât have happened, it is not true, because it did and no amount of thinking you do can change it.
If you want to be Not Your Average Autism Mom, get all the details at:
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Delayed gratification is the ability to give up immediate pleasure to get a greater reward in the future. The good news is that delayed gratification is a skill that anyone can learn although, for our children, like so many other things, their learning curve is sure to be greater, and mastering the skill will likely take considerably longer to accomplish.
The first thing I want to do is recommend that you start small. Delay their gratification for a very short period so they begin to connect the dots that while they had to wait, it was worth it. The next thing is to make rules within your family that help model delayed gratification and talk about WHY you are waiting and what is on the other side of that wait and how much better that will be.
Teach your child gratitude. The truth is, delayed gratification comes naturally when you are practicing gratitude.
Whatâs important in teaching our children this skill set is consistency just like so many things we are teaching them. Once you figure out which strategies work best for your child, practice them over and over in different settings.
These strategies will change as your child gets older and like I said earlier, some of them will be a big no for you and your child, but again, as you continue to implement and try different strategies to help them, the difficult times will begin to be less frequent.
If you want to learn strategies and tools that you can use to improve your life along this autism parenting journey, our PRIVATE SISTERHOOD might be exactly what you don't even realize that you need in your life. Is the educational journey overwhelming and confusing for you? Our member portal has an array of training and resources with everything you need to know about Special Education and you can join LIVE ZOOM calls with an Advocate to get any of your specific questions answered. Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with in a community who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out ALL THE BENEFITS available for you in our PRIVATE SISTERHOOD.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Episode 16. Autism and Impulse Control
Episode 89. Calming Down Big Emotions
Is this how you imagined parenthood to be? Â Of course not, it isnât how any of us imagined parenthood to be. Â None of us planned for this journey, yet here we are. Â When you constantly remind yourself that this wasnât how you imagined parenthood to be you are creating your own suffering.
And hereâs the thing⌠the reason for your suffering is that you think you know how life is supposed to go.  Being a parent to a child with autism is not how life was supposed to go, right?  That wasn't the story that you had created. Â
When you drop the how it was supposed to go narrative and move into the this is how it is, you will create less resistance for yourself.
I believe the truth is that none of us really know how our life is supposed to go. None of it is certain and we are kidding ourselves when we tell ourselves that it should have gone some way other than the way it went.
Shifting your mindset will make a difference and you won't be resisting reality and that is the secret to finding peace in your story. Â
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
Misinformation across social media platforms is becoming increasingly prevalent. I see countless posts with comments from numerous people who aren't experts in the specific area of the question. When you look to social media as a source of information it can be harmful because it creates misunderstandings and confusion on important topics that can impact your child's future.
In this episode, there is a bit of storytelling and sharing with you what I continue to learn as a consumer of social media that may be insightful to you. I talk about how everything you do along this parenting journey is a learning experience and as soon as you think you have something figured out, another thing comes up.
In an ideal world when we are presented with new information that contradicts our current beliefs we would evaluate the facts and adapt our views accordingly but that is not how things are in the real world.
For many people, a challenge to their beliefs feels like an attack on their personal identity, and when someone suggests that their beliefs are wrong, they feel threatened. This causes unnecessary back-and-forth conversations on the internet. What a waste of your time and energy.
Our brains are trained to seek out information that supports our existing belief system. We search for and tend to remember things that go along with what we already know and understand.
Additional Resources:
PRIVATE SISTERHOOD - Become part of a COMMUNITY that understands this parenting journey because we live it every day, just like you.
Autism vs Autistic, A Mom's Perspective
Special Education Things That You Should Know
The Evaluation Process of Special Education
The Eligibility Determination Meeting & The Differences of a 504 Plan and an IEP
What is an FBA and Why Your Child Might Need One
In this episode, I am talking about how many of our children have sensory challenges with their tactile system.
Our tactile system is the nerves under our skin surface that send information on touch and how we perceive our environment to our brains. Tactile defensiveness is a condition in which a person is extremely sensitive to even light touch.
Their brains may find some types of touch overwhelming and even painful and they can't escape it.
Another challenge is that their pain signals may not reach their brain which makes them more prone to injury or even worse, to injuries not being identified.
I also talk about their sensitivity to certain textures of food and our worries about their overall health when they are resistant to certain foods.
What about certain textures of fabric or their resistance to keep their shoes on?
All of these things are directly related to their tactile deficits.
I encourage you to remember that while many of these things don't seem like a big deal to you or me, their challenges are real.
REMINDER: If you have been sitting on the fence and thinking about joining our AMAZING Community of women all traveling this unique autism parenting journey, NOW is the time.
We are CLOSING the DOORS to NEW MEMBERS in our PRIVATE SISTERHOOD on October 3rd, 2022, and won't open again until sometime in 2023.
Nowhere else offers you what we do inside, check out all the benefits at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Hyperlexia is a term that refers to children who begin to read and decode language and numbers at a very young age or when a child can read at levels far beyond what is expected at their age. Typically, a child with hyperlexia will have communication or speaking skills that are below their age level.
There are actually three levels of hyperlexia, hyperlexia l, hyperlexia ll, and hyperlexia lll. There is no specific test to diagnose it and it is generally identified based on what symptoms and changes a child demonstrate over time.
Hyperlexia is not clearly defined in the DSM-5 although the DSM-5 lists it as a component of Autism. It also co-exists with other disorders like specific language disorders, ADHD, Childhood apraxia of speech, OCD, and Sensory Integration Disorder.
The downside to a child with hyperlexia is that they may be decoding, sounding out words, and even reading, yet they do not understand and are not comprehending what they are reading.
Join me in this episode as I go through what to look for as well as options for interventions that may be beneficial.
This autism parenting journey can feel lonely, and friendships can be difficult when others donât understand your journey. Find support from those who understand. That is what our SISTERHOOD is all about.
We are CLOSING the DOORS for NEW MEMBERS SOON so don't MISS IT! Click below for all the details:
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
- The Most Important Relationship Along Your Autism Parenting Journey
We know that every person, you and I included, we all have strengths and weaknesses, yet, along this autism parenting journey, somehow the conversations about our children always seem to find their way to focus on their deficits. I want us to change that narrative and that change begins with you and me.
As our knowledge and understanding of autism as a whole continue to grow, so does our insight into the amazing strengths that many of our children have. In this episode, I talk about many of the strengths that our children have and how we can use their strengths to help them continue to grow and learn. Â
I encourage you to always make it a point to give equal air-time to their strengths as you do their deficits. Â
When we identify our children's strengths, we increase their motivation and unlock their potential for learning.Â
Additional Resources:
Episode 54. Understanding Memory in Autism
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
If you want to be part of our amazing PRIVATE SISTERHOOD, get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
We would love to walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
When our children are asking the same question over and over, it can be frustrating and it is important to try to figure out the reason for their questions. As with any behavior, it can be very helpful if you play detective and try to determine what has prompted the repetitive question.
Because many of our children engage in repetitive behavior or echolalia, this repetition of questions may have the same appeal to them, asking the same question and getting the same answer every time so you want to be mindful of this.
It could be their coping strategy when they feel uncertain or stressed in a certain situation, or if they use echolalia, they might be asking a question based on what they think is appropriate in a certain situation.
In this episode, I will give you some strategies that you can use to both lessen and re-direct the questions when necessary.
If you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out all of the benefits available to you in our PRIVATE SISTERHOOD.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
- What You Might Not Know About Echolalia
Click the link below to listen now:
https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/T9Afxrxu6sb
Whether we like it or not, stigma has a role in predicting how challenging our life raising an autistic child or children will be. There are so many people who are still naive to autism and what it means and how it is different for all of us.
When your child is having a meltdown in the produce section of the grocery store or is scripting very loudly at a family event, those are the moments when you feel the stigma of autism in your life.
There are people who don't understand and you have to be ok with that. Your life, your parenting, the way you feel about your child, none of those things should be impacted by that person who is annoyed in the grocery store or your mother-in-law that doesn't believe the diagnosis. You have to believe in your child and your family and above all, yourself.
You worry as a parent about the judgment, I get it. That takes work to get to the point where other people's opinions and judgment don't impact the way you feel about yourself or your parenting.
Getting an autism diagnosis opens up doors to therapies and other available resources your child will need to improve their lives and their abilities to navigate the world in their own unique way.
If there is a specific topic that you would like us to talk about on the podcast, email us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com
If you want to be part of our amazing PRIVATE SISTERHOOD, get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
We would love to walk alongside you on your unique autism parenting journey.
Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) is any type of communication that does not include speech. The use of AAC for children with autism does not prevent a child from speaking and in fact, the research shows that it may actually increase their speech. AAC programs and AT devices are not exclusively for non-verbal individuals, they can also be used for individuals with emerging language to help them talk even more.
AAC Apps, there are a variety of iOS apps to meet the needs of AAC communicators.
Click below to check them out:
https://aacapps.com/
Choose ONE device and USE ONLY that device. The chosen device is your child's voice and should be with them at all times.
When a school determines through the IEP process that an AT device is necessary to provide FAPE, the device, and services, including parent and staff training must be provided at no cost to the family and should be included in the IEP.
Your childâs communication needs will likely change as they grow and there are always different options to meet their needs.
Today (August 25, 2022) is the FINAL day for you to JOIN US inside our PRIVATE SISTERHOOD and your first month is FREE in celebration of our 100th episode last week.
Head over to our website at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com and click Join Now and use code: 100EPISODE at checkout.
It's a BIG DAY here at Not Your Average Autism Mom!
It's our 100th podcast episode and we are so proud of this huge milestone and so grateful for the work that we do and that we have the opportunity to improve the lives of families raising a child or children diagnosed with autism. We wouldn't be where we are today without our amazing followers and faithful listeners who come back week after week to listen, so to you, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart, and always know that while my goal is for you to learn something you didn't know and ways that you can make your life better, I want you to know, I appreciate you being here and I am grateful.
