🎧 Episode 26 of The NeuroDADverse, Ben and Dan open up about a week full of twists, school decisions, sickness bugs, sensory waves, and the unpredictable rhythms of raising neurodivergent children.

From navigating college open days to managing school refusal, advocating for reasonable adjustments, supporting anxious teens, and finding small yet meaningful wins, this episode is a grounded, honest chronicle of ND family life.

We talk about:

• Why sudden staff changes in services can feel devastating

• How ND kids often self-advocate before we realise

• School refusal vs genuine burnout

• Supporting siblings in different emotional places

• How anticipation & predictability reduce dysregulation

• Sensory needs, stimming tools, and grounding aids

• Bath-time scores (including a LIVE result!

• Celebrating the small wins that don’t look like wins to anyone else

00:00 – Intro

01:08 – Weekly Check-In & Three Words

02:30 – Sickness, Fatigue & Emotional Load of the Week

03:20 – College Open Days & Supporting Teen Decision-Making

05:17 – Staff Changes, Transitions & The Anxiety They Create

06:43 – Reasonable Adjustments & Preparing for Change

09:22 – Managing Change & Behaviour Around New Staff

10:30 – Sleep, Proximity & Emotional Co-Regulation

12:29 – Teens, Nurture & Independence Cues

15:17 – Encouraging Independence vs Overguiding

17:03 – School Refusal: Early Signs & Emotional Fatigue

19:21 – Sibling Experiences: Oscar’s School Choices

20:28 – Reasonable Advocacy vs Avoidance: Finding the Balance

22:27 – Behaviour at the End of Term: Why Everything Unravels

23:24 – Wins of the Week

24:30 – Anticipation, Stability & Building Predictability

26:14 – Reducing Dysregulation Through Planning

27:43 – The Power of Being Calm as a Parent

28:48 – Reflecting on Early Years

30:10 – Teens, Conversation & Collaborative Reasoning

31:04 – Frankie Joins the Podcast (Guest Appearance!)

33:13 – Stimming Tools, Pain Stims & Grounding Aids

38:01 – Navigating Social Expectations Around Extended Family

41:26 – Curiosity vs Judgement in ND Interactions

45:53 – Wins, Food, Appetite & Unexpected Joys

46:53 – Looking Ahead to the Week Ahead

48:30 – Family Christmas Meals & Managing Overwhelm

49:53 – Football, Community & Shared Experiences

50:45 – Inclusive Christmas Spaces & Future Ideas

51:41 – Bath-Time Scores

55:07 – Hair Dryers, Sensory Needs & Hot/Cold Overwhelm

57:47 – A Big Score and Big Smiles

58:47 – Auto-Zoom Madness & End-of-Episode Laughter

59:59 – Wrap-Up

💡 If this episode resonates, whether you’re a zebra, a stripy horse, or still figuring it all out. There’s space for you in the NeuroDADverse.

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