You Don’t Want a Hug, Right? The Hilarity and the Hard of Raising Humans with Neurodiversity - Ep 24: It’s Our Birthaversary: A Look Back and the Future of the Podcast

Ep 24: It’s Our Birthaversary: A Look Back and the Future of the Podcast

05/09/24 • 30 min

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

One year!! Can you believe we made it this far, friends? Because we sure can’t. You Don’t Want a Hug has officially been published for a year, and it has been a wild ride.
In today’s episode, we’re sharing joy, frustration, hope, and gratitude as we look back on this last year of podcasting. We’ll be discussing the many lessons we’ve learned, reading notes sent to us by you lovely listeners, offering advice here and there, and we’re going to be pretty raw and honest about the future of the podcast.

Quite frankly, we need your help to keep this podcast going. If you want to support us and the production of YDWAHR, consider donating to our GoFundMe here:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/fund-the-future-of-you-dont-want-a-hug?utm_source=customer&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet&attribution_id=sl:05e43f5c-1789-4820-8549-9a5b3e1f75f6

This fun little episode is one you can’t miss! Let’s dive in!
In this episode, you’ll learn...
[00:00] Intro
[01:04] Gwen and Kristen celebrate a very special birthaversary
[02:52] Gwen’s Rylanism that captures the very real feelings she’s having about her kids today
[09:15] What Gwen and Kristen have learned after a year of podcasting
[12:02] Listener emails we’ve received covering isolation from local community, finding reassurance and joy in this podcast, and affirmations for Gwen’s bird obsession
[18:05] Kristen’s advice on teaching autistic children how to swim
[26:03] The future of You Don’t Want a Hug, Right?
Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/post/ep-24-it’s-our-birthaversary-a-look-back-and-the-future-of-the-podcast

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 23: Puberty & Autism Don’t Mix: Navigating Puberty with Our Neurodivergent Kids

And we’re not going to sugar coat it friends: navigating puberty with neurodivergent kids is rough. And it’s not just because we have to explain to our kids the importance of showering and explaining the function of certain parts of their anatomy in great and uncomfortable detail.

Puberty also brings with it some intense emotional and personality changes. The little kids that we knew so well are maturing into adults that we often don’t understand quite as well anymore, and that transition can be tough too.

In this episode, we’re reflecting on what puberty looked like for our kids, the direct and honest ways we navigated conversations with our kids, and the tricky emotional and relationship territory that our kids find themselves in now.

All these changes are necessary and important... but that doesn’t make it easy. We’re here for you, friends, as you travel down this road. Let’s dive in!

In this episode, you’ll learn...

[00:00] Intro

[01:56] Gwen’s very exciting Rylansim and a Grahamism that highlights some personal growth

[06:16] Why puberty and autism don’t mix well (according to both science and personal experience!)

[11:25] The very factual, detailed approach that can help some neurodivergent kids navigate puberty more easily (and why it doesn’t work for all of them)

[17:48] The stark personality changes that Gwen and Kristen’s kids went through during puberty

[21:11] The difficulties in navigating sexuality and sexual behavior in neurodivergent teens

[27:44] Why some neurodivergent teens experience additional fear and uncertainty than their peers when it comes to growing up and maturing in new ways

[35:19] The Last Word

Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/post/ep-23-puberty-autism-don-t-mix-navigating-puberty-with-our-neurodivergent-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/

Next Episode

undefined - Ep 25: Sound That’s Just for You: How Technological Breakthroughs in Audio Engineering Are Making the World More Accessible with Jen VanSkiver and James Bobel

Ep 25: Sound That’s Just for You: How Technological Breakthroughs in Audio Engineering Are Making the World More Accessible with Jen VanSkiver and James Bobel

Imagine with us for a moment: What would it feel like to be in a concert hall... but having a personalized audio experience created for your own individual needs? And not only that, but someone ten feet away from you could have their own audio experience tailored to their preferences that is incredibly different from your own. Sound fictional? Well, not anymore, and it could be a major game-changer for our neurodivergent loved ones.

In today’s episode, Gwen and Kristen are joined by two guests, Jen VanSkiver and James Bobel, to discuss new audio technology that could be revolutionary for those with auditory processing disorder. James describes what this new technology feels like and how it works. He also discusses possible use cases with Jen as they imagine just how inclusive the world could be if this technology were implemented broadly.

This is such a mind-blowing episode, and you can’t miss it. Let’s dive in!

In this episode, you’ll learn...

[00:00] Intro

[01:05] Some really big life updates for both Gwen and Kristen

[06:56] How Rylan is handling the big change in the Vogelzang household

[09:46] What auditory processing is and how it affects the neurodivergent community

[17:07] What HOLOPLOT is and how it is transforming audio engineering by controlling sound

[21:07] Where and how this new technology is being implemented

[28:37] What it feels like to experience HOLOPLOT audio technology

[35:35] How Jen VanSkiver envisions using HOLOPLOT technology and the endless ways it can make spaces more accessible for everyone

[47:59] The Last Word with Rylan

Get full show notes and the episode transcript: https://www.youdontwantahug.com/post/ep-25

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/