B*tching and Bolusing

Internalized ableism. We all have it. Yet so many parents struggle to acknowledge it, and can hardly even recognize it. This has a direct affect on our disabled children who may inherit some of that internalized ableism for themselves. On this episode of The Bitching and Bolusing Podcast we sit down to discuss our own struggles with internalized ableism and how we are working to counteract something that has been deeply rooted in us from an ableist society. So let's get to bitching!

Follow Bitching and Bolusing on Instagram:

@Bitching_and_Bolusing

Merch Shop:

https://bitchingandbolusing.threadless.com/

Thanks to our sponsors Adapted Design and The Recess Project

Use code BBPODCAST to receive 15% off Lets Adapt For Everyone by AdaptedDesign

Raising a child comes with a lot of responsibility, but when medical decisions, extra appointments, and support needs are involved those responsibilities increase. Most families have some sort of support - usually in the form of partnership, but what happens when you have to navigate all this alone? We sit down with Hope & Rachel, both single mothers to young children who have disabilities. They discuss their trials and tribulations through it all, how the system can fail families like theirs, and how being labeled as a "single mother" can alter the level of respect by some medical professionals. 

You can find Hope on instagram at LimitlessLoganJameson

You can find Rachel on instagram at Aryas_Keeper

Follow Bitching and Bolusing on Instagram:

@Bitching_and_Bolusing

Merch Shop:

https://bitchingandbolusing.threadless.com/

Thanks to our sponsors Adapted Design and The Recess Project

Use code BBPODCAST to receive 15% off Lets Adapt For Everyone by AdaptedDesign

There is a mental health crisis affecting everyone in the U.S. and beyond. Parents and caregivers of disabled individuals are no exception, and sometimes, due to lack of resources, respite, services, and support, mental health becomes an extra struggle for these families. However, it is important to seek help - and sometimes - alter your perspective on disability and caregiving. Not all mental health help is created equal, and in some cases staying in an "echo chamber" can hinder healing and growth. Not only does this have a negative affect on the individual and the family, but living in a state of despair has a negative impact on societies perception of disability.

March 1st is the Disability Day of Mourning, a day where we remember victims of filicide - those with disabilities who were murdered by their families. The fact that such a day even exists is proof that the mental health of parents and caregivers needs to be addressed. On this episode of The Bitching and Bolusing Podcast, we sit down to discuss the mental health crisis within the parenting community and we challenge families to view disability and caregiving in a different light.

Follow Bitching and Bolusing on Instagram:

@Bitching_and_Bolusing

Merch Shop:

https://bitchingandbolusing.threadless.com/

Thanks to our sponsors Adapted Design and The Recess Project

Use code BBPODCAST to receive 15% off Lets Adapt For Everyone by AdaptedDesign

All parents have one thing in common when it comes to balancing work and family life - lack of childcare. Yet, somehow, a recent narrative has turned this struggle into an issue that can feel almost exclusive to parents raising disabled children. In the U.S. the lack of affordable childcare is a systemic issue that affects all parents across the board. The cost of childcare is currently outpacing inflation by more than 3%, which is making childcare significantly less accessible for all families. However, if we are going to related lack of accessible childcare to raising disabled children, we have a responsibility as parents to acknowledge that this roadblock is not a parenting issue - rather it is a disability issue set in place by systemic ableism that will affect our children for the entirety of their lives. Reframing this perspective can help us see the systemic ableism that is forcing families like ours out of the workforce, and can help us see commonalities with other parents of non-disabled children.

Thanks to our sponsors Adapted Design and The Recess Project

Use code BBPODCAST to receive 15% off Lets Adapt For Everyone by AdaptedDesign

Welcome to season 2!

Inclusive education - it can be wonderful, and it can be awful. Almost all parents of disabled children have had some sort of negative experience along the way when it comes to IEPs or 504 plans. We are oftentimes expected to know how to navigate the "special education" system for our children when we have had no experience whatsoever. This can leave parents feeling confused, overwhelmed, and frustrated. It can be daunting having to argue as to how the needs of your child should be met, especially when you are not there to see if their needs ARE actually being met. In this episode of The Bitching and Bolusing Podcast we sit down to discuss our own experiences with navigating IEP's, and what true inclusivity means for our children. So grab a seat and let's get to bitching!

Thanks to our sponsors Adapted Design and The Recess Project

Use code BBPODCAST to receive 15% off Lets Adapt For Everyone by AdaptedDesign

For parents of disabled children, the holiday season can be a tricky time of the year to navigate. We are often faced with managing extra schedules, taking on the mental load of making sure everyone has everything they need, and feeling a certain way when doing our holiday shopping knowing a toy isn't exactly "age appropriate" for our disabled children. On this episode of The Bitching and Bolusing Podcast, we discuss how all these things can leave us feeling drained, and how shifting our perspective can change the extra grief we feel during this season. It's important to not fit our children into the idea of who they would be were they not disabled, and sometimes that means making new traditions that differ from the ones we had when we were children ourselves. It's OK to start new traditions and to make life easier on yourself - even if that means saying "no" to family. Sometimes hosting is easier so that you don't have to bring 18 pieces of medical equipment, feeds, medications, etc, to someone else's house!

Toxic Positivity: We've all experienced it at some point during our trauma recovery. Whether it's a well meaning relative telling you to "look on the bright side" or a stranger saying "you're so strong, I don't know how you do it". It's all left us feeling shut-down and invalidated. On the flip side, at some point, we've all probably unintentionally dished out toxic positivity to others. Saying things like "Be thankful your child can walk/talk/etc" or "at least your child can go to school", these statements are a way of telling others "it could be worse" at the expense of you and your child. Life isn't a competition, and on this episode of The Bitching and Bolusing Podcast we discuss the affects of toxic positivity and ways we can better support each other as a community of parents and caregivers.

Challenges with accessibility can come in many different forms. One of the most frustrating challenges parents can face with accessibility is the outrageous cost that comes with finding adapted toys or other functional items. There's almost a gatekeeping-mentality around those who offer switch adapted products, which allows them to charge exuberant prices. We sit down with Greg from AdaptedDesign to talk about the frustrations he faced when trying to find adapted and functional products for his daughter. This frustration drove him to learn how to switch adapt products on his own. He now offers his services at extremely reasonable cost so that all families can grant their children the joy and happiness that comes with using a switch-adapted product! Greg also discusses the lack of representation and community for fathers of disabled children, and how he turned to creating memes to help bring comic relief to those who felt the same isolation.

You can find Greg on Instagram at Adapted Design

From now until 11/30 you can get 20% off the Ergonomic ENFit Tool and the Suction Pump Holder with promo code BBPODCAST

Every child has the right to play, but for children with disabilities, inclusion in play can be almost non-existent in certain circumstances. Oftentimes school playgrounds leave out room for inclusion by having non accessible equipment. Enter: Katrina, founder of The Recess Project. On this episode of The Bitching and Bolusing Podcast, we sit down with Katrina and discuss her passion for creating inclusive playgrounds for children, particularly in school settings. This love was sparked when she saw her daughter Dallas (Discover with Dallas) find pure joy on an accesible swing. Katrina discusses the importance of inclusion in play, and what she hopes The Recess Project becomes with hard work and perseverance. Katrina also discusses her role as Dallas' mom. She's helped encourage her daughters desire to grow her own social media presence and has helped her enter the world of acting in modeling, all while advocating fiercely for her daughter in a sometimes ableist industry.

Discover With Dallas - Instagram

Discover With Dallas - Youtube

Discover With Dallas - TikTok

The Recess Project Website

The Recess Project - Instagram

The Recess Project - TikTok