Beyond the Label Podcast

Ever been in a season where sleep just... disappeared? In this episode, we’re sharing what it was like during a stretch of nearly six months when Milo couldn’t fall asleep for hours—and still managed to wake up before sunrise. We tried everything, and nothing worked… until two yellow blankets changed the game. 

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Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify. 

Thank you for being here!

When Milo was diagnosed with autism just weeks after turning 4, and as his behaviors became more challenging, I struggled with envy toward other families. Sometimes, I still do. It’s not rational. I know every family has its own challenges, whether we see them or not. But it’s real. And we’re talking about it in this episode.

Follow us on Instagram @beyondthelabel440.

Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify. 

Thank you for being here!

June & Milo.

June is a bright, animated, and funny kid—and extremely stubborn. As the quintessential little sister, she wants Milo's attention, and she doesn’t care how she gets it.

While we’ve been working on behavioral interventions for Milo at home and school, June and her four-year-old antagonizing ways have been... a challenge.

They are at once enemies and the best of friends. They fight, and they laugh. They are always trying to get what the other has. They want to be together, but they also want their own space. Theirs is an evolving story of a neurodivergent and neurotypical sibling relationship—one that is still very much unfolding.

Follow us on Instagram @beyondthelabel440.

Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify. 

Thank you for being here!

Nora & Milo. 

They are 16 months apart, now ages 7 and 6.

Since they were very young, they've had a special relationship. Nora is the proud big sister. Her love and affection for Milo is one of his greatest blessings - but we have to acknowledge that being his sister is not always easy.

Sibling dynamics, particularly the siblings of kids with different needs like Milo's, are complicated and beautiful and hard. We think it's important to pull back the curtain just a bit and share what life has been like for Milo's sisters, starting with Nora. 

Follow us on Instagram @beyondthelabel440.

Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify. 

Thank you for being here!

When it comes to any special event, the decision of whether or not to go as a whole family, with Milo in tow, is carefully made. That was definitely true as we planned for a fall festival at a local farm in support of Nora's school. Go back in time with us to a beautiful Friday night last October...

Follow us on Instagram @beyondthelabel440.

Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify. 

Thank you for being here!

We're navigating a crowded Costco when Milo spots it: the overflowing rack of Spider-Man costumes. "That one!" he says, very matter-of-factly - and so we add it to the cart. It may seem like a simple interaction, but it was much more than that.

Follow us on Instagram @beyondthelabel440.

Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify. 

Thank you for being here!

Turkey calls and SOS texts: We're going back to a day last May when Ty had a plan for a much-needed break - and to enjoy a hobby he loves. When you're in the thick of "the hard," how do you find a way to regroup and refresh? And what if you can't? 

Follow us on Instagram @beyondthelabel440.

Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify. 

Thank you for being here!

So often, two things can be true at the same time. That's the case with Milo's birthday. We feel so grateful for him, and for being able to watch him grow! But anticipating his birthday can make us feel a little bit sad. We're digging into our feelings on this episode - as well as talking about some of our favorite Milo moments from the last year. 

Follow us on Instagram @beyondthelabel440.

Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify. 

Thank you for being here!

Milo has a fantastic imagination: An orange, knit hat is one of his go-to items to pretend to be Danny Go. But if you try to reason with him that the hat is not a great idea to wear outside on a warm fall day, you're not likely to win.

And so, when we set out on a family walk on the trail in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Milo's hat was firmly in place - despite his increasing frustration, despite becoming overheated.

You might still be thinking, why not just make him take off the hat? But what seems like an obvious solution to others isn't always an option for us. This episode explores why.

Follow us on Instagram @beyondthelabel440.

Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify. 

Thank you for being here!

Last year at this time, our family was reeling. Our son, Milo, had been going on months of little sleep, struggling to go to bed and then waking before dawn, his anxiety pulsing.

We were a year removed from his autism diagnosis in January 2023, but no closer to understanding how to best meet his needs.

And then - his behaviors worsened. Milo became much more physically aggressive, with longer outbursts that were difficult to manage. We went from sleep deprived to devastated: the pure pain of witnessing your child struggling and not knowing what to do.

But we had to figure out how to keep moving forward - and care not only for Milo's needs, but the needs of our girls, Nora and June, who are neurotypical. And so we did. One day at a time. Honestly, sometimes one minute at a time.

During that winter, we felt so isolated. We wondered: Are there other parents who know what this feels like? Does anyone really get it?

This podcast has been in our minds - and on our hearts - since then. Over the last 6 months, we've been slowing bringing our idea to life.

We're sharing our experiences - real, honest, unfiltered - as we continue this journey as a family of 5. We hope to connect with other parents of kids with unique needs and let them know: You're not alone.

Welcome to the Beyond the Label Podcast.

Follow us on Instagram @beyondthelabel440.

Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify. 

Thank you for being here!