In this episode, I am going to take you through some of the things Jordan and I have experienced so far along our journey and more importantly what I learned that I hope might help you.
I vividly remember hearing those words, âkids like himâ and I felt like my heart had been shattered into a million pieces.
Jordan learned quickly and his retention was impeccable. It was very apparent that he did not have a cognitive deficit but his expressive language and speech delays along with his social awkwardness were significant and noticeable.
He was non-compliant, he would spit, kick and throw books and literally just flip out with not a care in the world of the other kids in his class.
One of the things I really struggled with the most was everyone looking to ME, just me for the answers on how to make him behave. if you have felt like you are failing because you donât know the answers, I promise you, you are not. We donât know all the answers and honestly, a lot of times, our educators donât have the answers either.
When I realized that I get to decide on purpose how I want to feel in any situation in my life and I embraced the chaos of what our life is some days, it made a world of difference in how I showed up not only for Jordan and Maddie but for myself. I was no longer consumed with all the reasons that my life was so hard and I was failing.
I am sharing with you the 3 biggest lessons that I learned in hopes that they will help you along your autism parenting journey.
In honor of our 100th episode today, if you have been thinking about joining us inside our PRIVATE SISTERHOOD, now is your chance. For a LIMITED TIME ONLY UNTIL AUGUST 25th, 2022. Go to www.notyouraverageautismmom.com and click JOIN NOW and use the code: 100EPISODE and enjoy your first month FREE* as our gift to you as we celebrate reaching the milestone of 100 podcasts! Come on and join us, you have literally nothing to lose and everything to gain so HURRY because this is ONLY AVAILABLE UNTIL AUGUST 25th, 2022.
Additional Resources:
-
Ripping the Band-Aid Off on Electronics
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Electronics and the Benefits of Setting Screen Time Limits
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Correcting Behaviors and Consequences
This time of year isn't easy for many of us as our children transition from summer to back-to-school. Just that word transition makes us a little uneasy so just imagine how our kids feel.
The school environment can present so many challenges for our students with autism and that in itself can create challenges with their learning not to mention that if their classroom environment isnât set up for their unique needs, it can be a huge disadvantage for them.
It is your childâs IEP Teamâs responsibility to make sure that their classroom is equipped to support them in that learning environment and remember, you are a very important part of that team.
In this episode, I give you specific things to consider that might be beneficial for your child in the school environment. We have to be willing to think outside of the box and consider things that maybe have never been tried before. We have to be willing to try to be successful, for our children to be successful. Much of this journey is learning along the way through trial and error.
Which learning style best describes your child? Use their strengths to ensure the way their curriculum is being delivered meets their needs and doesn't hinder their ability to learn but instead enhances it.
Each of our childrenâs unique needs provides teachers an opportunity to observe their classroom and figure out which accommodations are beneficial and which arenât as they navigate the process of providing support for all of their students.
Additional Resources:
Special Education Things that you Should Know
Social Thinking
https://www.socialthinking.com/
Diane Alber on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/s?i=stripbooks&rh=p_27%3ADiane+Alber&s=relevancerank&text=Diane+Alber&ref=dp_byline_sr_pop_book_1
Why it is important that we embrace the chaos along this journey? There are going to be times that are unpredictable and full of uncertainty, there just are. When we accept that this is our life and we are navigating it the best we know how with what we know at the moment, it becomes way easier to live in it. There are things that we must let go of in order for this to happen.
You cannot control how your child acts or reacts and you can't control the meltdowns, but what you can control is you. You can control how you show up in any situation and the way you decide to show up can make the situation either better or worse.
When you choose to just embrace and accept your life as it is and move forward without worrying about judgment from others, you will ultimately find yourself happier and more at peace with your life.
The chaos will change as your child grows. There is often verbal stimming, you know those noises that go on and on and on, or pacing back and forth, back and forth, or what about a meltdown in the grocery store, or biting or hitting another child in school and some of our children may even become violent and destructive.
So many of our childrenâs behavioral challenges are escalated by the way we are interacting with them which is why learning to manage your own mind and realizing that you are in control of YOU matters.
For many of our children, mine included, their thinking is very rigid and inflexible, very black and white, and definitely no gray area. When things donât go as they expect, they panic and go into a meltdown. Their ability to control their emotions is just not developed and they donât have the ability to manage them.
You cannot predict the future. Uncertainty about how things will go in any situation is usually an unknown for us, right?
There are things that you can do to help your child if there is a possibility of chaos and I share strategies you can use in this episode.
You donât know what real strength you have unless you are put in a situation that forces you to bring it out. Raising a child or children with autism will show you the depth of your strength.
If you want to learn more about managing your mind and learning to control your emotions, the coaching program inside our PRIVATE SISTERHOOD might be exactly what you are looking for combined with many other benefits. Maybe you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out all of the benefits available to you in our PRIVATE SISTERHOOD.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Episode 90. The Many Negative Impacts of Yelling
Episode 89. Calming Down Big Emotions
For most of us, we take executive functioning skills for granted. It is something that just came naturally, but for our children, it is not that way. They need to be taught these skills through repetition and practice and you must be patient and understanding of their struggles.
Not all autistic individuals have deficits in executive functioning skills and some may have deficits in only one or two areas.
Executive functioning skills are the mental skills that we use to navigate our everyday lives. These abilities help us pay attention, stay on task, understand other people's perspectives, make decisions and organize and prioritize what needs to be done.
Planning is the ability to forward think and sequence things to have a start and end. Many individuals on the spectrum have difficulty formulating a plan to organize those tasks.
In this episode, I give you strategies that you can begin to use to help your child build this skill-set.
The earlier you begin to work on these things, the easier it will be for them as they continue to grow and develop and the reward for their self-esteem and ultimately their independence will be well worth your time and patience.
If you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out all of the benefits available to you in our PRIVATE SISTERHOOD.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Episode 92. Slow Processing Impacts Everyday Life
Episode 40. The Impact of Mind Blindness
The Adventures of You video series
I believe that for our children to grow and develop we cannot raise them the same as we would raise our neurotypical children because there are differences. The vast majority of autistic children, even children who are non-verbal are able to understand and comply with basic rules of conduct they just might need more time to adjust and become comfortable with what is and what isnât allowed.
Think about this⌠your child or children experience the same world we do but in an extraordinary way.
The more that you are willing to expose your children to the world it will help them become aware and accustomed to the world around them. While I know that sometimes it feels easier to stay home, especially if their behavior is unpredictable, that isolation is not healthy for them or for you.
You will try many different approaches when it comes to parenting as your child continues to grow and change along the way and it is important that you donât get discouraged when something doesnât work.
This autism parenting journey can feel lonely, and friendships can be difficult when others donât understand your journey. Find support from those who understand. That is what our SISTERHOOD is all about.
We are CLOSING the DOORS for NEW MEMBERS SOON so don't MISS IT! Click below for all the details:
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
- The Most Important Relationship Along Your Autism Parenting Journey
For some of our kids who might have limited language cooperating is extra challenging because they might not understand the directions of what exactly you want them to do and if you are giving them multi-step directions, this creates more overwhelm for them when you are asking them to do too many things at once.
Many of our children have deficits with executive functioning skills and multi-step directions require them to utilize that skill that they simply just might not have available to them, right?
When our children donât understand the reason for the request they are resistant. If it doesnât make sense to them they might not comply. You might find it helpful to explain the reasoning behind the request or even better the outcome after they comply.
Donât give in just because you get resistance or you will be teaching them that resistance wins every time, right? If they resist, you wonât require them to do it. When we allow their behaviors to get them out of doing a non-preferred activity or something that you are asking them to do, it teaches them a habit that you absolutely donât want to teach.
Many of our kiddos also get frustrated when they canât manage their strong emotions when they are asked to do something they donât want to do so they act out and resist your request.
Always give them encouragement and high fives or hugs when they are cooperating or doing what you ask.
If you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out all of the benefits available to you in our PRIVATE SISTERHOOD.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Episode 92. Slow Processing Impacts Everyday Life
Episode 40. The Impact of Mind Blindness
In this episode, I am talking about the perceptions and misconceptions that people have about autism when their lives have not yet been impacted by autism. With the increased number of families whose lives are being impacted by autism, surely more and more people's lives will be impacted. Currently, 1 in 44 children here in the US are diagnosed and that number is not far behind Internationally.
Autism is a different way of thinking and experiencing the world and each autistic individual will have different challenges and struggles along the way. The saying when you have met one person with autism, you have met one person with autism is so true.
You know, one of the questions that I get a lot is WHEN WILL I KNOW if my child will be able to live on their own or have to live with me for the rest of their life? Have you ever wondered? Well, in this episode, I address this exact question.
I also go into detail about a few of the misconceptions about autistic individuals and some things for you to consider.
I am hopeful you find it helpful.
We are CLOSING the Doors SOON to our PRIVATE SISTERHOOD... Don't MISS OUT on JOINING US!
If you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out all of the benefits available to you in our PRIVATE SISTERHOOD.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
Chris Ramsay on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/user/MrTricksforfun
Being a sibling can be a difficult dynamic and when you add in autism, it takes it to an entirely different level.
It is normal for siblings to have a range of ever-changing emotions being part of a family whose lives have been impacted by autism.
As you continue to explain autism to your child or children who arenât diagnosed with autism, we hope that they will become more understanding and more tolerant and have compassion for their brother or sister's needs but I believe that it is important for us as parents to understand that they might feel sad and they might feel confused about how their sibling acts or reacts in different situations. The good news is that the more they understand their sibling's autism, and maybe as they get older, there is hope that their relationship will change and grow with them.
It is our job while we are navigating this journey to help our other children navigate theirs too. There will be times when they might be embarrassed or angry at their sibling, there will likely be times when they are frustrated when their sibling doesnât want to play with them or only wants to play with something they want to play.
