What happens when the unthinkable happens and you still have to pack a lunch, call Medicaid, and show up for dance class?

In this raw and emotional episode, Misty shares the full story behind her viral blog series Grief and Disability, weaving together personal loss, single parenting, and the reality of raising a child with Down syndrome and autism after the sudden death of her husband at age 45.

She tackles what grief really looks like when you’re a caregiver, why “hope isn’t a plan,” and how life insurance, Social Security, and (yes) Michigan ABLE accounts can be the difference between surviving and sinking.

If you’re a special needs parent, caregiver, widow, or just trying to get your life in order... you need to hear this.

💛 Real talk. Hard truth. A little humor. And a whole lot of heart.

🎧 Subscribe, share, and visit vergetalks.com/on-the-edge-letters to anonymously submit your own story or truth.

In this episode of On the Verge, Misty shares a real-life parenting standoff complete with nonverbal shutdowns, power struggles, and a refusal to shower that ends in victory for “Princess I Don’t Have to Bathe Today.” Joined by her friend Mona, they dive into what it’s like raising strong-willed kids with developmental disabilities, and how inconsistency, exhaustion, and meltdown management all collide in daily life.

This is the unfiltered side of parenting kids with autism, Down syndrome, apraxia, and complex communication needs. If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to reason with a human Silly Putty or live in fear of forgetting the purple iPad, this one’s for you.

🎧 Highlights:

• Full Lockdown Mode explained

• When walking away feels safer than follow-through

• Why our kids outlast us—and what that teaches them

• That impossible balance between grace and consistency

Don’t miss Part 2, where we talk behavior plans, parenting guilt, and the sneaky psychology behind why our kids always seem to “win.”

Learn more at vergetalks.com or support the show at workandplaycenter.org.

In this episode, we welcome Mona Kasham to the mic for her official On the Verge intro and trust us, you’re going to love her. Mona is a mom to DeDe, a hilarious and strong-willed daughter with Down syndrome, autism, and apraxia. She shares how DeDe’s surprise diagnosis, combined with her own health challenges, led her into the disability world headfirst (with a whole lot of learning and laughter along the way).

From decoding nonverbal side-eyes to calling out ableism at a local play center, Mona keeps it real about parenting, advocacy, and the moments that make you want to cry, laugh, or throat-punch someone...sometimes all at once.

We talk about how behavior is communication, what people still don’t understand about our kids, and why this podcast isn’t about being polished—it’s about being honest.

If you’ve ever felt like you were on the verge of burnout, breakthrough, or just trying to make it to bedtime, this one’s for you.

Podcast: On the Verge: Real Talk for Parents, Caregivers and Advocates in the Disability Community

Welcome to the very first episode of On the Verge, a raw, honest, and unfiltered podcast created for parents, caregivers, and advocates raising and supporting individuals with developmental disabilities. Whether you're navigating autism, Down syndrome, apraxia, or the endless maze of IEPs, medical forms, and systemic red tape, you belong here.

Hosted by Misty Kluck, a widowed mom, autistic self-advocate, nonprofit founder, and exhausted-but-still-fighting human, On the Verge is about what happens when life splits in two. Before diagnosis. After. Before the funeral. After. Before you realized the systems that were supposed to help us were actually built to shut us out.

In Episode 1, Misty introduces the podcast and shares her story. She’s raising her daughter Tessa, who has Down syndrome, autism, and apraxia, while managing her own battles with ADHD, CPTSD, and the never-ending chaos of disability life. She opens up about the grief, isolation, and absurdity of trying to hold everything together when the world keeps telling you to “just be positive.”

This episode explores:
• The reality of parenting a child with disabilities (autism, Down syndrome, apraxia)
• The emotional weight of caregiver burnout and mental health struggles
• The grief that comes with lost dreams, systemic failures, and invisible battles
• The ridiculous and sometimes hilarious moments that only disability parents understand
• Why “just get a babysitter” is not a real-life solution
• How inclusion, advocacy, and community are survival, not extras

You’ll also meet the first member of Misty’s tribe, Mona. She’s bold, blunt, loyal, and will show up in future episodes. Together, they’ll tackle tough topics and offer a space where no question is too awkward and no meltdown too messy.

This is not an inspirational podcast. There are no miracle cures here, no toxic positivity, and no pretending. This is a podcast for the real ones. The ones who’ve cried in parking lots, raged at broken systems, laughed at wildly inappropriate moments, and still show up every single day.

If you’ve ever Googled:
• “Down syndrome parenting support”• “Caregiver burnout podcast”• “Disability parenting podcast”• “Life after IEP meetings”• “Help for parents of kids with autism”• “How to survive special education”• “Mental health for caregivers”
• “Why doesn’t anyone talk about this stuff?”

You’re in the right place.

On the Verge is based in Michigan but created for everyone, especially those raising or supporting children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Whether you’re in the thick of school battles, figuring out how to parent through trauma, or just trying to keep your head above water, this is your tribe.

We’re building a radically welcoming, non-discriminatory space. All races, religions, genders, sexual identities, political beliefs. Everyone is welcome here. Because disability doesn’t discriminate. And neither do we.