Talk Like a Mother: Parenting Autism Podcast

This week we talk about the divide in the autism community. The language that people prefer, autism awareness vs. acceptance, light it up blue, the puzzle piece and so much more. Our hope is that if our community can come together we can make big changes as a collective whole. There is no doubt that as the years have gone on after our kid's autism diagnosis we have learned more and more about the preference and language. There is a learning curve when you enter into a community you know nothing about. As parents we need time to understand some of the complicated layers that come along with terminology, language, and why it matters. This is truly a no reservations episode as we talk about some things that we hold close to our hearts as we close out this series. This episode is sponsored by The Pampered Parent Use our code TABLEFORFIVE for 15% off Subscription Box for Special Needs Moms - The Pampered Parent (5) The Pampered Parent | Facebook The Pampered Parent (@thepamperedparent) • Instagram photos and videos You can find us on Table for Five, No Reservations | Facebook Table for Five Podcast (@tableforfivenoreservations) • Instagram photos and videos You can also find our personal pages where we write about our parenting at: Jenn Dunn at Keeping up with Kya | Facebook Jenn (@keepingupwith_kya) • Instagram photos and videos Rachel Flanagan at FlanaVille | Rachel Flanagan (@flanavillethree) • Instagram photos and videos Jaime Ramos at(3) Jaime Ramos Writes | Facebook (@jaimeramoswrites) • Instagram photos and videos Kim McIsaac at Autism adventures with Alyssa | Facebook Kim (@autismadventureswithalyssa) • Instagram photos and videos Tabitha Cabrera at Peaceofautism - Search Results | Facebook Tabitha (@peaceofautism) • Instagram photos and videos Table for Five Merch Bonfire - Design your own shirt on material you’ll love

25 Apr 202257min

This week hear stories from the table as we get closer to closing out Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month. These are heartfelt stories about our kids and some of the moments that we have walked through as parents of autistic children. 1. Our First Night Together by Jennifer Dunn 2. The Words Flew Out of My Mouth for the First Time by Tabitha Cabrera 3. The Fix by Six by Jaime Ramos 4. An Open Letter to My Daughter by Kimberly McIssac 5. Seeley's Constellation by Rachel Flanagan We hope you enjoyed these stories, from the paths we have walked, we love sharing little pieces of our story and are grateful for any person who is wanting to know more about our kids by listening to our stories. This episode is sponsored by The Pampered Parent Use our code TABLEFORFIVE for 15% off Subscription Box for Special Needs Moms - The Pampered Parent (5) The Pampered Parent | Facebook The Pampered Parent (@thepamperedparent) • Instagram photos and videos You can find us on Table for Five, No Reservations | Facebook Table for Five Podcast (@tableforfivenoreservations) • Instagram photos and videos You can also find our personal pages where we write about our parenting at: Jenn Dunn at Keeping up with Kya | Facebook Jenn (@keepingupwith_kya) • Instagram photos and videos Rachel Flanagan at FlanaVille | Rachel Flanagan (@flanavillethree) • Instagram photos and videos Jaime Ramos at(3) Jaime Ramos Writes | Facebook (@jaimeramoswrites) • Instagram photos and videos Kim McIsaac at Autism adventures with Alyssa | Facebook Kim (@autismadventureswithalyssa) • Instagram photos and videos Tabitha Cabrera at Peaceofautism - Search Results | Facebook Tabitha (@peaceofautism) • Instagram photos and videos Table for Five Merch Bonfire - Design your own shirt on material you’ll love

18 Apr 202225min

Let's talk about how autism is portrayed in the media and what we have learned about autism from our kids. Did you have ideas of what autism was before your life was touched by an autism diagnosis? Did others have ideas about you if you are autistic? How do you feel about what information is out there about autistic people? Autism presents in many ways in all of our kids, they have common characteristics but also individual needs and struggles. The labels they are given do not describe all that our kids are and we wanted to talk about what that looks like for us. The major takeaway no two people with an autism diagnosis are the same and the spectrum is not the straight line that people imagine it to be. Get ready to cry, the ending of the episode is raw and heartfelt. As always we open up our lives to discuss some of our deepest fears and feelings. This episode is sponsored by The Pampered Parent Use our code TABLEFORFIVE for 15% off Subscription Box for Special Needs Moms - The Pampered Parent (5) The Pampered Parent | Facebook The Pampered Parent (@thepamperedparent) • Instagram photos and videos You can find us on Table for Five, No Reservations | Facebook Table for Five Podcast (@tableforfivenoreservations) • Instagram photos and videos You can also find our personal pages where we write about our parenting at: Jenn Dunn at Keeping up with Kya | Facebook Jenn (@keepingupwith_kya) • Instagram photos and videos Rachel Flanagan at FlanaVille | Rachel Flanagan (@flanavillethree) • Instagram photos and videos Jaime Ramos at(3) Jaime Ramos Writes | Facebook (@jaimeramoswrites) • Instagram photos and videos Kim McIsaac at Autism adventures with Alyssa | Facebook Kim (@autismadventureswithalyssa) • Instagram photos and videos Tabitha Cabrera at Peaceofautism - Search Results | Facebook Tabitha (@peaceofautism) • Instagram photos and videos Table for Five Merch Bonfire - Design your own shirt on material you’ll love