Many siblings will be embarrassed to bring friends into their home for fear of how their new friends might react to their brother or sister.
Part of our job in this autism parenting journey is planning ahead for situations that we know might be difficult. Just like you have felt overwhelmed at times, your other children will feel that way too at times.
Have you checked out our PRIVATE SISTERHOOD?
You should see all the training, resources, coaching, and above all, community inside.
We are an amazing group of women who are all traveling this unique autism parenting journey and we would love you have you join us.
Get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
https://anchor.fm/shannon-urquiola/episodes/20----Independent-Living-Skills-are-SO-IMPORTANT--Do-you-DO-too-much-emjq0l
Processing speed is the amount of time that we take to take in the information being presented to us, make sense of it, and respond to it.
This can be visually when we are reading something, auditory when we are listening to something or someone is telling us something, or motor planning which basically means that even when a child has done a task before, every time it is like they are doing it for the first time because their brain isnât giving them the feedback they need. They might seem clumsy, it might take them what seems like forever to learn to tie their shoes and many physical tasks are just simply harder for them.
The speed of how someone processes information is not related to their IQ or intelligence, it is simply that some individuals take longer to process the information they are taking in than others do. Many very intelligent people process information slowly.
Unfortunately, slow processing can impact so many areas of their lives where they might already have challenges, like social settings and their educational setting.
The problem with their struggles is that many people jump to the conclusion that they are unmotivated, lazy, or not focused. This is important for you to listen for because I promise you, if they are a slow processor, that is likely not the case.
What if for a minute we just allowed them to be them? Slowing down and having a less rushed approach to life might be exactly what we need.
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Tourette Syndrome is a condition of the nervous system. It is a neurological disorder that involves often sudden and repetitive movements, twitches, or unwanted sounds (tics) that cannot be easily controlled.
Statistics show that around one in five children with Tourette Syndrome also meets the criteria for Autism. All the research that I have done, says that it is unlikely that so many children have both disorders but instead, Touretteâs symptoms often mimic or seem quite similar to those of autism.
No one knows exactly what causes tics to occur and they often change in type and intensity. You will usually notice that they might increase in times of excitement, anxiety, anticipation, stress, AND sleep deprivation. They can also change over time and appear, disappear and reappear, they are considered chronic.
Screen time on electronic devices increases dopamine and tics are dopamine-related so if your child is using electronics in excess and experiencing tics, whether they are vocal or motor, I really would like to encourage you to evaluate their screen time and consider lessening their daily time.
If your childâs tics are negatively impacting their education in the educational setting, we recommend that you request a meeting to discuss the possibilities of a 504 plan or an IEP to give them the necessary accommodations or services to help them.
Have you checked out our PRIVATE SISTERHOOD?
You should see all the training, resources, coaching, and above all, community inside.
We are an amazing group of women who are all traveling this unique autism parenting journey and we would love you have you join us.
Get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Additional Resources:
https://www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/blog/electronics-and-the-benefits-of-setting-screen-time-limits
https://www.notyouraverageautismmom.com/blog/72-ripping-the-band-aid-off-on-electronics
You can contact the Tourette Association at www.tourette.org or by calling 888-4TOURET.
HBO documentary, I Have Touretteâs but Touretteâs Doesnât Have Me
In this episode, I am talking about those moments when you have had it and you are simply at what feels like the end of your rope and why staying calm in those moments will pay off in the end.
I know that every one of us knows intellectually that in the moments of chaos, staying calm is the answer, but itâs not always easy to execute and at that moment we find it hard to do the right thing. While yelling may seem effective in the moment, it wonât change their behavior long term. Their behaviors are often confusing to us, we donât understand why they act a certain way or melt down for no apparent reason and that is why it is so important that you continue to try to learn and get a better understanding of your child or your children along this journey. Learning why they react the way they do will ultimately help you to help them.
It is also important to recognize when you are about to lose control so you can remove yourself from the situation. Take a break and breathe.
When you work on being focused on your own emotions and your reactions in difficult situations, when you remember to take a deep breath, to be calm and assertive when dealing with a frustrating situation you will begin to see a difference. You will begin to see that when they are out of control and you remain in control you will be dealing with the situation in a much more positive way and above all, you will feel a lot less stressed out in those moments.
Have you checked out our PRIVATE SISTERHOOD?
You should see all the training, resources, coaching, and above all, community inside.
We are an amazing group of women who are all traveling this unique autism parenting journey and we would love you have you join us.
Get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
If your child is consistently having meltdown behaviors that include an intense amount of emotion or appears to be unable to control their temper, it is not typical behavior but unfortunately, our autistic children often feel things more intensely and they are often unable to return to a place of calm as quickly as we would like.
It is important for our children when they are exhibiting these meltdown behaviors that we do our best to try to find the cause or the triggers so that we can help them understand that emotion does not come on like a freight train. Emotion comes in waves and over time and we want to learn how to help them identify their emotion before it is at the explosive level.
Emotions are part of life and learning to identify them is key.
Much of the anger in our children stems from their inability to effectively communicate, maybe due to an expressive language deficit, and because they arenât able to effectively communicate their frustration, they lash out with these behaviors. Their emotions are on overload and they are extremely dysregulated.
Your emotions are also an integral part of this dynamic because you must be in control of your own emotions before you can expect them to control theirs. They are not doing this to you. This is happening to them.
If you are working through some BIG emotions and challenging behaviors with your child just know that you are not alone.
Additional Resources:
Episode 38: Emotional Dysregulation and the Challenges that come with It.
Episode 58. Tackling Challenging Behavior with Positive Interventions
If you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out all of the benefits available to you in our PRIVATE SISTERHOOD.
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Most of our children diagnosed with autism, share this commonality of having social awkwardness, right? Â Think about this, we use social skills to some extent every single day of our lives which means that our children will need help in learning and developing these skills if our goal is for them to become independent adults.
They need help understanding how to act and engage in different social settings. Â It doesn't come naturally to them.
In this episode, I am giving you ideas and suggestions on social skills groups as well as those community opportunities to have them participate in recreational activities. Â
I am also discussing the importance of you embracing the teaching opportunities that you have throughout your daily lives. Â
There is also the component of you being able to manage your thoughts and emotions and are you willing to be understanding and accept the fact that your child may not be able to do what the other children can? Â
No one's involvement in their growth and development is more important than yours. Â What are you willing to do to ensure that they continue to build the skills they need that will lead to their independence? Â
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Today, I am talking about the dreaded decision of whether or not to pursue promoting your child to the next grade level or holding them back a year. For our kids, this is often such a difficult decision because while they may be advanced in some areas they are likely delayed in other areas both academically and socially.
We have had two years of unprecedented disruptions in learning with COVID so depending on what grade your child is in will determine how much if at all your childâs learning has been impacted.
Overall, research shows that retention does not lead to better outcomes. They argue that the literacy gains made during a retention year do not stay with a child long-term or help them catch up. In this episode, I am sharing with you some things you need to know as well as things you should consider so that you can make an informed decision for yourself and your child, and your family.
Promoting students to the next grade negating their mastery of basic skills, in my opinion, is not the answer, it is simply pushing them through, and then when they arrive in middle and high school it is an even bigger problem.
Many parents believe that retention will allow their child to have more time to develop socially so there isnât such a broad gap between where they are socially and where their peers are. People with autism, at every age and severity level, tend to be young for their age.
Ultimately, the decision to have a child repeat a grade is a hard one, especially for a child with autism. Follow your instincts and ask questions about any and all concerns you have as well as share with the school administrators and team what you feel is the best decision for your child.
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You should see all the training, resources, coaching, and above all, community available inside.
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There are many similarities between autism and dyspraxia and for that reason, there are sometimes challenges in diagnosing one over the other or both. Both disorders present very similarly and in some instances, they can occur side by side.
Some of the signs of both disorders are seen in early development, those things would include delays in sitting up, crawling, and walking as well as potty training. Individuals with dyspraxia have difficulty articulating themselves and their brain processes the information that they want to say at a slower rate.
Dyspraxia is known as a developmental coordination disorder and you might have also heard it referred to in the past as the âclumsy child syndromeâ.
Dyspraxia like autism will show up differently in each child from more severe challenges to lesser ones and no two people will struggle with the same symptoms. Diagnoses of both dyspraxia and autism spectrum disorders should be made only by qualified professionals.
Early intervention is critical and what is important is that your child gets the therapy they need that focuses on the difficulties they are having right now.
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You should see all the training, resources, coaching, and above all, community available inside.
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Pragmatic language by definition is the social skills that we use in our daily interactions with others. This includes conversation skills, the use of non-verbal communication skills, understanding non-literal language, and interpreting and expressing emotions.
Does your child have a difficult time interacting with others? Do they have a hard time starting a conversation or engaging in back and forth conversation? Do they struggle with reading body language or understanding personal space? If so, then I am hopeful that this episode will be helpful.
Whether your child is verbal or not, while the difficulties they face are different, there are still some communication challenges that our non-verbal kiddos have when it comes to pragmatic language. We know that just because a child is considered non-verbal, that does not mean that they don't learn to communicate.
Think about how many unwritten rules our society has that influence our behavior? These are the exact things that make our childrenâs world so confusing because they donât just âget itâ.
So many opportunities throughout our day are speech opportunities even the smallest tasks. Ask questions, and have them elaborate on things that they say.
It is so important that we focus on bridging the gap in pragmatic language deficits for our children, it can make a huge difference in the way they are able to interact and navigate their world.
Have you checked out our PRIVATE SISTERHOOD?
You should see all the training, resources, coaching, and above all, community available inside.
We are an amazing group of women who are all traveling this unique autism parenting journey and we would love you have you join us.
