What?! How has it been a year already? In this retrospective anniversary episode we look back over our first year of mama/daughter podcasting—highlighting some of our favourite episodes and we sharing why we started this "journey" in the first place. 

Thank you SO MUCH for sticking with us this year; for commenting, sharing and for just making us feel so dang good. 

Here's to another year of tech glitches, insights and eff bombs, and of course, the occasional bursting into song for no real reason. 

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This podcast was recorded in Garageband and edited by Lisa Thornbury.

Read more and find the transcript for this episode at averybrightlife.com.

And, come chat with us on social! No seriously, c'mon over! It's fun there.

Instagram: @LisaThornbury

Facebook: aVERY Bright life

Twitter: @LisaThornbury

Questions or Partnership Inquiries: [email protected]

Have a comment, question, episode suggestion or just want to say hello? We’d love to hear from you! Message us old-timey style by commenting on our podcast page. Or show us your techie and leave an AUDIO message via the Anchor messaging button! We might even use your voice message in an upcoming episode!

Thanks for listening. 💜

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Keywords for searchy-ness: disability, disabled kids, developmental disabilities, intellectual disability, parenting, special needs, epilepsy, seizures, hypotonia, chromosome disorder, speech delay, end ableism, disability family, parenting podcast, mother daughter podcast, kid podcaster

I'm an inquisitive person. I'm also nosy. I like to know things about people. But, I'm not a jerk about it. I don't make unwelcome comments about people I don't know or ask them personal questions. So why do some people feel it's okay to cross that line when it comes to disabled children? I've been asked, "What's wrong with her?" and "Why does she talk like that?" and other equally rude questions about Avery's disabilities many times. I don't anticipate that will stop any time soon, so we've come up with a "script"—a set of rehearsed comebacks for occasions when we feel like responding. We don't always. But when a question comes out of a place of curiosity, not cruelty, sometimes we decide to respond to possibly move the conversation forward in a positive way. Other times we decide it's none of their damn business and walk away. Depends on the day. 

In this episode we share some of the rude, ignorant and insensitive comments we've heard over the years and then explain how we decide whether or not to respond and what our script might say. 

* Content Warning: Sensitive Topics and some adult language 

Links mentioned in this episode:

Lucy on Instagram is @_peas.in.a.pod

Lauren Lowery on Instagram is @lauren_nia_lowery and her podcast is called, Overcome the Overwhelm

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This podcast was recorded in Garageband and edited by Lisa Thornbury.

Read more and find the transcript for this episode at averybrightlife.com.

And, come chat with us on social! No seriously, c'mon over! It's fun there.

Instagram: @LisaThornbury

Facebook: aVERY Bright life

Twitter: @LisaThornbury

Questions or Partnership Inquiries: [email protected]

Have a comment, question, episode suggestion or just want to say hello? We’d love to hear from you! Message us old-timey style by commenting on our podcast page. Or show us your techie and leave an AUDIO message via the Anchor messaging button! We might even use your voice message in an upcoming episode!

Thanks for listening. 💜

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Keywords for searchy-ness: disability, disabled kids, developmental disabilities, intellectual disability, parenting, special needs, epilepsy, seizures, hypotonia, chromosome disorder, speech delay, end ableism, disability family, parenting podcast, mother daughter podcast, kid podcaster

Sometimes, for whatever reason—bad weather, an illness or simply isolating due to, let's say... a virus, you might have to stay home for a bit. And when that happens, it stinks. But, we came up with a list of socially distanced and/or at home activities that can make it stink a lot less. 

This episode begins with our recent brush with Covid and the resulting quarantine which lead to how we came up with this EXCITING list!!! I put exciting in all caps to hammer home how exciting these activities are... and even you don't think they're all that fun, just play along because I really upsold these experiences to Avery. :) 

For a written list and description of Isolation Activities, check out the BLOG post here. 

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This podcast was recorded in Garageband and edited by Lisa Thornbury.

Read more and find the transcript for this episode at averybrightlife.com.

And, come chat with us on social! No seriously, c'mon over! It's fun there.

Instagram: @LisaThornbury

Facebook: aVERY Bright life

Twitter: @LisaThornbury

Questions or Partnership Inquiries: [email protected]

Have a comment, question, episode suggestion or just want to say hello? We’d love to hear from you! Message us old-timey style by commenting on our podcast page. Or show us your techie and leave an AUDIO message via the Anchor messaging button! We might even use your voice message in an upcoming episode!