11 Apr 202258min

We had the pleasure of interviewing our friend Kate Swenson about her amazing book Forever Boy set to release on April 5th, 2022. We discuss her family, autism, motherhood, and this journey of meeting each other in her supporter group Coops Troops. From her book "But I remind myself too, autism was always there. It wasn't given to him by a doctor who said the word out loud. It was inside him, woven through him like the sunlight shining between our faces. I just couldn't see it yet. But I could feel" page 88 of Forever Boy. We will be forever grateful for her willingness to open her life to the internet and know she has helped shape a community, provided information, and encouragement, on her Facebook page, through her writing, and her kind words for us as fellow bloggers. Find her book on Amazon Forever Boy: A Mother's Memoir of Autism and Finding Joy https://www.amazon.com/dp/0778311996/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_CBSCCGA93DY9RWPW23R6 Or locally at Barnes & Noble and Target. If you are looking for friends who understand your journey you can join her support group at https://www.facebook.com/findingcoopersvoice To find more information about Kate and her family you can read her blog at Home - Finding Cooper's Voice | Welcome to the Secret World of Autism (findingcoopersvoice.com) You can also find her on Instagram at Kate (@findingcoopersvoice) • Instagram photos and videos This episode is sponsored by The Pampered Parent Use our code TABLEFORFIVE for 15% off Subscription Box for Special Needs Moms - The Pampered Parent (5) The Pampered Parent | Facebook The Pampered Parent (@thepamperedparent) • Instagram photos and videos You can find us on Table for Five, No Reservations | Facebook Table for Five Podcast (@tableforfivenoreservations) • Instagram photos and videos You can also find our personal pages where we write about our parenting at: Jenn Dunn at Keeping up with Kya | Facebook Jenn (@keepingupwith_kya) • Instagram photos and videos Rachel Flanagan at FlanaVille | Rachel Flanagan (@flanavillethree) • Instagram photos and videos Jaime Ramos at(3) Jaime Ramos Writes | Facebook (@jaimeramoswrites) • Instagram photos and videos Kim McIsaac at Autism adventures with Alyssa | Facebook Kim (@autismadventureswithalyssa) • Instagram photos and videos Tabitha Cabrera at Peaceofautism - Search Results | Facebook Tabitha (@peaceofautism) • Instagram photos and videos Table for Five Merch Bonfire - Design your own shirt on material you’ll love

4 Apr 202251min

It’s April so this month we will talking more in-depth about Autism. We start by talking about the different steps we all had to take to get our kids their autism diagnosis. We each live in different areas and learned more information as we dove deeper into the world of professionals. As we lived in a time of wonder, we relied heavily on the professionals to guide our way. What we ended up learning is that other parents became our greatest resource. We also discuss some of the systems and support in our States and in Canada. If you are a parent in the season of waiting for that evaluation appointment we are sending you all the love. This episode is sponsored by The Pampered Parent Use our code TABLEFORFIVE for 15% off Subscription Box for Special Needs Moms - The Pampered Parent (5) The Pampered Parent | Facebook The Pampered Parent (@thepamperedparent) • Instagram photos and videos You can find us on Table for Five, No Reservations | Facebook Table for Five Podcast (@tableforfivenoreservations) • Instagram photos and videos You can also find our personal pages where we write about our parenting at: Jenn Dunn at Keeping up with Kya | Facebook Jenn (@keepingupwith_kya) • Instagram photos and videos Rachel Flanagan at FlanaVille | Rachel Flanagan (@flanavillethree) • Instagram photos and videos Jaime Ramos at(3) Jaime Ramos Writes | Facebook (@jaimeramoswrites) • Instagram photos and videos Kim McIsaac at Autism adventures with Alyssa | Facebook Kim (@autismadventureswithalyssa) • Instagram photos and videos Tabitha Cabrera at Peaceofautism - Search Results | Facebook Tabitha (@peaceofautism) • Instagram photos and videos Table for Five Merch Bonfire - Design your own shirt on material you’ll love