Get all the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
In today's episode I am talking about traveling into the uncharted territory we face when our kids become interested in dating and romantic relationships. This time calls for some BIG conversations, so come on, join me as I dive in. Â
Our teenagers develop sexually in the same way as other teens but they have to build the skill-set to navigate it. Like so many other things, it doesnât come naturally to them.
Studies tell us that people with autism often experience feelings and emotions stronger than those without autism, yet, they are often misunderstood because they donât exhibit them in the same way neurotypical people do.
When they or someone they are with says NO what does that mean? They need to understand boundaries and respect the other person's boundaries.
What are the qualities that a boyfriend or a girlfriend would like? Â Also, talk about what they would like in a boyfriend or girlfriend? What qualities are important to them? What do they think is important in a relationship and why?
They might ask questions, are you prepared? Â You should be. Â
If you are ready to join an AMAZING SISTERHOOD of women who are all traveling this journey, click the link below for all the details. Â
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
How do I know if my child's IEP is good or good enough? Â Such a common question. Â
Today I am giving you things to consider when assessing your child's IEP. Â What are some red flags? Â What is and isn't ok? Â
Questions to ask so that you understand the goals on your child's IEP and when 80% mastery is not ok. Â
I talk about what you should always do and what I don't recommend that you do. Â An IEP should be focused on where they are headed and not focused on their deficits right now. Â The goal is to give them the services and accommodations to help those lacking skills emerge. Â
If you want to learn more about special education be sure to check out all of the benefits in our Private SISTERHOOD.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Teenage years are hard, without a doubt. Â As their dependency on us and our need to care for them and control their world shifts, it can be super uncomfortable for both them and us.
In today's episode, I am talking about the most common things that come up when I am coaching moms of teens or pre-teens. Â I am giving you strategies I hope will help you navigate through this time with less resistance from them and for you, less frustration. Â
I also talk about parenting from a place of faith and hope instead of from fear. Â I see many parents who parent from a place of fear and that is never recommended and in this episode, I talk about what that means and why it isn't effective. Â
If you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out all of the benefits available to you in our PRIVATE SISTERHOOD.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
In this episode, I am talking about one of the behaviors that many parents see in their child diagnosed with autism and that is toe walking. Â What is toe walking? Â What should you do or not do if you are concerned about your child's toe walking? Â
Research tells us that as many as 25% of autistic children engage in some form of toe walking.
Toe walking isnât specific to autism but it is more common in children with autism than other forms of developmental delays. Â
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In this episode, I am talking about a HOT topic in our autism world and one that many people have strong beliefs about one way or another and that is high functioning vs low functioning and functioning labels in general.
The terms high functioning and low functioning while many people donât agree with them are still being used all too often. I honestly believe that the terms donât provide an actual clear picture of what the child is capable of or what areas they might excel in.
I believe that they are subjective and always up for interpretation. Â What I consider high functioning or low functioning someone else, maybe even you might disagree with, so that is what in my opinion makes labeling high functioning or low functioning inaccurate.
What if instead of relying on labels, we simply focused on what the individual's needs are without having to consider a label or the level of functioning. Â I believe if we did that, it would serve our children to the highest level allowing them to live their best life with the support they need. Â
If you are looking for a community of amazing women to connect with who are all traveling this same unique autism parenting journey, please be sure to check out our private membership and all of the benefits you get as a member. Â
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I have done many episodes on different areas and important things you need to know about special education, today, I am going to specifically talk about some of the misconceptions parents often have about special education.
The school doesn't develop your child's IEP. Â An IEP is developed by a TEAM and it has nothing to do with what is or isnât available at your childâs school but instead, it has everything to do with what YOUR CHILDâS needs are.
Your child does not have to be in a self-contained classroom if they qualify for Special Education. Â Many students with IEPs are in general education classrooms with their peers and they don't ride the "short bus". Â
You must determine if the existing goals have been met and the only way you can determine that is by the data AND if the student has not mastered the goals, they should not just be just taken off the IEP and different goals written.
This and so much more in this episode...
If you want to learn more about special education be sure to check out all of the benefits in our Private SISTERHOOD.
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First of all, itâs important to know that while itâs evident that the rate of diagnosis has significantly increased in recent years, researchers only began tracking autism rates in the year 2000. For some perspective on the numbers, my son Jordan who is 25 was diagnosed when he was 5 years old and when he was diagnosed, it was 1 in 158 and now, in 2021 that number is 1 in 44.
That is obviously a HUGE increase, but experts tell us that this rise in numbers is a direct consequence of the increased awareness of autism as well as the changes to the diagnostic criteria in the DSM-5 edition which was published in May of 2013.
In this episode, I talk about some of the changes in the DSM-5 as well as a recommendation by the American Academy of Pediatrics which both have likely led to more diagnoses of children who might have otherwise gone undetected.
There are also variations in the differences in diagnosis from State to State. Some are significantly higher than 1 in 44 and some are lower but experts remain convinced that this is simply due to how autism is diagnosed and documented in different communities.
Raising a child or children with autism isn't bad, it isn't terrible, it is just a different and unique parenting journey.
If this is your journey, accepting it and not resisting it will be the best thing that you can do for your child and for you.
If you are feeling alone on your journey or maybe you are looking for other moms to connect with who understand your day-to-day challenges, be sure that you check out all of the benefits available to you in our PRIVATE SISTERHOOD.
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Most of our kids are so rigid with their routines and schedules and breaking that pattern causes a disruption.
So this Sunday, March 13that 2 am we are moving those clocks ahead 1 hour, and that likely means that in your house, you will have an adjustment period, right? In this episode, I am giving you some tips and suggestions on things that you can do in advance of the clock's changing.
There is no "secret" to make it any easier. Their bodies have to adapt and adjust.
If you or your kids want to know more about Daylight Savings Time or just time in general, someone shared this link with me many years ago and I have kept it because it was so helpful for Jordan and me, to be honest.
https://blog.littlelives.com/explain-to-kids-daylight-saving-time-76f543ed4104
Just know that you are not alone, there are millions of moms just like you who might be dreading this time, even though, it is only 1-hour.
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Many parents find themselves unsure when they begin to see their child struggle in certain areas if they should just âwait it outâ? Maybe you are thinking that he or she will grow out of it, get past these quirky or odd things and catch up. Is that you? I have worked with many moms who were sitting in that place of âhopefulâ.
What I want you to consider is why are you hesitant or even resistant to having him or her evaluated? I know that for many parents contemplating the decision to get their son or daughter evaluated it comes down to fear of the unknown but here is what I do know, we know that early intervention is key, and without a proper evaluation to consider their deficits and make a plan they may not be getting all that they need to bridge the gap.
If the worst thing that happens in your mind is that they get diagnosed, what are you making that mean? Ask yourself that question and answer it honestly. The truth is that if he or she is autistic, the earlier you can begin helping them learn in a way that works for them, the better chance they have to build their skill-set early on to help them navigate their world.
Having your child diagnosed with autism can be an extremely difficult time for the family but this is the first and most important step. When children go undiagnosed, so many areas of their life can be difficult to understand.
If you decide to pursue the diagnosis, there are some things that you can do ahead of time to be prepared for the appointment and one of those is completing a developmental milestone chart in advance.
Below are links to a few of the most common or most used charts.
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/pdf/checklists/Checklists-with-Tips_Reader_508.pdf
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/community_physicians/patient_information/_docs/form_mchatr.pdf
Here is what I want to leave you with today, first and most important, you need to know that getting an evaluation or assessment does not necessarily always lead to a diagnosis. The outcome is not certain.
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Yes, we are talking about it again because you still have questions and so I'm going to dive in a little bit more. While self-harming behaviors look different for our children with autism and individuals without autism, they are very prevalent in the autistic population. You may have heard them referred to as SIB for short.
For most individuals on the spectrum, these behaviors are happening in a very rhythmic or repetitive way and that then leads us to believe that they could be using them to meet a specific need. It could be head-banging, hand-biting, hitting themselves with their fists, skin picking, or pulling their hair out.
It might be that they are finding them soothing or stimulating and these types of reasons are definitely more unique to those with autism than individuals who are not on the spectrum.
The first thing to consider is what is the behavior providing them and that in itself is another one of those mysteries that we often find ourselves unable to understand or uncover. Whatever steps you decide to take it is critically important that all of it is coming from a place of love and a willingness to help them figure it out and find a way to re-direct that behavior to one that is more positive.
While many autistics engage in self-injurious behaviors, it is not just a "part of autism" and it generally won't just go away on its own.
If your child is exhibiting self-injurious behaviors, trust in your professionals and physicians to navigate you in the right direction.
You can also go back and listen to episode #64 for more information on this topic.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Have you ever found yourself thinking that you just arenât âgood enoughâ? Â Donât worry, you are not alone.
I want you to give yourself permission to NOT be able to fix everything and you have to take a look at the pressure you are putting on yourself.
I know that one of the biggest challenges we have raising our child or children with autism is the emotional roller coaster that we find ourselves on because we want to FIX everything so the first thing that you have to do is to understand that you are not going to be able to FIX everything along this autism parenting journey.
You canât do it ALL all the time, so be mindful of that and donât set your expectations of yourself so high that you can never celebrate all of the million things that you do DO right day in and day out.
You are making an enormous difference in your childâs life.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
Just because your child has a medical diagnosis of autism DOES NOT mean that they will qualify for Special Education services under the eligibility category of autism. When your child is being evaluated in the educational setting, they are using the LAW of IDEA, Individuals with Disabilities Educational Act to determine Special Education eligibility.
Special Education services are not solely based on academics and learning. Â Your child will receive services and accommodations based on their individual need if they qualify for services. Â The US Department of Education actually issued a letter in August 2016 that addressed the school district's requirement to consider and provide behavioral supports through the IEP process. Â Click the link below for a pdf of that letter. Â
https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/school-discipline/files/dcl-on-pbis-in-ieps--08-01-2016.pdf
Many parents donât realize how much power they hold in their childâs education when they qualify for an IEP. The IEP is a legally binding document that schools must follow what is written in the IEP.