Thanks for listening. 💜

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Keywords for searchy-ness: disability, disabled kids, developmental disabilities, intellectual disability, parenting, special needs, epilepsy, seizures, hypotonia, chromosome disorder, speech delay, end ableism, disability family, parenting podcast, mother daughter podcast, kid podcaster

Life for women can pose challenges that men might not have to deal with. And life for disabled women can include extra difficulties and dangers. This episode outlines some of those obstacles. We also share ten things we are doing now to develop skills that will help Avery live a more independent life as she gets older. 

Shower Belt

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This podcast was recorded in Garageband and edited by Lisa Thornbury.

Read more and find the transcript for this episode at averybrightlife.com.

And, come chat with us on social! No seriously, c'mon over! It's fun there.

Instagram: @LisaThornbury

Facebook: aVERY Bright life

Twitter: @LisaThornbury

Questions or Partnership Inquiries: [email protected]

Have a comment, question, episode suggestion or just want to say hello? We’d love to hear from you! Message us old-timey style by commenting on our podcast page. Or show us your techie and leave an AUDIO message via the Anchor messaging button! We might even use your voice message in an upcoming episode!

Thanks for listening. 💜

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Keywords for searchy-ness: disability, disabled kids, developmental disabilities, intellectual disability, parenting, special needs, epilepsy, seizures, hypotonia, chromosome disorder, speech delay, end ableism, disability family, parenting podcast, mother daughter podcast, kid podcaster

It's PURPLE month so we're devoting the first ABL episode in March to the subject of epilepsy. This episode starts with a personal update. Then we share some "fast facts" about epilepsy before diving into some listener questions. But, the sweet spot of this episode starts at 21 minutes in—where some of Avery's favourite people in the world share what epilepsy means to them. It's... 💜!

Links mentioned in this episode:

Epilepsy Canada

The ABL Resource Page (with links to epilepsy/seizure related info, resources, books about epilepsy, etc.)

SUDEP Article

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This podcast was recorded in Garageband and edited by Lisa Thornbury.

Read more and find the transcript for this episode at averybrightlife.com.

And, come chat with us on social! No seriously, c'mon over! It's fun there.

Instagram: @LisaThornbury

Facebook: aVERY Bright life

Twitter: @LisaThornbury

Questions or Partnership Inquiries: [email protected]

Have a comment, question, episode suggestion or just want to say hello? We’d love to hear from you! Message us old-timey style by commenting on our podcast page. Or show us your techie and leave an AUDIO message via the Anchor messaging button! We might even use your voice message in an upcoming episode!

Thanks for listening. 💜

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Keywords for searchy-ness: disability, disabled kids, developmental disabilities, intellectual disability, parenting, special needs, epilepsy, seizures, hypotonia, chromosome disorder, speech delay, end ableism, disability family, parenting podcast, mother daughter podcast, kid podcaster

If you divided your parenting life into stages, they might be arranged from the beginning—diagnosis day to adulthood (and possibly independence, or the equivalent based on their abilities). I’m a mom somewhere just north of the middle of these stages. Here are a few things I've learned up to this point that might possibly be helpful. 

Links mentioned in this episode:

Advice From A Disability Mom In The Middle

Kid Friendly Breathing Techniques For Stress Relief

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This podcast was recorded in Garageband and edited by Lisa Thornbury.

Read more and find the transcript for this episode at averybrightlife.com.

And, come chat with us on social! No seriously, c'mon over! It's fun there.

Instagram: @LisaThornbury

Facebook: aVERY Bright life

Twitter: @LisaThornbury

Questions or Partnership Inquiries: [email protected]

Have a comment, question, episode suggestion or just want to say hello? We’d love to hear from you! Message us old-timey style by commenting on our podcast page. Or show us your techie and leave an AUDIO message via the Anchor messaging button! We might even use your voice message in an upcoming episode!

Thanks for listening. 💜

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Keywords for searchy-ness: disability, disabled kids, developmental disabilities, intellectual disability, parenting, special needs, epilepsy, seizures, hypotonia, chromosome disorder, speech delay, end ableism, disability family, parenting podcast, mother daughter podcast, kid podcaster

In this family friendly, g-rated, zero f-bomb episode, Avery's dad (who legit never swears) hops on as co-host! Adrian and Avery talk about one of the things they have both missed most during Covid and they share the daddy daughter bonding activity they do to keep hope alive and well. Um, it's so cute I could just swoon, but I'm already swooning naturally because... vertigo.

Quotes from Avery's dad after recording:

1. This is actually harder than it looks.

2. I MAY have gone around in circles a bit. I kept forgetting what I was talking about.

3. I forgot to ask Avery any questions. 

4. I'm hungry. 

Here are the Disney YouTube channels they mentioned: DFBGuide and WDW News Today

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This podcast was recorded in Garageband and edited by Lisa Thornbury.

Read more and find the transcript for this episode at averybrightlife.com.

And, come chat with us on social! No seriously, c'mon over! It's fun there.

