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Neuroshambles

Mark Allen
Neuroshambles
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  • Surviving the summer holidays | Lisa Galley
    In this season finale, Mark welcomes back the brilliant Lisa Galley (@school_run_mum_autism), who is an autism family consultant, ex-speech and language therapist, and mum of three grown-up autistic humans.  Together, they discuss how the summer holidays are a very different experience for parents of neurodifferent kids and why the concept of a “relaxing summer” is more often myth than reality. Touching on the common parental feelings of boredom, guilt and the ever-present FOMO, this is a candid, humorous and occasionally insightful look at what we're going to be experiencing over the summer when it seems like we're house-bound with our autistic, ADHD and PDA kids. ⸻ CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated): 00:00 - Intro & Meet the Guest: Lisa Galley 04:00 - Introducing the topic of the week 06:30 - The burden of boredom 10:00 - Dealing with guilt of not providing the "perfect" summer 17:00 - The loss of spontaneity and the rampant FOMO 26:30 - The unspoken impact on working parents 30:00 - Attempting to go on holiday 34:00 - The importance of summer holidays for our kids 38:00 - Q&A: Answering listeners' summer holiday questions 41:00 - Testing out home education in the summer 45:00 - How to help yourself as a parent 47:30 - The challenges of co-parenting in the summer holidays 58:00 - Advice from listeners 1:03:00 - The positives of the summer holidays 1:05:00 - Neurodiversity Champions 1:08:30 - Tiny Epic Wins 1:11:30 - "What the Flip?" moments 1:16:30 - Outro and Season Wrap-Up ⸻ LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE: Lisa Galley Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/school_run_mum_autism/ Parent Carer Cheerleeding Squad Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/parentcarercheerleadingsquad Special Assistance at airports - https://www.caa.co.uk/passengers-and-public/special-assistance/accessing-special-assistance/ We're Not Your Typical Podcast - https://were-not-your-typical-podcast-258bbca3.simplecast.com/ Let’s Talk Neurodivergent Kids Podcast - https://pod.link/1442067009 Legoland Windsor Accessibility Pass - https://www.legoland.co.uk/plan-your-day/before-you-visit/accessibility/ "Holidays" episode of Neuroshambles - https://pod.link/1710455546/episode/2b5dc7973b418c9d6069ced370c409b9 "Hobbies" episode of Neuroshambles - https://pod.link/1710455546/episode/19a31193017cd7413d681ff3b36119eb Lisa Galley's Summer Survival Guide - https://lisagalley.myflodesk.com/survival ⸻ CONTACT US 🌐 Website: www.neuroshambles.com 📧 Email: [email protected] 📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles 🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod 📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles 🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles ⸻ CREDITS 🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: pixabay.com
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  • Swimming | Hatty Ashdown
    In this episode of Neuroshambles, Mark is joined by returning guest Hatty Ashdown - not only a parent of a neurodivergent child, but also a brilliant comedian, writer and host of the Funny Mummies podcast. Together they dive into the deceptively simple but totally chaotic world of swimming. For children with autism, ADHD, PDA, and other forms of neurodivergency, swimming can be simultaneously a magical sensory experience and an absolute logistical nightmare. From the infuriating act of trying to get them to swim in the first place, to negotiating the changing room routine, navigating the lockers and dealing with their antics in the pool, Mark and Hatty share candid and hilarious tales of what it’s like to take your neuro-exceptional brood swimming - and why we keep doing it, despite the enormous faff. ⸻ CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated): 00:00 - Intro & Meet the Guest: Hatty Ashdown 06:00 - Topic of the Week: Swimming 09:00 - Why do neurodivergent kids love swimming? 