We invite you to come and spend more time with us inside our PRIVATE SISTERHOOD Community. Â
Get all of the details at www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
Our life is surrounded by technology. Electronics are a part of everyoneâs 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 hyperactivity, short attention span, and irritability.
You have to establish clear rules, boundaries, and schedules for electronic use. Â Until you RIP OFF THAT BAND-AID of their dependency on electronics they donât have the need to have any other interest.
Listen with an open mind. Â Be willing to consider that making some changes just might work. Â
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
You can love your child with every ounce of you and worry less. Â Yes, that is possible. Â
Worry is generally based around a fear of something that you have no way to predict the outcome of but hereâs the truth⌠worry never solved a problem.  When we begin to worry, our thoughts usually start with WHAT IF?
I know that there are so many things that you probably worry about, I canât even begin to list them all, but each of you knows individually what your worries are.
In this episode, I am giving you specific things to do to lessen your worry. Â
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
Raising our children is difficult at times, we know that. Â 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? Â Autism is not a single disorder, but a spectrum of closely related disorders that share core symptoms, and while every child on the spectrum will struggle to some degree with social interaction, communication, and behavior, the level of disability and combination of symptoms varies tremendously from each individual.
No diagnostic label can tell you exactly what challenges your child will have. Your job as your childâs mom and the best thing that you can do is to seek treatment that addresses your childâs individual needs and not focus on what to "call" the problem.
Here is what I believe. I believe that yes, our children, all children but especially our children with autism, need to have clear rules and consequences, I also believe that you have to be the parent who is willing to listen and willing to help them navigate what they donât understand.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
I remember 20 years ago when Jordan was diagnosed with PDD-NOS and how many questions I had. Â Questions about what it all meant? Questions about what I was supposed to do? Was it curable or treatable? Like a disease? I honestly had no clue what getting a diagnosis meant for not only him but for our family. Â
At the time, I didnât know anyone who had a child with autism, and listen I was in my early 30âs so as you can imagine, I felt totally lost. I learned that autism is not a disease, it is a complex disorder and no two people would experience autism in the same way which in turn means that no two parents would be parenting the same way so I really had no one to turn to. I went to work determined to figure it out.
if you know a physician who is diagnosing autism or if you know a therapist or specialist who works with families whose lives are impacted by autism who would like some of our brochures to share with their moms, please let us know.Â
You can reach us directly at info@notyouraverageautismmom.com and we would be happy to get a business information packet in the mail to them so they can learn more about the services that we provide.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
Being consistent in our parenting with consequences for broken rules and unacceptable behavior is the only way that things will get easier. It is not going to be easy and you have to go through the hard to get to the other side where it will be easier.
Now it is important to know that the goal of a consequence is not punishment. The goal of a consequence is to teach. We need to use consequences because our children need to learn and understand that there are consequences in the world for their behaviors and actions.
You give them ownership of their consequence meaning, their consequence has nothing to do with you but instead, it has to do with their behavior or what they did or didnât do.
What is the one thing that you would like to work on? Is it a rule in your house that you need to follow thru on? Is it a boundary that you need to set? Is it limiting electronic time? Once you decide on that one thing, go to work making it happen.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
We have to stop feeling victim to our lives. We have to stop feeling sorry for ourselves because our parenting journey is different than other people in our family or our friend circle. Look, let's just be honest, raising a child or children with autism is not easy, we all know that.
I want all of you to stop thinking about your life and the first feeling you get is overwhelmed or tired.
You have to figure out how to love your life. Right now, right where you are in your journey. Â THIS IS your life so now it is up to you, you get to decide HOW to think and feel about it.
In 2022 I want you to start to talk to yourself like you are proud of your life and not at the effect of it. Give the good in your life equal airtime to the challenges and the difficult times. Life isnât all good or all bad, life is 50/50.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
Things can be different for our families during the holidays. Â The holidays are a joyous and festive time of year but for our families who live with an autistic child in our home, this isn't always the case. Â
From holiday decorations to parties, religious events, and gift exchanges, all of these events can cause increased anxiety for our kids. Â
No one knows your child better than you and you get to choose what you participate in or those events you don't attend. Â Don't feel guilty for doing what is in the best interest of your child and your family. Â
Holidays are a time for the entire family to enjoy and sometimes, you have to make decisions that won't make everyone happy. Â That is ok. Â
There is no rule or guidebook for how to do the holidays, you get to make them your own. Â
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
ESY services are defined as special education or related services that are provided beyond the normal school year for the purpose of providing FAPE (Free and Appropriate Education). It is a required part of IDEA, Individuals with Disabilities Act and is provided at no cost to you, the family according to the studentâs Individual Education Plan.
There are many misconceptions about ESY services and what they are and are not. Â In this episode, I explain the differences and why it is important that you are thinking about ESY now, prior to the holiday break. Â
I go through the six factors that are considered by the team to determine ESY eligibility and what each of them means. Â
If you believe that your child would benefit from ESY services, it is important that you request an IEP meeting right at the beginning of the new year after the holiday break to discuss with the team.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
Self-injury is a very severe form of behavior that has one of the highest risks of medical injury. These episodes can lead to cuts, bruises, broken bones, concussions, and dental problems.
Some forms of self-injury most seen in our kids with autism
Headbanging/Hitting
Biting
Scratching
Arm Banging
Punching
Hair Pulling
Skin Picking
Individuals who are exhibiting these behaviors are doing these things hard enough to HURT themselves.
Learn what the risk factors are to be aware of. Â
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
In this episode, I am going to be talking about ways to build a foundation for effective communication with your childâs educational team. The key to effective communication is first to have a willingness to be involved in planning their education.
It is important that you are always be prepared for your IEP meetings and what you do or don't do and how involved you are in between those meetings is necessary in order for you to be prepared.
You have to have a partnership with the entire team and always keep the focus on your child and what they need to be successful. What is working and what isnât working. Be sure that you always understand what is being offered and if you donât, ask for clarification.
Ask questions, bring up your ideas or concerns, and discuss them.
Before attending any meeting, it is important that you know the purpose of the meeting and who will be attending. You should request a meeting notice which will list both of those things. The purpose of the meeting, meaning what will be discussed as well as who is invited to attend.
Great communication includes listening as well as speaking. Building an effective IEP team takes trust and respect.
Perspective is everything and often most of us rarely have the same perspective.
Always be willing to work as a team to find solutions so that your child gets the most appropriate education for them to meet their needs.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
So many of you asked me to address this topic on the podcast so I want you to know that I listen. Â Potty training is one of the most asked about concerns of parents of children with autism. Â There is no SECRET to it, I promise. Â Like so many other things along our autism parenting journey, this is just one more thing that will com
Potty training may likely be the most difficult life skill that you will ever teach your child, but it is also the most important one. Â
There are many issues that can interfere with effective toilet training for kids on the spectrum from physical, sensory, fears of the bathroom, etc...
Provide time for them to sit on the potty, even when they don't go to ease their fears. Â
Make it fun to encourage them. Â Have reinforcers and celebrate when they go on the big girl/big boy potty! Â
You must be consistent and have patience with both your child and yourself. Â It takes commitment and consistency from you and there isn't a guaranteed time frame. Â
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
Roughly 50% of our children with autism are likely to wander or elope so many families live with the fear of wandering or elopement every day. Â When you have a child who is at risk for elopement, it directly impacts your entire family.
You are often limited in the activities you are able to participate in outside of the home due to the fear of wandering. You have to take extreme measures to provide safety in your home from the inside out and be prepared for the judgment that will likely follow from family or friends. Home security is a must. You will likely have alarms or secure deadbolt locks to prevent the opportunity to elope. You will need to be extremely cautious of who you leave your child in the care of and ensure that they are aware of all the risks and extra precautions they will need to take to ensure your child does not run.
If your child is a wanderer, it is critically important that you are prepared for an elopement so that you can act quickly and reduce their chance of harm.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
I am joined in this episode by Dina Kimmel, owner, and CEO of We Rock the Spectrum sensory gym franchise. Â We Rock the Spectrum just crossed over 100 gym franchises across the globe and they continue to expand giving opportunities to autistic families around the world to experience the benefits of an indoor sensory gym. Â
Dina shares her autism parenting journey that led her to where she is today and how we connected and what we are up to together. Â
How you see yourself is creating your entire life. Think about it, do you spend any time at all thinking about what you think about yourself?
Most women just think that is who they are but the truth is, you can change your thoughts about yourself and when you change how you think about yourself and what you are capable of, guess what happens, everything outside of you changes.
You have to like yourself first, you have to believe in your own value and take the time to celebrate all of the greatness of who you are.
What do you think about yourself? How do you talk to yourself?
Do this, ask yourself this question⌠What would you like to believe and think about yourself?
Having a place where you can share your feelings and experiences openly with others who are traveling the same path can help you manage stress and reduce your feelings of frustration and isolation. None of us can make it through this journey without support.
Be sure to check out our private SISTERHOOD at www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
Todayâs topic is a direct result of what some of our members have been going through recently and that is making really difficult decisions. I am adding in a few other things along the way in hopes that this might just be the pep talk that you didn't even realize that you needed.
From early intervention decisions to educational decisions, to medical decisions, therapies, social situations, and the list goes on and on⌠for some of you, like me, as your child approaches adulthood you will have to make a decision about whether or not to pursue Guardianship.
When your child is diagnosed with autism, you likely donât know anything about autism and yet you have been given a stack of paperwork to sort through with a bunch of different intervention options. Think about it, HOW could you possibly know which ones will be right for your child? You wonât and that is ultimately where your work begins.