Instagram: @LisaThornbury

Facebook: aVERY Bright life

Twitter: @LisaThornbury

Questions or Partnership Inquiries: [email protected]

Have a comment, question, episode suggestion or just want to say hello? We’d love to hear from you! Message us old-timey style by commenting on our podcast page. Or show us your techie and leave an AUDIO message via the Anchor messaging button! We might even use your voice message in an upcoming episode!

Thanks for listening. 💜

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Keywords for searchy-ness: disability, disabled kids, developmental disabilities, intellectual disability, parenting, special needs, epilepsy, seizures, hypotonia, chromosome disorder, speech delay, end ableism, disability family, parenting podcast, mother daughter podcast, kid podcaster

Today’s topic isn’t the happiest. But, it’s a valuable conversation to have. We're talking about grief. Specifically, how to navigate grief with young children or with kids with intellectual disabilities. See? Not super fun, but necessary. 

Here's the post mentioned in this episode: Strategies for Helping Kids Cope With Grief

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This podcast was recorded in Garageband and edited by Lisa Thornbury.

Read more and find the transcript for this episode at averybrightlife.com.

And, come chat with us on social! No seriously, c'mon over! It's fun there.

Instagram: @LisaThornbury

Facebook: aVERY Bright life

Twitter: @LisaThornbury

Questions or Partnership Inquiries: [email protected]

Have a comment, question, episode suggestion or just want to say hello? We’d love to hear from you! Message us old-timey style by commenting on our podcast page. Or show us your techie and leave an AUDIO message via the Anchor messaging button! We might even use your voice message in an upcoming episode!

Thanks for listening. 💜

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Keywords for searchy-ness: disability, disabled kids, developmental disabilities, intellectual disability, parenting, special needs, epilepsy, seizures, hypotonia, chromosome disorder, speech delay, end ableism, disability family, parenting podcast, mother daughter podcast, kid podcaster

If you've spent any amount of time online, you've either seen or received negative or rude comments. Sadly, this is the world we live in now. But, just because people feel the need to express every opinion, good and bad, it doesn't mean we have to allow other people's "stuff" into our lives. This episode is all about how I try to respond to people in a way that is constructive and hopefully positive. It's also about what to do when you just "can't even anymore" with people's BS. :) 

Rated Explicit for adult language (just a little) and because I'm talking TO PARENTS, NOT CHILDREN about raising our spectacular kids. Let's do this thing!

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This podcast was recorded in Garageband and edited by Lisa Thornbury.

Read more and find the transcript for this episode at averybrightlife.com.

And, come chat with us on social! No seriously, c'mon over! It's fun there.

Instagram: @LisaThornbury

Facebook: aVERY Bright life

Twitter: @LisaThornbury

Questions or Partnership Inquiries: [email protected]

Have a comment, question, episode suggestion or just want to say hello? We’d love to hear from you! Message us old-timey style by commenting on our podcast page. Or show us your techie and leave an AUDIO message via the Anchor messaging button! We might even use your voice message in an upcoming episode!

Thanks for listening. 💜

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Keywords for searchy-ness: disability, disabled kids, developmental disabilities, intellectual disability, parenting, special needs, epilepsy, seizures, hypotonia, chromosome disorder, speech delay, ending ableism, disability family, parenting podcast, mother daughter podcast, kid podcaster

That title is confusing. Content as in social media fodder, not as in happy and content. Though, if you're using your child as content for your own personal gain, they might not feel content in a few years when they discover what you've been posting about them. Just food for thought. Also, heads up seven up, I'm not perfect. Far from it. As a parent and a disability 'advocate' I mess up with the best of them. 

This episode is rated Explicit for language (just a little) and because I'm talking TO PARENTS, NOT CHILDREN about the way we speak about and post about our kids. Let's do this thing!

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This podcast was recorded in Garageband and edited by Lisa Thornbury.

Read more and find the transcript for this episode at averybrightlife.com.

And, come chat with us on social! No seriously, c'mon over! It's fun there.

Instagram: @LisaThornbury

Facebook: aVERY Bright life

Twitter: @LisaThornbury

Questions or Partnership Inquiries: [email protected]

Have a comment, question, episode suggestion or just want to say hello? We’d love to hear from you! Message us old-timey style by commenting on our podcast page. Or show us your techie and leave an AUDIO message via the Anchor messaging button! We might even use your voice message in an upcoming episode!

Thanks for listening. 💜

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Keywords for searchy-ness: disability, disabled kids, developmental disabilities, intellectual disability, parenting, special needs, epilepsy, seizures, hypotonia, chromosome disorder, speech delay, ending ableism, disability family, parenting podcast, mother daughter podcast, kid podcaster