15:00 - The challenge of teaching neurodivergent kids to swim 30:30 - The massive faff of a swimming trip: Hatty's routine 37:00 - The massive faff of a swimming trip: Mark's routine 42:00 - The chaos of changing rooms 46:30 - The stress of the lockers 53:00 - Shenanigans in the pool 59:30 - Losing their goggles 1:04:00 - The Positives: the joy of swimming 1:08:00 - Neurodiversity champions 1:12:00 - Tiny epic wins 1:15:00 - What the Flip? Moments 1:20:00 - Wrap-Up and Where to Find Hatty ⸻ LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE: • Hatty Ashdown’s Website – https://hattyashdown.com/ • Funny Mummies Podcast: Basics – https://pod.link/1451332466 • Funny Mummies Podcast: VIP (Patreon) – https://www.patreon.com/FunnyMummiesPodcast • Bella Ramsey (Neurodiversity Champion) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bella_Ramsey ⸻ CONTACT US 🌐 Website: www.neuroshambles.com 📧 Email: [email protected] 📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles 🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod 📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles 🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles ⸻ CREDITS 🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com
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  • Tackling Ignorance - Part 2 | Jo Matthews
    Following on from part 1, fan favourite Jo Matthews joins Mark once more for another laughter-filled, cathartic rant through the most mind-bogglingly ill-informed things people have said about raising autistic, ADHD, PDA and otherwise neurodivergent kids. This one features a fresh batch of well-meaning nonsense, unsolicited advice, and flat-out offensive comments submitted by Neuroshambles listeners. It’s funny, familiar, and frighteningly relatable. ⸻ CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated): 00:00 - Intro & Meet the Guest: Jo Matthews Returns 05:30 - "Have you tried a routine?" 10:30 - "Have you tried a parenting course?" 13:30 - “Have you tried changing their diet?” 17:00 - "Why don't you take their screens away?" 20:00 - "Does he have mild autism?" 25:30 - Good autism v bad autism 29:00 - “We’re all a bit autistic" 34:30 - "ADHD is just an excuse" 37:00 - “It doesn't define him” 41:00 - "There's nothing wrong with him" 43:00 - Medical v Social models of disability 47:30 - "My kid does that" 50:00 - “He'll eat when he's hungry" 52:30 - “He'll grow out of it" 54:30 - “He doesn't look autistic" 56:30 - “But, he can talk, so he can’t be autistic” 59:00 - “ADHD is just for boys” 1:01:30 - "What's wrong with him?" 1:02:30 - "I bet he's good at maths" 1:04:30 - "I don't know how you do it" 1:07:00 - Misguided empathy: "I know how you feel" 1:09:00 - "But I do that and I'm not autistic" 1:14:00 - The completely batshit mental comments 1:20:00 - Neurodiversity Champions 1:21:30 - Tiny Epic Wins 1:25:00 - "What the flip?" moments 1:27:30 - Wrap-up & contact info ⸻ LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE: The medical vs social models of disability: www.scope.org.uk/about-us/social-model-of-disability/ Autism assessments (AQ Test): www.embrace-autism.com/aq-10/#test Bowles Outdoor Centre - www.bowles.rocks ⸻ CONTACT US 📧 Email: [email protected] 📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles 🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod 📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles 🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles ⸻ CREDITS 🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com
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  • Tackling Ignorance - Part 1 | Jo Matthews
    In this episode, Mark is joined once again by the brilliant Jo Matthews for a cathartic, hilarious, and occasionally sweary dive into the unfiltered reality of parenting autistic, ADHD and PDA kids. From "It's just a label" and "He’s fine with me" to "You just need to push them out of their comfort zone", this is part one of a two-part special on the unsolicited commentary we all get, whether it’s from strangers, family members, or well-meaning-but-utterly-wrong professionals. The kind of comments that pretend to be supportive but are really just dismissive, ignorant, or unhelpfully optimistic. Together, Mark and Jo share personal stories, listener submissions, and a few moments of pure rage-laughter, as they unpack why these statements cut so deep – and how to push back with humour, honesty, and the occasional incredulous raise of the eyebrow. ⸻ CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated): 00:00 – Intro & Meet the Guest: Jo Matthews 06:00 – “It's just a label” 08:00 - The story of Rube Waddell 16:00 - "Stop Mollycoddling your child" 21:00 - "You let them win too much" 22:30 - "Can't you just make them do it?" 26:00 - "You should make their home life more unpleasant" 28:00 - "Your parenting is wishy washy" 31:00 - "Children just need boundaries" 36:00 - "You need to push them out of their comfort zone" 43:00 - "Are you too afraid to say no?" 48:00 - "How will they manage in the real world?" 