You have to accept the fact that you will not always make the right decisions and that is OK. No one knows your child better than you so while you may not always make the right decision, you will always make the decision that you believe is right for them in any situation.
You will walk through this journey with your child helping each other along the way. Your child may not think or act like their peers but they will learn and grow and it is so important that we embrace who they are, how they think and learn, and what motivates them. Your child enables you to see what they are capable of. In parenting them, you too will find what you are capable of.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
In this episode, I am going to focus specifically on how Positive behavior support (PBS) can be effective for our kids. Whether it is utilizing a Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) or a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) or whatever type of plan your childâs education program or school team puts together. Â The point is that it can absolutely improve your childâs behavior across settings when both the family and the school team are working collaboratively together as a team.
When these supports are implemented and over time, they can have lasting benefits both at school and at home. Â These plans when developed can include many different components. Here is what we do know, we know that proactive strategies reduce the likelihood of problem behavior and instead they prompt positive behaviors.
The goal of any positive behavior support plan is that it rewards our kids by teaching them how to self-manage their own behavior over time.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
Having boundaries will help your child navigate their world and give them an understanding of how they can easily meet those expectations. Boundaries are essentially understanding and respecting the needs of others and today, I am talking specifically about your boundaries as their parent.
First, you have to decide what your goal is for setting boundaries. What is the outcome that you are hoping to achieve by setting the boundaries?
You want to make sure that the boundaries have positive outcomes/rewards when they are followed. Positive reinforcement is such a powerful strategy with our kids. Our goal is always to help them begin to understand the cause and effect from the boundaries.
When you are establishing new boundaries and following through with them, it is a process and I promise you, they will struggle. By following thru and doing what you say and adhering to the boundaries you have set time and time again, they will eventually grasp the concept and it WILL get easier but you have to commit to being consistent AND you have to be prepared and anticipate that it will get harder before it gets easier.
We want them to understand that the boundaries are to help them learn to control their emotional responses in a more appropriate manner, to understand that in life, they wonât always get what they want and that every one of us, as human beings, all have boundaries that we have to follow in life.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Our kids love predictability and repetition because it gives them a sense of security.
Most of our lives revolve around familiar routines, right? We have created these routines to help our children feel safe because I mean, that is just what we do. Â We donât want them to be anxious so as a natural solution, we worked hard to make their environment as predictable as possible.
Resistance to change can create problems for both your child and you when change is unavoidable. The goal of pushing the boundaries of routine for our kids is to practice unpredictability with them so that they will eventually be able to accept change and have the ability to be flexible even in the face of uncertainty.
It is our responsibility to introduce changes in their routines so that they learn to cope in this ever-changing world we live in. No matter how much planning goes into things and despite your best effort, inevitably sometimes things just donât go as planned.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
In this episode, we review the importance of incorporating functional skills and a functional curriculum in our children's daily lives. Â
A functional skill is a skill that a person needs to live independently and a functional curriculum focuses on the life skills a student needs for independent living. Â Teaching our children how to function in the world is just as important if not more important than teaching academic skills. Â These âfunctionalâ skills are what they will need to live as independently as possible.
Think about activities of everyday life. These include communication, social skills, appropriate behavior, hygiene, safety, transportation, and self-help skills. Life skills go hand in hand with development and these skills can be incorporated into their daily routines. Functional skills are the skills that are necessary for daily living and if they are not done by an individual, they will have to be done by someone else.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
So many things along our autism parenting journey focus on our childâs impairments so today, I wanted to talk about how their relative strengths can play a critical role in helping them compensate for their deficits. Â
Iâm going to dive deep into the importance of understanding how our memory works and more specifically, how their memory works which I think is fascinating. Â
Rote learning is when someone memorizes information based on repetition.
While many people on the spectrum struggle with short-term memory, it has been noted that their long-term memory is among the traits that correlated with high intelligence. Many of them, maybe even your child might closely resemble photographic or near photographic levels. Â . Â A person who has a photographic memory can close their eyes and see the vision or object in their mind as clearly as if they had taken a photograph of it, even days, weeks, and years after they saw the object.
Memory in autism appears to be organized differently than in neurotypical individuals and in a study, I read, they noted differences in the development of the brain connections with the pre-frontal cortex.
They have a difficult time determining what is important.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
We know is that in autism their repetitive and fixated behaviors are generally their strategies for reducing the chaos and minimalizing their overload by seeking the predictability and routine of sameness. These are all of their attempts to decrease their overwhelm from the stimulation and provide some sort of order to the confusing overwhelming world they are in.
Our children struggle with being flexible because of their need for sameness and being in control and when things have to change or you have to drive a different way home because of a traffic accident their ability to be flexible is nowhere to be found, right?
Our world honestly is way too uncertain and unpredictable for our kids on the spectrum. What applies in one situation doesnât necessarily apply to the next and that results in increased anxiety and sometimes anger when things donât go the way they anticipated.
Our goal is never to overwhelm them but we want them to mentally engage and tackle their uncertainty and reduce that rigid thinking. We want them to be able to evaluate options when there is a roadblock or something doesnât go as they planned. Everyone makes mistakes until they practice and get better. You have to learn what doesnât work to ultimately learn what does work right? That is what we want to teach them.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Special education teachers are often tasked with unparalleled challenges over mainstream teachers because rather than developing one single lesson plan, they are having to develop unique plans for every student that aligns with each of their studentâs IEPâs. When you think about special education we are often talking about a vast range of different ages, interests, and abilities.
Teaching our kids whether in the classroom or at home presents challenges without a doubt but providing them support undoubtedly enhances their learning potential.
In this episode, I am talking about some of the struggles that our kids deal with and ways that their school team, classroom teacher, or if you are one of our homeschool moms may find beneficial in working through some of the challenges that working with our children can pose.
Being an effective teacher requires many tools and strategies to help each student individually so you have to be flexible and what works one week, might have to change to work next week. It takes a lot of trial and error sometimes until you see something that clicks.
Computer-based programs tend to hold the interest of students with autism so check out all of the different platforms available and if your child is in school, share these programs with their teacher.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
In this episode, I talk in-depth about the differences in tantrums and meltdowns. Their behaviors may look similar but it is important for us as parents to be able to identify the differences so that we know how to best help them.
With a tantrum, the child is generally choosing to engage in the behavior because of their want for something or escaping something that they donât want. They are usually acting out to get a reaction from someone else. A key identifier in a tantrum is that it will end abruptly if given what they want or allowed to escape what it is they are resisting.
The first thing that you need to figure out is what is he or she trying to gain from the tantrum? Do they want something that they cannot have? Are they trying to escape something or somewhere that they donât want to be or something that they donât want to do?
Itâs important to practice replacement behaviors with them and teach them appropriate ways to get their needs met.
Always keep your emotional AND verbal reactions minimal when it comes to a tantrum.
When a meltdown occurs, it is because the childâs brain is overwhelmed, and they are literally in a fight or flight reaction. Their level of stress in their current setting has escalated to a point where they lose control and are unable to cope with their environment.
Here is what I can tell you, the majority of times when a meltdown is happening it is because they are trying to escape something that is overwhelming and they are not seeking to GAIN anything. They might feel unsafe or the social demands of the situation are simply too much for them to navigate.
Typical behavior techniques that we would use for a tantrum will not work during a meltdown. Their sensory system and brain are so overloaded and overwhelmed that they physically cannot respond. Meltdowns are highly unpredictable and can come on suddenly and sometimes without any notice.
The most effective strategy for reducing meltdowns is to figure out strategies that will lead to avoiding the meltdown, to begin with.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
For most of us, itâs just plain difficult to know when our expectations of our children are unreasonable, right? Â I've heard more times than I would like to admit, "but he or she has autism". Â In this episode, I am going to talk about why that in itself is never a good reason or answer. Â
So how do we know if our expectations are realistic? The reality is that if your child is having recurring unwanted behavior it usually means a child lacks either the skills or the motivation to meet our expectations. Now that certainly doesnât mean that they will never be able to achieve that expectation, it just means that you might have to work on some additional steps in order to get there. The majority of our children can learn when given the opportunity to do so.
Expectation is the belief that something will and can happen in the future so our job as their parent is to encourage growth and we have to believe that they can and will instead of being fixated on where they are right now.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
Many children with autism find the demands of school and the school environment almost unbearable which leads to âschool avoidance or refusalâ. This is when a child gets very upset about going to school and wonât or canât go. This isnât a clinical diagnosis; it is simply a name for an emotional and/or behavioral problem.
As our childâs parent, we have a legal obligation to educate our children, which means they must be enrolled in an educational setting and attending regularly. We all know that in 2021 we have many options to educate our children from homeschooling to private school, online school, or public school. Whichever you choose is completely your decision, but you are obligated to ensure they are getting an education.
Working as a team with your childâs school is the best way to help with school refusal.
Some of the common reasons for increased stress and anxiety at school might be, transition times when it is noisy and the halls are crowded and loud, unstructured times of the day like lunch, conflict with peers, teasing, or bullying. Often because of their social deficits, they struggle with the social aspect of school the most. They have difficulties understanding and reading social cues like facial expressions or body language, or they donât get sarcasm.
There may be strategies and accommodations that could be implemented at school. They may need to have accommodations added to their IEP like extra breaks or being allowed to transition ahead of the other students to avoid the crowds between classes. Remember, ASK for what you think they might need.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
For many of us, maybe even you, speech delay was one of the first things that we were concerned about in our childâs development.
For our children with autism not only are they delayed in their speech, but they are often delayed in other areas of development including initializing communication using eye contact, or gestures like pointing or shaking their head. They also may lack eye contact, not respond to their name, and may use the words that they do have out of context that makes no sense.
CDCâs Developmental Milestone- https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html
A child who isnât developing critical speech or language skills needs help and the sooner the intervention starts, the better.
