You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity - Ep 16: Legos, Alone Time, and Adjusted Expectations: How to Survive the Holidays with Neurodiverse Kids

Ep 16: Legos, Alone Time, and Adjusted Expectations: How to Survive the Holidays with Neurodiverse Kids

11/22/23 • 40 min

You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity

As parents of neurodiverse kids, navigating the holidays can be.... a lot. Trying to get our kids to tolerate all the events, all the activities, and all the routine changes on top of everything else is exhausting, frustrating, and quite frankly, maybe not worth it for us and our kids. And who says we actually have to do all of this stuff anyway?

In today’s episode, we’re sharing our best holiday tips for surviving the holiday season, including managing schedules, adjusting the gift-giving process, and resetting expectations for what a fun holiday looks like. The truth is, the holiday season doesn’t have to look any certain way. We get to decide what works best for our families and how we want to enjoy this precious time we get with them.

If you’re already feeling a little overwhelmed by the holiday season coming up, this episode is for you!

In this episode, you’ll learn...

[02:19] Why the holiday break is so different from summer break when it comes to the change in routine for neurodiverse kids

[08:04] How managing –and not overscheduling– events during the holiday season can help your stress level during the holiday season

[13:20] Why you might want to rethink your process of gift-giving for neurodiverse kids

[16:34] Why Legos are absolutely magical for neurodiverse kids during the holiday season

[18:09] Why prioritizing your favorite holiday activities can be so helpful and why it’s okay to let go of the ones that don’t work for your family

[24:12] Why letting go of societal expectations and embracing what works for your unique kids can make the holidays so much more enjoyable

[28:04] Aaaaand that includes letting go or adjusting formal dinners if you need to

[30:44] The Last Word

Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/post/ep-16-legos-alone-time-adjusted-expectations-how-to-survive-the-holidays-with-neurodiverse-kids

If you can’t get enough of us, and want stay up to date with our other projects and ways you can connect, join our newsletter: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/

If you’re already feeling a little overwhelmed by the holiday season coming up, this episode is for you!

In this episode, you’ll learn...

[02:19] Why the holiday break is so different from summer break when it comes to the change in routine for neurodiverse kids

[08:04] How managing –and not overscheduling– events during the holiday season can help your stress level during the holiday season

[13:20] Why you might want to rethink your process of gift-giving for neurodiverse kids

[16:34] Why Legos are absolutely magical for neurodiverse kids during the holiday season

[18:09] Why prioritizing your favorite holiday activities can be so helpful and why it’s okay to let go of the ones that don’t work for your family

[24:12] Why letting go of societal expectations and embracing what works for your unique kids can make the holidays so much more enjoyable

[28:04] Aaaaand that includes letting go or adjusting formal dinners if you need to

[30:44] The Last Word

Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/post/ep-16-legos-alone-time-adjusted-expectations-how-to-survive-the-holidays-with-neurodiverse-kids

If you can’t get enough of us, and want stay up to date with our other projects and ways you can connect, join our newsletter: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/

Previous Episode

Ep 15: The Obvious, the Quirky, Even the Implausible: Here Are the Things We’re Grateful For from Our Neurodiverse Parenting Journey

We have so much to be grateful for, and what better time to acknowledge that than with Thanksgiving just on the horizon? Since expressing gratitude is essential to our health and happiness, especially as parents of neurodiverse children, we’re on a mission to be more intentional with how we recognize all the things we have to be thankful for each and every day — whether they’re obvious, a little quirky, or even a bit of a stretch!

In today’s episode, we’re covering everything from letting go of control, to practicing greater compassion, to embracing all life’s challenges. If it has been a while since you’ve taken a moment to reflect, or the chaos of daily life has felt a little too all-consuming lately, you’re in the right place. Join us as we slow down for just a few minutes to call out our favorite blessings.

In this episode, you’ll learn...

[10:46] That we can’t control every outcome and why that’s perfectly okay

[17:53] How we’ve expanded our understanding of what it means to be human

[22:08] Why fitting in is overrated and the advantages of being your true self

[26:12] The power of community and sharing your experience with others

[29:18] How struggle can be a gift that makes your stronger

Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/post/ep-15-here-are-the-things-we-re-most-grateful-to-have-learned-on-our-neurodiverse-parenting-journey

If you can’t get enough of us, and want stay up to date with our other projects and ways you can connect, join our newsletter: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/

Next Episode

Ep 17: Neurodivergence and Paving the Way for a More Equitable Healthcare System With Robin Ennis

Few things are more important to us as humans, especially to neurodivergent children, than access to quality healthcare. But did you know that Black and Hispanic children are less likely to be identified with autism than white children? This simple fact invites a closer look into the social currency that many of us take for granted and why the healthcare system looks vastly different to those of marginalized populations.

In today’s episode, we’re interviewing Robin Ennis, a social worker and the LEND Self-Advocacy Discipline Director at JFK Partners on her own experience with health disparities among BIPOC Individuals. Robin shares her journey with hydrocephalus, how the misdiagnosis of her condition led to the loss of her vision, and how simply being heard by her providers might have changed the trajectory of her life. Whether you come from an underrepresented population or not, this episode promises valuable insight into the ways healthcare can look a little different for all of us and how to use your voice to advocate for yourself and your children.

In this episode, you’ll learn...

[1:37] Our experiences navigating the holiday season with neurodivergent children

[11:40] Robin’s personal experience with health disparities among BIPOC Individuals

[21:09] How the misdiagnosis of Robin’s condition led to the loss of her vision

[31:27] Disability, grief, and how Robin is making meaning out of her story

[40:24] Client work and the impact of race on a neurodivergence journey

Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/post/ep-17-neurodivergence-and-paving-the-way-for-a-more-equitable-healthcare-system-with-robin-ennis

If you can’t get enough of us, and want stay up to date with our other projects and ways you can connect, join our newsletter: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/