28: Advocating for Your Child and Their Education with Jen Anderson

In this episode, Sami sits down with her longtime friend Jen Anderson to have an open and honest conversation about parenting children with unique needs. As both moms to neurodivergent kids, Sami and Jen dive deep into the challenges and joys of advocating for your child, finding the right support systems, and empowering them to embrace their differences. Whether you're navigating an IEP, 504 plan, or simply trying to understand your child's experience, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and heartfelt insights.

In this episode we discuss

• Jen's background as a homeschooling, micro-baking, yoga-teaching mom
• The importance of letting your child lead the way in their own story
• How to advocate for your child's needs within the school system
• The power of language and creating a safe space for emotional expression
• Strategies for balancing independence and family time for neurodivergent kids

Want to skip ahead?

[4:36] As a parent, your job isn't to fix everything, it's to listen, be there, and show up for them.
[0:00] Jen emphasizes the importance of "letting your child lead" and "teaching them to advocate for themselves."
[16:41] Jen shares her approach to using empowering language around neurodivergence, rather than "labels" that can be limiting.
[26:00] Jen discusses the challenge of balancing her daughter's need for independence and family time, and how they navigate that with a detailed schedule.
[33:44] Jen encourages parents to "educate themselves" and connect with the perspectives of neurodivergent adults to better understand their child's experience.

Resources

Be sure to connect with Jen Anderson at JenAnderson.studio@gmail.com if you have any questions or need support on your parenting journey.

Grab more resources at https://easystylewithsami.com
Follow us on Facebook at https://facebook.com/ssmulhern
Follow us on Instagram at https://instagram.com/ssmulhern