Children with autism can learn to speak. So, even if your child isnât talking by age 4 or 5, they can go on to develop speech, they will just need some extra help getting there. Â
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
A new school year can be very stressful for our children with autism. Â There are new people to meet, new routines to learn, and all the while having to navigate school and classes and noisy lunchrooms.
Communicating with your childâs teacher is critical to your childâs success at school and in the classroom. Â You can be a tremendous resource that can help ensure your child has a smooth transition into a new classroom with a new teacher. Â Â After all, you know your child better than anyone.
My goal in this episode is to give you strategies that you can use going into the new school year so that it is a successful year for both you and your child.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
The majority of people with autism do use spoken language but few of them use it in the same way as individuals without autism. Â The reason that this is so important for you to understand is that often our kids are often communicators rather than conversationalists and teaching conversation skills will likely be something that you will continually have to work on with your child if language is a challenge for them.
Many of the skills that are needed for conversation are the ones that are the core deficits in autism. Â Conversation is not one way, it is interactive communication between two or more people and it is often difficult for individuals with autism because it is a dialogue, not a monologue.
Learning to think about others and understand social situations are valuable skills that will help our kids in everyday situations.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
The death of a loved one, a tragedy in the world, someone we love getting diagnosed with a terminal illness, none of these our easy conversations.
Our goal as Mom is to protect our children right, we want to shield them from the things that will be difficult for them, of course, that is normal, but you and I both know that it isnât reality.
Part of what makes it difficult to discuss a tragic situation or event with our children might be because there are often so many unknowns and we ourselves are experiencing our own emotions.
When we are talking about social circumstances or ways of the world, you have to decide whether it is important and appropriate for your child.
Help them understand that there is not a right or wrong way to feel when someone dies.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
So many of us, including me, struggle to figure out HOW to connect with our kids. Â Feeling like we don't have a bond and sometimes even questioning if they are capable to "really" love us or if they would miss us if we weren't here tomorrow. Â I know those thoughts, because I have had those thoughts so if you have had those thoughts, this episode is for you!
Talk to them even if it doesnât seem like they want to, just be sure to choose the times of the day when you know it would be best for them
Give yourself permission to not be interested in what they want to talk about without it meaning something about you as a mom
Set boundaries for yourself and have expectations and consequences that you are willing to follow through onÂ
Choose your battles and decide what is important based on your family values and stick to it
Get out of your comfort zone and routine and DO or GO someplace different
Take time to just BE with your child without any expectations
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Communication is the pathway to navigating the world we live in. We communicate our wants and needs and likes and dislikes. We communicate to share information and use it to build relationships. Children with autism often have difficulty developing language skills and understanding what others are communicating to them.Â
Not only do they struggle with verbal communication but also non-verbal communication such as facial expressions, body language, and eye contact. Our childrenâs ability to communicate language often depends on their intellectual and social development. Many of our kids either canât communicate verbally at all or have a very limited ability while others, maybe even yours have extensive vocabularies and will talk extensively about specific subjects.
Teaching our children to improve their communication skills is so important to helping them reach their full potential. Â In order for us, any of us to speak, there are certain things that must happen and it is way more of a process than most of us would think.
I definitely recommend consulting a speech-language pathologist to evaluate your childâs development of speech and language if you think that his or her skills are lacking or not developing at a typically developing rate.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
Not every child who has autism needs to have a guardian when they become 18. Having a diagnosis of autism does not equal incompetence. Â
In most states, a parent is deemed to be the legal guardian of his or her child until the child turns 18. Until 18, parents have the legal authority to make decisions (medical, financial, etc.) for their child.
As soon as your child turns 18, your parental authority no longer exists. Yes, you heard me correct. The day your child turns 18 you no longer have authority to manage their medications with their doctor or the pharmacy, you no longer can make educational, medical or legal decisions on their behalf UNLESS you have guardianship.
Disclaimer: I am not nor do I claim to be or act as an attorney. I am simply sharing information that may be helpful to you if this becomes a decision you might one day have to make and I want to be sure that you know what you need to know and where you will go to get the information so that ultimately you are able to make an informed decision for you, your child and your family.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
As a parent of a child with autism, we have many challenges along the way that can affect not only our mental well-being but often our physical and social well-being are impacted too. Parents who donât learn healthy coping strategies are at increased risk of higher anxiety and even depression.
In today's episode, I discuss practical things that you can do to lessen your stress levels and show up better as not only your child's Mom every day but things that you can do to FEEL better along this parenting journey. Â
I promise you that your mental and physical health will impact your child. Being in a stable place both mentally and physically makes the additional challenges that come with our unique parenting journey much easier to deal with.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
For most people, context is just a known thing. I mean it's like it is just inherent for us to know that everything is relative and depends on the context, situation, or setting which determines how we act or react or what we say or donât say, right?
Well, imagine, if you are only able to take in one piece of information at a time. This is a daily struggle for people with autism. There are so many different pieces of information to take in and respond to and put into context.
Context refers to the circumstances or events that form the environment within which something exists or takes place. Context directs our perception and ultimately influences and directs our actions and/or responses.
Autistic brains tend to think in an absolute way and it also seems that they have challenges viewing a situation from different perspectives.
We spend a lot of time teaching them social rules but what happens is that they have difficulty adapting these rules to different situations and making exceptions to the rules even when appropriate.
The more you model to them how you act or react or how you speak to people you know or donât know and how you show up in different areas of life, the more they will gain an understanding and importance of this.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
Most people know or think they know and/or understand Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) but have you ever heard of Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)? Â The differences may just surprise you and there may be a lightbulb moment or two in this episode.
Many behavioral symptoms of autism and OCD actually overlap with each other. Â The reality is that the symptoms are similar but the treatment is very different. Â
In this episode, I talk about what OCD actually is and what it is not and give you a quick insight into OCPD which if you are like me, you might have never even heard of.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
Emotions are difficult to understand and interpret for all of us, and each of us demonstrates our emotions differently but for our kids on the spectrum, it is so much more challenging. Â For most of our kids, these intense emotions are very unpredictable, scary, and overwhelming.
We have to teach them how to appropriately respond to their emotions and this isnât an easy task and wonât happen overnight.Â
We need to validate their feeling while teaching them a different way to REACT to the feeling.
It will take TIME, patience, and practicing it over and over and over again with each incident.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
How often can you have an IEP meeting? Â Should I get a meeting notice? Â Can I request a specific staff member not be part of my child's IEP meeting? Â Can I record the meeting? Â What if I can't attend the day the school scheduled the meeting?
Does my child have to attend the meeting? Â What if I don't sign the IEP? Â My school said they don't provide the service my child needs?
Answering all of these IEP questions and MORE ...
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
This is a HOT topic in the autism world today. Â Autism diagnosis or being autistic. Â
Puzzle piece or no puzzle piece. Â
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. Â
Do you believe that the medical professionals and certain autism organizations are harmful to you or your child?
This is an episode where I get a little passionate, so stay with me through until the end because my hope is that by the end you might just have a different outlook or some new things to consider. Â
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
If you are concerned about your childâs development or suspect that your little one may have a disability, this episode is for you! There is actually so much to know about early intervention.
- HOW your child would qualify for an IFSP?
- Each state has specific guidelines for the IFSP
- What can you expect to be included in an IFSP?
- The differences between an IFSP and an IEP
- What types of services can be provided on an IFSP?
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
Resources:
Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (State by State Contact information)
https://ectacenter.org/contact/ptccoord.asp
This is actually one of the biggest questions moms have after getting their childâs autism diagnosis. Who should know and why? In this episode, I am talking about why, when, how, and with who you should share the diagnosis?
Autism is something that more and more people are aware of, but there is still a lot of misleading information out there. Your family and friends may not know what it means or they might have a picture in their head of what autism looks like. Â
There are many important things that you will want to include in this conversation and the last one is the most important so stay with me until the end. Â
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
In today's episode, I give you some insight into having "the talk" with your child about their autism diagnosis. Â I give you some of the signs that you may see that will tell you, it might be time. Â
These conversations are as individual as your child but the most important thing is to assure them that getting a diagnosis does not change who they are, everyone loves them the same, all it does is help us to understand how their brain works and figure out some ways to make some things easier for their brain to process and figure out. Â
The process of explaining an autism diagnosis is likely going to be ongoing. Â Don't over-complicate the first one with too much information and don't overthink it. Â
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
If your student's behaviors are interfering with their success in the educational setting, an FBA might be just what they need.Â
An FBA is a behavioral assessment used to track data to figure out why a student acts a certain way. In the assessment, the goal is to determine what is behind the behavior which you might hear referred to as the âfunction of the behaviorâ and what purpose that behavior might be serving the student. This is important because it leads the evaluator to look beyond just the behavior and instead, to the underlying motivation for it.
An FBA leads to an overview of what function or purposes the behavior serves so that the team can then use that information to develop a Behavior Intervention Plan for that student, sometimes called a BIP.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
In this episode, I talk about all things behavior. Â You are not alone. Â
Behavior challenges are among the biggest struggles reported by parents raising a child with autism. Â If you're like me and maybe have never heard of anger rumination, I'll explain what it is and how it might be impacting your child. Â
I'll also give you strategies that you can use when you are in the moment. Â
Check out our private membership and why you should join us inside.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.comÂ
The requested evaluations are completed and the school calls you to schedule the meeting. Â What Now? Â Â Â
In this episode, I walk you through the things you need to know about this process. Â What your expectations should and should not be.
I review the purpose and explanation of both a 504 Plan and an IEP and tell you things that you may hear and what you should always do.Â
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
In today's episode, I walk you through the process of getting your child evaluated for Special Education services. Â No, your child does not have to be school-age before getting evaluated. Â
I talk in detail about what to expect as well as going into detail into the available evaluations, what they are specifically for, and the importance of requesting them. Â
In addition, I give you important things that you need to be aware of and know how to respond to certain things that you might hear or be told along the way. Â
Getting the proper evaluations completed gives everyone the data and insight needed to get your child the services and accommodations that he or she needs in the educational setting to be successful.
