🎧 Episode 20 - Happy Halloween! 🎃👻

This week’s episode lands just in time for Halloween and it’s full of the real-life trick-or-treat moments of parenting neurodivergent kids.

Dan opens up about a tough week navigating the fallout of Frankie’s haircut last week and the emotional sting that comes when connection feels lost. Ben reflects on his own experiences with Oscar’s dysregulation, gaming frustrations, and how staying calm in the storm takes constant patience and navigation (his “VPN” week!).

But amid the chaos come real wins:

🎃 Picture Day success, sensory-safe trips out, and a full-on away-day football adventure that tested regulation in the loudest of environments.

🎥 A family cinema night brings unexpected emotional parallels — cancer survival, grief, and art as emotional expression — all hitting home in ways they never saw coming.

🧩 Plus, the dads unpack the subtle victories of social growth, independence, and why even six out of ten weeks can still be progress.

If you’ve ever felt that parenting a neurodivergent child is a constant balance between love, guilt, and resilience — this one’s for you.

Key Topics Covered

•Emotional aftermath of sensory-triggering experiences (haircuts, meltdowns)

•How ND parents manage guilt and reconnection after setting boundaries

•Gaming frustration as a window into dysregulation and patience

•Building independence through small routines (bath time, hygiene)

•Navigating public sensory overload (football matches, restaurants, cinema)

•The importance of safe spaces and knowing regulation cues

•Emotional storytelling through children’s art and media

•Balancing family dynamics during holidays and celebrations

•Recognising progress even in “six-out-of-ten” weeks

⏱️ 4️⃣ YouTube Chapter Breakdown (62 min total)

00:00 – Intro: Welcome to The NeuroDADverse (Halloween Edition)

02:00 – Three Words of the Week: “Victory, Patience, Navigation”

04:30 – Dan’s Challenge: The Haircut Moment and Emotional Fallout

10:00 – When Love Hurts: Feeling Disconnected After Doing the Hard Thing

13:00 – Ben’s Reflections: Remembering Boundaries & Emotional Recovery

18:00 – Navigating Dysregulation: Gaming Day Frustrations and Breakthroughs

23:00 – Outings and Overwhelm: Family Day Trips, Sushi Wins & Sensory Crashes

29:00 – Wins of the Week: Picture Day, KFC Trips & Social Progress

36:00 – Live Football with Mabel: Sensory Regulation in the Stands

40:00 – Cinema Trip: Movie “Sketch,” Emotional Parallels & Family Healing

47:00 – Halloween Plans & Upcoming Birthdays

52:00 – Trick-or-Treating with ND Kids: Social Scripts & Sweet Honesty

56:00 – Parenting Score of the Week: Managing Bath Time Independence

59:00 – Reflections: Meeting the Need & Accepting Imperfect Progress

61:00 – Outro: Follow, Review, and Remember – You’re Doing Great

🎙️ Two dads. One mission. Raising ND kids in a very NT world.

💡 If this episode resonates, whether you’re a zebra, a stripy horse, or still figuring it all out. There’s space for you in the NeuroDADverse.

🔔 Subscribe for weekly real-talk on neurodivergent parenting

📢 Like, share, or leave a comment to help more families find us

📧 Get in touch: neurodadverse@gmail.com

🌐 Find us in all the usual places:

linktr.ee/NeuroDADverse

🔗 Hashtags:

#SENDLife #AutismAdvocacy #ParentingPodcast

#NeuroDadverse #DifferentNotLess #ADHDDads #AutismFamily #EmotionalRegulation

#AutismAwareness #ParentingWins #NeurodiversityAcceptance

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🎧 Episode 19: The NeuroDADverse Podcast

This week’s episode dives into one of Dan’s toughest parenting moments yet, where the process of a 'simple' haircut spirals into heartbreak.

Also in this raw, honest episode, Ben discusses another week of having 'tough' topic conversations with Oscar after an incident on the way to school. Another week of tales where parenting neurodivergent and things don’t go to plan.