28 Mar 20221h 4min

Join us as we chat with Taryn and Jess the founders of Extra Lucky Moms for World Down Syndrome Day. World Down Syndrome Day was founded to raise public awareness, promote inclusivity, encourage advocacy, and support those with Down Syndrome. Taryn and Jess both have daughters with Down Syndrome, they discuss their diagnosis stories, Taryn's daughter's diagnosis early on in pregnancy, and Jess' at birth. How the delivery of the news affected both of them in different and similar ways. How their mission with Extra Lucky Moms is to build a place for the disability community as a whole and help caregivers to find their support system. So many great things going on at Extra Lucky Moms, in-person meet-ups, online meet-ups, giveaways, fundraisers, cute merch, and most of all a community of support. Learn with us about Down Syndrome from these special moms and hear how our stories have common threads. Find Taryn and Jess at Home | Extra Lucky Moms Extra Lucky Moms (@extraluckymoms) • Instagram photos and videos (1) Extra Lucky Moms | Facebook Jess Quarello (@extraluckyjess) TikTok | Watch Jess Quarello's Newest TikTok Videos Shop All | Extra Lucky Moms Autism Awareness Shirt discussed on the episode that Tabitha and her brother Mike helped put together. 10% of any purchase from the Extra Lucky Moms website gets donated to non-profits and the Autstim Awareness shirt will go to Lilly's Voice a non-profit that provides AAC devices to children. This episode is sponsored by The Pampered Parent Use our code TABLEFORFIVE for 15% off Subscription Box for Special Needs Moms - The Pampered Parent (5) The Pampered Parent | Facebook The Pampered Parent (@thepamperedparent) • Instagram photos and videos You can find us on Table for Five, No Reservations | Facebook Table for Five Podcast (@tableforfivenoreservations) • Instagram photos and videos You can also find our personal pages where we write about our parenting at: Jenn Dunn at Keeping up with Kya | Facebook Jenn (@keepingupwith_kya) • Instagram photos and videos Rachel Flanagan at FlanaVille | Rachel Flanagan (@flanavillethree) • Instagram photos and videos Jaime Ramos at(3) Jaime Ramos Writes | Facebook (@jaimeramoswrites) • Instagram photos and videos Kim McIsaac at Autism adventures with Alyssa | Facebook Kim (@autismadventureswithalyssa) • Instagram photos and videos Tabitha Cabrera at Peaceofautism - Search Results | Facebook Tabitha (@peaceofautism) • Instagram photos and videos Table for Five Merch Bonfire - Design your own shirt on material you’ll love

21 Mar 202247min

When and what does your autistic child eat? Have you ever wondered how sensory needs, routine, and location can complicate your autistic child's issues with food? In this episode, we discuss our children's relationship with food and how it has changed over time for each one of our kids. We are not experts in food therapy, sensory needs, or interventions these are just 5 moms talking about what we have observed and experienced. Each one of our children has had or currently has different struggles with the challenge that comes with eating. Jenn Dunn discusses the specific therapy she took her daughter Kya to in Canada and how it was life-changing for them. Here is a link to her beautiful post discussed in the episode https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=227278895885851&set=pb.100058112256267.-2207520000..&type=3 We also join you in your angst if anyone has told you "they will eat when they are hungry." This episode is sponsored by The Pampered Parent Use our code TABLEFORFIVE for 15% off Subscription Box for Special Needs Moms - The Pampered Parent (5) The Pampered Parent | Facebook The Pampered Parent (@thepamperedparent) • Instagram photos and videos You can find us on Table for Five, No Reservations | Facebook Table for Five Podcast (@tableforfivenoreservations) • Instagram photos and videos You can also find our personal pages where we write about our parenting at: Jenn Dunn at Keeping up with Kya | Facebook Jenn (@keepingupwith_kya) • Instagram photos and videos Rachel Flanagan at FlanaVille | Rachel Flanagan (@flanavillethree) • Instagram photos and videos Jaime Ramos at(3) Jaime Ramos Writes | Facebook (@jaimeramoswrites) • Instagram photos and videos Kim McIsaac at Autism adventures with Alyssa | Facebook Kim (@autismadventureswithalyssa) • Instagram photos and videos Tabitha Cabrera at Peaceofautism - Search Results | Facebook Tabitha (@peaceofautism) • Instagram photos and videos Looking for merch we have some check out our bonfire store and help support our podcast: Bonfire - Design your own shirt on material you’ll love

14 Mar 202259min

Laugh with us this week!! We review our series and how much we loved all the episodes. We for sure let it all fly with stories of who our first crushes were as a kid, who we would like a celebrity hall pass with, and one of may or may not have snuck into someone's window in the middle of the night as a teen. The laughs were needed for us all this week and we want you to laugh with us. Sometimes we just fly right off the rails and hope you join us for the ride. This episode is sponsored by The Pampered Parent Use our code TABLEFORFIVE for 15% off Subscription Box for Special Needs Moms - The Pampered Parent (5) The Pampered Parent | Facebook The Pampered Parent (@thepamperedparent) • Instagram photos and videos You can find us on Table for Five, No Reservations | Facebook Table for Five Podcast (@tableforfivenoreservations) • Instagram photos and videos You can also find our personal pages where we write about our parenting at: Jenn Dunn at Keeping up with Kya | Facebook Jenn (@keepingupwith_kya) • Instagram photos and videos Rachel Flanagan at FlanaVille | Rachel Flanagan (@flanavillethree) • Instagram photos and videos Jaime Ramos at(3) Jaime Ramos Writes | Facebook (@jaimeramoswrites) • Instagram photos and videos Kim McIsaac at Autism adventures with Alyssa | Facebook Kim (@autismadventureswithalyssa) • Instagram photos and videos Tabitha Cabrera at Peaceofautism - Search Results | Facebook Tabitha (@peaceofautism) • Instagram photos and videos Looking for merch we have some check out our bonfire store and help support our podcast: Bonfire - Design your own shirt on material you’ll love

7 Mar 202240min