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
This week, we are giving our moms of girls some extra well-deserved attention and talking all things autism in girls. Â I address some of the reasons why they are oftentimes under-diagnosed and how their brains may actually differ. Â
I talk about things to look for early on as well as what to be mindful of as they grow into their teenage years and beyond.
We want to give our moms of girls extra love and we know that their challenges are not any lesser than us moms of boys! Â
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com  Â
Special Education is a great unknown for so many parents. Â Years ago, special education meant a separate classroom for special students of varying physical, emotional, and intellectual needs. But now, special education is integrated more than ever before and it is constantly changing.
I want you to know is that Special Education is for any student who requires additional support and services in order to learn. It is not only for students who have severe physical or intellectual disabilities. Many students who receive special education services, learn right alongside their peers in typical inclusion classroom settings. Many of these students, and maybe even your child, go on to live independently and obtain employment or continue their education into college and go on to live very productive lives.
If your child qualifies for special education services, that DOES NOT mean that they will have to be in a separate classroom or ride the âspecial busâ. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions around this and it is simply not true. Every child who qualifies for special education services will have an IEP or 504 plan developed for their individual needs.
You are not alone! In this episode, I talk about things that you may be dealing with when it comes to getting your little one (or bigger one) to fall asleep or stay asleep. Â Things that you may be doing or not doing that could be impacting them getting a good night's sleep. Â
Want to know more:
www.notyouraverageautismmom.com
In this episode, I talk in detail about echolalia. Â The two different ways echolalia presents itself and when it should become a concern. Â
Figuring out the meaning behind echolalia can be tricky but with a little detective work, it is possible. Â
In this episode, I talk about the fact that you have the choice to believe or not believe anyone else's opinion. Â Along your autism journey, you will likely come in contact with people who will have an opinion, or who will do or say something that you don't agree with. Â When that happens, you have a choice to believe them or not. Â Your thoughts about what they do or say are what create how you feel. Â
Interesting isn't it? Â Go ahead, listen and it may open your eyes to an entirely new way of thinking!
You can choose to think things on purpose and ultimately feel better! Â
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Not Your Average Autism Mom
In this episode, I talk about all of the judgments we place on ourselves about being a Mom. Â How we never feel like we measure up and other moms are doing so much better than we are. Â Why your thoughts of feeling overwhelmed and that you simply just can't do it are not serving you and what you can do to change those thoughts. Â
Just imagine what it would feel like if you actually took credit and celebrated how much you actually DO. Â Stop worrying about other people's opinion about HOW you parent and just focus on what works for your family. Â
In 2021, I want you to be proud of the mom that you are and believe that you truly are doing an AMAZING job! Â
In this episode, I talk about the many reasons a child may bite, and trust me there are many. Â I give you things to ask yourself and to consider when you are trying to figure out why they are biting. Â
I share with you techniques and strategies for you to use and try as you become focused, Â consistent, and persistent in getting past this very difficult behavior. Â
In this episode, I talk about some things that are kind of off the beaten path of our journey and not always addressed so you may not realize some of them and how they might impact your child every day. Â
Things like face-blindness and tone of voice just to name a couple of them. Â
In this episode, I discuss all of the different ways that you can begin to include and teach your child to be more independent in everyday living skills. Â I encourage you to start now and don't wait. Â To start a journal of what you "do" for them each day and then decide which things you can begin to include them in each and every day. Â Doing this will not only help their executive functioning skills but also their self-confidence.
I share suggestions on where to start and give you ideas that you can use to help you start where you are. Â
In this episode, I talk about the advantages and disadvantages to both options. There are no clear choices, it is solely a family decision. The question becomes what setting would be more beneficial to your child where they are right now based on what their immediate need is. Making that a priority will ultimately determine which option is best suited for them at this time.
In this episode, I talk about the steps to correcting negative behaviors, goals of consequences and giving choices when saying no to non-preferred activities is their "go-to". Â Â You don't have to accept no for an answer if you don't give them that option and it makes everything easier along the way. Â
In today's episode, I talk about what an Individual Education Plan (IEP) is, who develops it, and what it must include according to special education law. Â Additionally, I discuss the importance of what a Present Level Statement is and what it should include so that the IEP is appropriately written to outline the student's special education needs. Â
One of the biggest concerns of moms like you and me is our child's lack of impulse control. Â
In this episode, I talk about what that looks like and how it might be impacting you and your family and strategies to use to practice this skill. Â It will be an ongoing process of practice over and over for years to come and the earlier you start the better the outcome will be. Â
It isn't going to be easy, but the rewards will be worth it.
In this episode, I address many of the ways that make parenting an Autistic child different than parenting a "typical" child. Â I talk about judgment from other moms and things that you should be thinking about and doing differently when parenting your child with Autism.
I also share encouragement to know that what you are doing is enough. Â
Today I talk about the fact that Autism is not a "lifestyle" despite the fact that many adults are self-diagnosing themselves as Autistic based on their individual traits. Â I also dive into a diagnosis and what it all means and the emotions that go along with it. Â
In this episode, I dive into what stimming means, what it is, Â why they do it and strategies that you can use to address it. Â
Believe it or not, we ALL stim, in one way or another, it is not exclusive to Autistic individuals. Â
There are 6 different types of Stimming that I review in detail and I also talk about things that you can try to diminish the stimming depending on which type your son or daughter is presenting. Â
It's important to remember that your child has unique and special ways to cope with their environment. Â It takes patience and understanding. Â
In this episode, I talk about giving yourself the opportunity to research and try supplements that may be beneficial for your child. Be open to the possibilities.
Research suggests that many children with Autism have reduced immune system regulation. Â I share with you our personal experiences with supplements and talk about some uncomfortable things that I don't talk openly about in the outside world. Â
In this episode, I talk about making HARD decisions. Â Some of you are making decisions on the upcoming school year, those are difficult decisions. Â I give suggestions on things to do while you are at home to keep some sort of normalcy and also creating new routines. Â We know this time brings new challenges, but I want you to also let it bring new opportunities. Â
You will make many HARD decisions throughout your Autism journey, this is just one of those times. Â Buckle up Mama, there are more to come but remember, you are stronger than you think and you've got this!
This episode is all about autism and siblings. Â I talk about the important needs of siblings and give you some suggestions on how to address them. Â You have to talk to them, ask them questions, and be prepared to help them understand how Autism impacts their brother or sister and ultimately your entire family. Â
There are many positive skills learned by being a sibling of an individual with Autism and I talk about those too.
In this episode, I talk about the things that are the most important for you and your child to focus on when you get the diagnosis. Â I provide you tips and ideas and suggestions on sharing it with your family members and loved ones. Â You have to process ALL of your emotions and you need to know what you are feeling is 100% ok, it is completely normal. Â
Autism is not going away, it isn't a "phase", it is here to stay. Â Never underestimate the power of resiliency and trust that you will figure it all out along the way. Â You weren't given an extra set of "special" to be MOM to a child with Autism, but there is no one better than you to be MOM to your child!Â
In this episode, I talk about letting your child write their own story instead of you believing yours. Â Getting an Autism diagnosis does not change who your child is. Â They are not all of a sudden a different child but sometimes, we get so caught up in the diagnosis that we forget that. Â We oftentimes spend WAY too much time reflecting back to life before the diagnosis and what might have been. Â Instead of focusing on what you think you might have lost, how about getting more determined than ever and learning all that you can to make their life the absolute best it can be. Â That is what I encourage you to do.
In this episode, I talk all about the risks associated with too much screen time for our kids with Autism. Â Things that you need to know that I didn't know until what I think was way too late in our journey. Â I walk you through the benefits that I personally have experienced in our home from limiting screen time for my son and give you ideas and suggestions on taking those steps in your home. Â Â Ultimately I want you to know how much better things can be when your son or daughter has LESS electronic time. Â
I guarantee you, it's definitely not EASY but it is so worth it! Â
In this episode I talk about what is vitally important for you to create if your child is at risk for eloping, running or wandering. Â I give you some ideas and resources and suggestions around home and school. Â I also discuss what I believe is necessary at a Federal level for our children and adults with Autism. Â You will hear me talk about my feelings on people judging our parenting when they are not living the experiences we are living in our homes and how that just makes my blood boil! Â It's a great episode and I hope you enjoy it! Â
In today's episode, I discuss "uncertain time" and "new normal" and the things that you absolutely need to do to keep your sanity through all of this. You have to work with the things that you can control. Â You have to make choices and decisions for what you and your family need during this time. Â I also talk about making time for YOU away from being Mom. Â Giving yourself the time and space that you deserve. Â
You cannot always accomplish all of the things that would be good to get done. Â Sometimes good enough may really be just perfect right now. Â
In this episode, I share a couple personal stories about the different things we have to do in our house that the "typical" non-Autism house would not understand. Â I talk about realizing that I was going to have to figure out how to take away his opportunities to stress me out. Â This was an ah-ha moment for me. Â
There are things that you are going to have to figure out in your journey that will make you sleep easier at night and stress less during the day and that is what this episode is about. Â
I also share why I am not interested in finding the cause of the cure for Autism and why...Â
In this episode, we talk about the challenges of physical distancing during holidays and share some ideas and suggestions on what to do and not do during these times. Â I discuss celebrating successes and knowing that change does happen, having HOPE and things you can do so that you will be celebrating success on the other side of this Covid quarantine. Â
This episode highlights some of the most important things that I have learned along the way that really helped us throughout our Autism journey. These things helped mold us into who we are today as a family. Â I share my proudest "MOM Moment" to date, yes, I am being sarcastic!
I am hopeful, some of these things will resonate with you and that they just might help you too.
Introducing all of you to Not Your Average Autism Mom, who we are and the community we are creating!