Full Spectrum Parent: Christian Autism Support | Special Needs Parenting | Faith & Autism Resources

In Episode 24, we introduce a 3-part series called “The Lessons Our Kids Teach Us” and we had the honor of interviewing Heather Avis.

Heather Avis is a New York Times best-selling author, podcaster and Down syndrome advocate, working to create a more inclusive world where everyone belongs.

Learn more about her latest ministry and her latest child’s book, “Everyone Belongs” at https://www.heatheravis.com/everyonebelongs

Grief is a part of life we can’t avoid. The only thing worse than walking through a season of loss, is seeing our kids walk through one.

In Episode 23, we talk candidly about grief, loss, and how to help our kids navigate life during the dark times.

Just as Instagram has dozens of filters that change an image, our parenting styles run through unique filters that distort and change reality.

I’m Episode 22, we highlight 3 commons filters we unconsciously parent through; how to recognize and overcome these filters with God’s help.

Whether you are a special needs parent or a typical parent, you need to listen to this one!

When our daughter Mara was first diagnosed with severe autism, we had no clue what autism even was. We quickly received a crash course but would never want others to be blindsided like we were.

In Episode 21, we share 10 early signs of autism to be aware of as your child grows and develops.

Also, we’d love to connect with you in a greater way:

🧩FREE GIFT FOR AUTISM FAMILIES 10 Crucial Facts About Autism No One Told Me(Just click the link to sign up for our weekly newsletter and this gift will go straight to your inbox.)
⭐️Check out our website www.jessicahurlbut.com for weekly devotionals on topics of faith, parenting, autism, and adoption.

Vacations are supposed to be a time to unplug, a time to laugh, and to time to enjoy just being with family. 

But as special needs parents, vacations can be extremely stressful—to the point you need a vacation AFTER your vacation.

In Episode 20, we share hilarious moments from our recent family trip to Ohio and offer three tips to consider when venturing with special needs kiddos on a summer vacation. 

As special need parents, we believe God has entrusted us to care for our children.

But should we release our kids into the world like a typical parent would? Or should we care for our special needs kiddos indefinitely on our own?

There are no cookie-cutter answers to these hard questions, but it helps to talk with a parent who is a few steps ahead.

In Episode 19, we continue our series “Letting Go: Learning To Release Our Kids Into The World” by interviewing Fern Douglas.

Fern is a wife and mom of three. Her son, Alex, was born mentally and physically disabled. She shares openly regarding her struggles as a parent and how her and her husband prayerfully decided to place their son at the age of 20 into a group home.

Being a parent is hard.

Launching our kids into the world is even harder.

In Episode 18, we continue our series “Letting Go: Learning to Release Your Kids Into The World” by interviewing Elaine Kesner.

Elaine has been married for 32 years and is a mom of 3 young adults. All attended college, one is married, and her oldest is currently a missionary in Uganda.

Listen in as Elaine candidly shares her parenting fears, frustrations, and the lessons she has learned among the way.

As graduation season is upon us, many parents are faced with the challenge of releasing our kids into the big, scary world.

Our ability to let go and launch our children depends on the health of our relationship with them.

In Episode 17, we discuss six warning signs that you may be leaning towards codependency as a parent and how choosing to place our trust in God is always the answer.

In honor of May being National Foster Care Month, we dedicated Episode 16 to sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly regarding foster care and adoption.

With a candid look at our foster to adopt journey, we debunk five prevalent lies we hear all the time while challenging parents to prayerfully consider foster care and adoption.

We challenged our listeners to ask us anything and the questions came rolling in.  In Episode 15, we tackle tough parenting questions ranging from how to deal with guilt as a parent to how to keep your kids in their bedrooms at night.  This is an episode you don’t want to miss!