{"podcast":{"title":"Neurodivergent Conversations |  Autism, ADHD, AuDHD, PDA, Emotional Regulation, SEND parent, Meltdowns, Special Needs Parent","slug":"neurodivergent-conversations-autism-adhd-audhd-pda-emotional-regulation-send-parent-meltdowns-special-needs-parent-7045757","podcast_index_feed_id":7045757,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/TSF1839726867","website_url":"https://theunfinishedidea.com/","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/fa1b7630-6add-11ef-8991-e780026733ef/image/94edbc93ffb3415e25227348db67306e.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"That Sounds Fun Network","episode_count":103,"summary":"What’s it really like parenting a child with ADHD and autism? How can parents, teachers, and communities better support neurodivergent children? How do autistic and ADHD individuals experience the world? Each week, we explore these questions with practical strategies, emotional insight, and real stories. I’m Greer — a mum of two boys (and two dogs!) raising a child with special educational needs (SEN) alongside my husband. Our daily life looks different from the norm, but it’s full of love, advocacy, and growth. I started this podcast to create a space for parents of neurodivergent kids, educators, and allies to learn, connect, and build understanding together. You’ll hear parenting tips, advocacy guidance, sensory strategies, and personal reflections that shine a light on both the joys and challenges of neurodivergent parenting. Through heartfelt solo episodes and guest interviews, we’ll talk about EHCP or IEP processes, school support, emotional regulation, and the big feelings that come with raising ND kids. Whether you’re here as a parent of an autistic or ADHD child, a late-diagnosed adult, a teacher seeking insight, or someone wanting to understand the neurodivergent world,…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-09T22:18:52.818817+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/neurodivergent-conversations-autism-adhd-audhd-pda-emotional-regulation-send-parent-meltdowns-special-needs-parent-7045757"},"episode":{"title":"Respond, Don’t React: Staying Grounded as an Autism Mom When Everything Feels Like Too Much","slug":"respond-don-t-react-staying-grounded-as-an-autism-mom-when-everything-feels-like-too-much","published_at":"2026-04-16T05:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/neurodivergent-conversations-autism-adhd-audhd-pda-emotional-regulation-send-parent-meltdowns-special-needs-parent-7045757/respond-don-t-react-staying-grounded-as-an-autism-mom-when-everything-feels-like-too-much","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/neurodivergent-conversations-autism-adhd-audhd-pda-emotional-regulation-send-parent-meltdowns-special-needs-parent-7045757","url":"https://mgln.ai/e/424/traffic.megaphone.fm/TSF3207812534.mp3?updated=1776262644","audio_url":"https://mgln.ai/e/424/traffic.megaphone.fm/TSF3207812534.mp3?updated=1776262644","summary":"If you’ve ever thought, “Why can’t I stay calm when my child is melting down?”—this episode wraps you in so much compassion, without letting you off the hook in a shame-y way. Greer Jones is joined by Lisa Candera, an autism mom of 18 years who built the kind of support she couldn’t find anywhere: support that starts with the parent’s regulation first—because (as Lisa says) we are our children’s environment, and emotions are contagious. Together, they talk about the real reason “just be consistent” isn’t enough when you’re parenting a neurodivergent child: you’re often living in a hyper-vigilant state, your nervous system is already on high alert, and the moment things go sideways, your brain goes straight into default mode. Lisa shares a powerful starting point that’s simple-but-not-easy: do less. Pause. Stop jumping in to fix it. Create space between what’s happening and your response so you can respond with intention instead of reacting from fear (fear of judgment, fear about the future, fear you’re “doing it wrong”). They also reframe meltdowns in a way that’s honestly a relief: the meltdown isn’t proof you failed—it’s information. A sign that something was a “bridge too far” that day. And from there, you can get curious instead of personal. You’ll walk away with grounded, in-the-moment tools (like deep breathing and tapping/EFT) and a deeper reminder: neurodivergent is not just a label—it’s a whole different operating system. Respecting that changes everything. GUEST LINKS: GET THE LINKS⁠⁠⁠The Unfinished Idea WebsiteJoin the Unfinished Community Follow me on socials: ⁠⁠⁠INSTAGRAM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ FACEBOOK⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices","meta_description":"If you’ve ever thought, “Why can’t I stay calm when my child is melting down?”—this episode wraps you in so much compassion, without letting you off the h…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1849,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/neurodivergent-conversations-autism-adhd-audhd-pda-emotional-regulation-send-parent-meltdowns-special-needs-parent-7045757/episodes/respond-don-t-react-staying-grounded-as-an-autism-mom-when-everything-feels-like-too-much/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/neurodivergent-conversations-autism-adhd-audhd-pda-emotional-regulation-send-parent-meltdowns-special-needs-parent-7045757/respond-don-t-react-staying-grounded-as-an-autism-mom-when-everything-feels-like-too-much.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}