52:00 - "Sometimes, it's a choice" 54:00 - "They're just trying to get their own way" 01:02:00 - "They're fine when they're with me" 01:07:00 - The Positives 01:09:30 - Neurodiversity Champions 01:12:00 - Tiny Epic Wins 01:14:30 - What the Flip? 01:17:00 - Wrap-Up & What’s Coming in Part Two ⸻ LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE: Rube Waddell - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rube_Waddell "Am I raising an arsehole?" episode of Neuroshambles -https://pod.link/1710455546/episode/a313c1057becbcd2e24d64c5bf94820e "The Explosive Child" book - https://drrossgreene.com/the-explosive-child.htm ⸻ CONTACT US 📧 Email: [email protected] 📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles 🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod 📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles 🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles ⸻ CREDITS 🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com
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  • Why can't they stick with a hobby? | Nicole Bateman
    In this episode, Mark takes a typically sideways look at the idea of hobbies – those wholesome after-school activities that see neurotypical kids flourish… but which, for many neurodivergent families, are either a logistical nightmare, a sensory minefield, or a fast track to public meltdown. Joining him is the brilliant Nicole Bateman – podcast host (Conversations with a SEND Mum), former teacher, trainer, and founder of The Friendly SEND Advisor and Super Sensory Squad. Together, they explore the myths, pressures and downright ridiculousness of what “having hobbies” means when your kids are autistic, ADHD or PDA. They cover what actually works, what definitely doesn’t, and the benefits of learning to follow your neurodifferent child's lead, so you can meet them where they're at, rather than where you want them to be.   STUFF WE COVER: 00:00 – Intro & Meet the Guest: Nicole Bateman 03:00 – The fantasy of hobbies vs the reality 08:00 – Issues with trust and accessibility 13:00 – After-school clubs 18:00 – The Summer holiday hobby void 25:00 – Trying to force your neurodivergent children to have a hobby 33:00 – Social disconnect in group settings 39:00 – When your best intentions fail 44:00 - Environmental barriers to adopting a hobby 47:00 – Competitive Sport: Gift or Curse? 53:00 – Caesar-or-Nothing syndrome & hobby avoidance 59:00 – Drop-off disasters 1:07:00 – What *does* work? 1:12:00 – It's not all rubbish: A look at the positives 1:15:00 – Neurodiversity Champions 1:23:00 – Tiny Epic Wins 1:26:00 – What the Flip? Moments 1:29:00 – Wrap-Up & Where to Find Nicole   LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE: Nicole Bateman’s Website – Friendly SEND Advisor and Super Sensory Squad: https://nicolebateman.co.uk/ Conversations with a SEND Mum – Nicole’s podcast: https://conversationswithasendmum.buzzsprout.com/ Super Sensory Squad Book – ‘Buzz’s Birthday’ and other penguin-based sensory tools: https://www.thesupersensorysquad.com/ Cub Scouts: https://www.scouts.org.uk/cubs/being-a-cub/joining-cubs/ Lisa Lloyd reel - Neurotypicals watching what their parents watch: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIzCFBxNzxT “Why Can’t I Just Enjoy Things?” by Pierre Novellie – Caesar-or-nothing brains and comedy insight: https://amzn.eu/d/dSZA4dC Minecraft Club - Online Social Group for 7-14 year olds: https://minecraftclub.co.uk/ Press Play - Stop frame animation workshops in Sussex: https://pressplayfilms.co.uk/  Boogie Beat - Music and movement classes: https://boogiebeat.co.uk/ Sam Mills – Disability Tennis Brighton: Email [email protected] for information   CONTACT US 📧 Email: [email protected] 📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles 🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod 📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles 🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles   CREDITS 🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com  
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About Neuroshambles

A fortnightly podcast about the ludicrous realities of being a parent of neurodivergent kids. Lapsed comedian Mark Allen has three kids - two diagnosed autistic with ADHD and one highly-suspected autistic. Each episode, he swaps stories with his guests about the challenges they’ve had dealing with seemingly simple events, such as birthday parties, holidays, mealtimes, and leaving the house.
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