Ben and Dan explore:

•When everyday moments become emotional landmines

•Frankie’s haircut meltdown and how it really went down

•The invisible toll of routines, regulation, and trust

•Sunday dread and school prep anxiety

•The pressure of solo parenting and staying composed

•Why “showing up” is sometimes the only win

YouTube Chapters

00:00 – Welcome to Episode 19

01:20 – Three-Word Week (Tennis Style)

03:00 – School attendance pressure vs real-life chaos

05:50 – Frankie and the haircut: what really happened

09:30 – Emotional fallout and unexpected grief

13:15 – The struggle to balance calm with chaos

16:00 – Regrouping after a meltdown

18:30 – Why ND kids need control of their body

21:15 – Sundays and emotional resets

24:10 – Morning routine stress: the “bus soon” problem

27:00 – Oscar’s sensory needs and emotional cues

30:00 – The loneliness of solo parenting

33:20 – Support systems (or lack thereof)

37:10 – Processing vs reacting: learning as you go

40:15 – The need for emotional safety in school settings

44:00 – Trust, trauma, and the long game

49:00 – Holding space for the hard stuff

53:30 – Bath-time regulation and routine

60:00 – Wrapping up: honesty over perfection

Like what you heard?

Join us in the NeuroDADverse in all the usual places in our link tree:

https://linktr.ee/NeuroDADverse

Apple Podcasts

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/neurodadverse/id1828520219

Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/show/0dcFZNbAX4eixDu3vLLPWF?si=ee285ea2e8ab4fb7

#NeuroDadverse #NeurodivergentParenting #SENDParenting #AutismDad #ADHDParent #FatherhoodUnfiltered #ParentingWins #NeurodiversityAwareness #DadPodcast #SpecialNeedsParenting

#AutismAwareness #AutismAcceptance #Neurodiversity #AutismParenting #AutismCommunity #AutismJourney #ParentingAutism #AutismSupport #AutismDads #PodcastCommunity #autism #neurodiversity #autismparenting #Neurodivergent #autismacceptance #autismcommunity #adhd #adhdparenting #adhdawareness #adhdsupport #adhdlife #autismparents #autisticparenting #actuallyautistic #SpecialNeedsParenting #parentingautism #parentingtips #dadsofinstagram #fatherhood #PodcastCommunity #dadspodcast

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Episode 18 🎧

This week in the NeuroDADverse, Ben and Dan share the emotional chaos, quiet victories, and the messy beauty of raising neurodivergent kids. From last-minute school appointments to bath time breakthroughs, it’s a week full of real-life parenting moments where nothing goes to plan—but everything somehow comes together.

🎙️ Highlights include:

• Ben’s solo-parenting chaos (and cuddles)
• Mabel’s blood test win and anxiety management
• Oscar’s info-dump and the Pacific vs. Specific showdown
• Managing transitions, transport, and tangled routines
• Why boring bath times are the ultimate success story

00:00 – Welcome to The NeuroDADverse

03:00 – This Week in our NeuroDADverse

08:54 – A Small but Mighty Win for Mabel

16:59 – Mornings, Trust, and Unexpected Growth

25:28 – Turning Meltdowns into Moments (Parent Tricks)

30:24 – Oscar’s Bus Routine and Growing Independence

35:00 – “Pacific vs. Specific” – The Funniest Bedtime Ever

36:49 – Horror Films, My Little Pony, and DVD Nostalgia

42:03 – Seeing Acceptance in the Playground

48:09 – Looking Ahead: Doctor’s Appointments & Term End

56:45 – Bath Time Wins: From Dysregulation to Routine

01:04:03 – Wrap-Up: Lots of Little Wins Add Up

01:04:43 – Final Sign-Off

💡 If this episode resonates with you, whether you’re a zebra or a stripy horse or just figuring it out, there’s space for you in the NeuroDADverse.

🔔 Subscribe for weekly relatable ND parenting chats

👍 Like & share and leave a comment to help more parents find us

📧 Contact: neurodadverse@gmail.com

📲 Follow us on TikTok & Instagram: @NeuroDadversePodcast

Join us in the NeuroDADverse in all the usual places in our link tree:

https://linktr.ee/NeuroDADverse

🎧Listen to us on:

Apple Podcasts

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/neurodadverse/id1828520219

Spotify

https://open.spotify.com/show/0dcFZNbAX4eixDu3vLLPWF?si=ee285ea2e8ab4fb

🔗 #NeurodiverseParenting #SENDLife #ADHDAwareness #AutismAdvocacy #RejectionSensitivity #ParentingPodcast #EmotionalRegulation #NDLife #NeuroDadverse #neurodiversity #neurodivergent #autism #ADHD #autismawareness #autismacceptance #actuallyautistic #neurodiverse #sensoryprocessingdisorder #ADHDparenting #autismfamily #autismlife #adhdlife #differentnotless #inclusion

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