The Untypical Parent™ Podcast

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When the Unthinkable Happens: Life After Child Bereavement

Content note: This episode discusses child bereavement and childhood cancer. Please listen gently and take care of yourself, or choose to come back another day.
I was worried about this episode.
Worried I'd say the wrong thing. Worried I'd upset Nici. Worried I wouldn't do Nici, her family and Charlie the justice they deserve.
I don't think I'm alone in desperately wanting to support parents who have experienced the trauma of child bereavement, while also worrying about saying the wrong thing.
Nici Robinson joins me to share the story of her son Charlie, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour at just two years old. After three years of treatment, Charlie died in 2021.
Together we talk about what no parent ever expects to face.
I'm in awe of Nici as she speaks so honestly about the guilt, the loneliness, the impact on her marriage and children, and the reality that grief doesn't simply disappear with time. She also shares how she has learned to live alongside it.
Out of unimaginable heartbreak came purpose.
Nici founded Blue Bear & Co, creating sensory memory bears that hold voice recordings, scent and a heartbeat, offering comfort to families experiencing loss, separation and change. She also established the charity Thumbs Up for Charlie, helping families affected by childhood brain tumours create precious memories together.
This episode is heartbreaking, hopeful and full of compassion. I'm incredibly grateful to Nici for trusting me with Charlie's story and for helping me reach parents who might desperately need to hear this conversation right now.
If you've experienced grief yourself, know someone who has, or have ever wondered how to support a bereaved family, I hope this conversation helps.

Find out more
Blue Bear & Co – Learn more about the sensory memory bears or donate a bear to a family who needs one:
www.bluebearandco.co.uk
Follow Blue Bear & Co on Instagram:
@bluebear_and_co
Thumbs Up for Charlie – Find out more about the charity supporting families affected by childhood brain tumours:
www.thumbsupforcharlie.co.uk
Derian House Children's Hospice – The children's hospice Nici speaks about in this episode:
📱 Follow Derian House on Instagram
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Brainwave to episode workshop with me:
https://info.the-untypical-ot.co.uk/brainwave-to-episode 
Tuesday 14th July at 7.30pm
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Thank you to this season’s sponsors:
Terri Wyse & Rachel Helm
They are offering EBSA support through webinars and workshops.
Upcoming Sessions:
 📅 8th July – Webinar for School Leaders 
 📅 2nd September – Webinar for Parents & Families 
 📅 16th September – Joint Workshop (Parents + Schools) 
Podcast listeners receive £5 off using this code UNTYPICALPARENT5.
School webinar
Parent/carer webinar
Workshop

Support the show

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text
The Book That Inspired a Six-Year-Old to Write
Sometimes we don't realise the ripple effect our actions can have. 
In this episode of The Bookshelf, I'm joined by author, editor and writing coach Cara A'Court to talk about two very special books. Cara shares the story behind her own novel, Three People, Three Countries, One Path, and how publishing it inspired her six-year-old niece to write and publish her very first book, Matt the Mole and the Stormy Day.
We also talk about writing as a way of processing life's experiences, why perfection shouldn't stop creativity, and how finding your own way of telling a story matters far more than getting every word right.
As someone who is dyslexic, writing has never come naturally to me, so this was a conversation that challenged some of my own beliefs about what it means to be a writer.
Whether you love books, have always dreamed of writing one, or simply enjoy hearing the stories behind them, I hope you enjoy this conversation.
You can find the books Cara spoke about here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Three-People-Countries-One-Path/dp/1639888527
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Matt-mole-stormy-Billie-Rose-Lamb/dp/B0D4J91T5C
And if you'd like to connect with Cara, you can do that here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/cara-a-court-335878143/
Support the show

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text
When Difference Stops Being Something to Fix
Sara Momtaz joined me to talk about her daughter and the journey that began when she was told her baby would be born with Down syndrome.
We talk about the realities of parenting a child with complex needs, the assumptions people make, and how quickly life can change when the future you imagined looks very different from the one you find yourself living.
We talk about curious children, nervous adults, and the lessons Sara has learned from her daughter along the way.
A wonderful conversation about difference, belonging and what happens when we stop trying to fix people and start seeing them for who they are.
Things we mention in the podcast: 
The Down Syndrome Association: www.Downs-syndrome.org.uk
Mou  Mou and Friends: https://moumouandfriends.com/
And if you'd like to connect with Sara you can find her here: https://www.instagram.com/moumouandfriends/

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Thank you to this season’s sponsors:
Terri Wyse & Rachel Helm
They are offering EBSA support through webinars and workshops.
Upcoming Sessions:
 📅 8th July – Webinar for School Leaders 
 📅 2nd September – Webinar for Parents & Families 
 📅 16th September – Joint Workshop (Parents + Schools) 
Podcast listeners receive £5 off using this code UNTYPICALPARENT5.
School webinar
Parent/carer webinar
Workshop
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Support the show

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text
What if the biggest lessons about being human come from the people society is most determined to change?
In this Bookshelf episode, I'm joined by author Elly Chapple to talk about her book Diagnosis Human and the extraordinary lessons she learned from her daughter.
Together we talk about what happens when we stop trying to make people fit into systems that were never designed for them, and instead become curious about who they really are.
The conversation touches on authenticity, psychological safety, discomfort, communication, disability, neurodivergence and the power of slowing down enough to truly understand another person's experience.
This isn't just a conversation about parenting or disability. It's a conversation about being human.

Links For Elly
Website: https://ellychapple.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellychapple2023/
Support the show

Enjoyed the episode, got a suggestion or a question send me a text
Parents are often told to rest more, practise self-care, or take a break when they're overwhelmed.
But what happens when the demands never stop?
In this episode, I have the absolute pleasure of talking with fellow occupational therapist, Rhiannon Crispe, where we talk about burnout, parenthood, values, boundaries, belonging and the things that truly fuel us.
Rhiannon talks about her Burn-In Model, a framework built around the idea of protecting and nurturing your inner flame.
Because burnout isn't about being weak.
It's about what happens when life asks more of us than we have available to give. 

You can connect with Rhiannon on: Instagram and LinkedIn and find out about the Burn In Framework here: https://www.burninnotout.com/the-burn-in-model

Thank you to this season’s sponsors:
Terri Wyse & Rachel Helm
They are offering EBSA support through webinars and workshops.Podcast listeners receive £5 off using this code UNTYPICALPARENT5
The sponsors of this season of the podcast are Terri Wyse https://www.instagram.com/wyseinclusion/and Rachel Helm https://www.instagram.com/helmeducationconsultancy/. Please do reach out to them if you are supporting a child or young person struggling to access school.
Support the show