Hi Pod! I'm Dad.

In this episode, James talks about something he hasn’t addressed before: what happens when the communication tools everyone recommends simply don’t work for your child.

When James’s nonverbal son, Lucas, couldn’t physically use American Sign Language due to dexterity challenges, it felt like yet another failure in a long list of “solutions” that sounded good on paper but didn’t work in real life. Instead of forcing Lucas to fit a system that wasn’t built for him, James made a different choice. They changed the system.

This episode explores how gesture-based communication evolved in their home, why being understood matters more than doing things “the right way,” and how connection, safety, and dignity often come before progress charts and programs.

If you’ve ever worried you were doing it wrong, this conversation is for you.

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Hi Pod, it's James Guttman. As the holidays approach, I talk about what respect really looks like when you’re raising a nonverbal child with autism. My son doesn’t care about Christmas traditions, gift-opening, or big holiday moments, so instead of forcing him into them, I’ve learned to build the season around who he actually is.

In this episode, I share how trust became the foundation of our relationship, from a moment after my heart surgery that changed how I parent forever to the everyday choices that make holidays calmer and more meaningful for him. I explain why I follow my son’s lead instead of correcting him, why consistency matters more than control, and how keeping my word has shaped his behavior in public and at home.

I also talk candidly about single fatherhood, rejecting the “helpless dad” stereotype, protecting peace after major life changes, and what it means to invite someone into a life that already works. This episode is about autism appreciation, setting boundaries with kindness, and choosing respect over performance, especially during the holidays.

If you’re a parent of a child with autism, a single parent, or someone looking to make the holidays gentler and more authentic, this conversation is for you.

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 What started as a walk to urgent care ended with the words, ‘you’re having a heart attack,’ and a truth I never saw coming. An angiogram gone silent, and five blocked arteries that shouldn’t have let me stand. Then the doctor’s words about my eventual fate - “that was going to be you” - became the line that split my life in two. That surgery didn’t just save me. It became the compass I’ve followed ever since.

In this episode, I talk about what changed after that day: eating with intention, moving with purpose, and communicating without yelling, gaslighting, or going to emotional war. That shift carried into fatherhood too. I stopped worrying about who my son might become and started appreciating the boy right in front of me.

There’s also the peace part and the ongoing lessons that continue to this day. The boundaries I drew, the twisted people I sent to the “cornfield,” and the stress I finally stopped confusing with responsibility. This is a conversation about survival, yes, but more than that, it’s about design. How you design your days, your circle, and your energy when you realize you don’t get unlimited minutes.

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Hi Pod...Where Ya Been?

James Guttman returns after a long break to reset the show and refocus on honest stories about autism and respect. We dig into myths around RPM, the “you don’t look autistic” trope, and why dignity beats spectacle every time.

• why the format shift matters and keeping it ad-free
• curiosity vs offense when asking about autism
• why “you don’t look autistic” misses the point
• RPM’s (Rapid Prompting Method) place, limits, and consent
• the barbecue incident and speaking for someone
• pushing back on “nonverbal understands everything”
• rejecting telepathy myths and miracle promises
• dignity over content and never filming meltdowns
• parents as experts on their own children
• how we’ll handle topics and questions going forward

Check it out, HiBlogImDad.com every Monday, every Wednesday
Every Friday, new HiPodImDad.com

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This week’s co-host doesn’t say a word, but his presence says everything. 

James sits down with his son Lucas, a non-verbal teenager with autism, for a special episode. With the help of Pirate Booty, duck noises, and an AAC device, Lucas shows listeners what communication looks like when it’s completely authentic. Whether it’s asking for water or no-selling a dad joke, nothing Lucas does is performative and that honesty has become one of James’s greatest parenting lessons.

You’ll hear about real moments: a silly game that’s only funny when Lucas says it is, how years of practice lead to a single successful request on a talker, and the deep frustration of strangers assuming they know your child better than you do. This is more than a podcast episode, it’s a window into trust, growth, and fatherhood that doesn't need subtitles.

See The Show Here on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jcTwR72r_k4

Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@hiblogimdad

It's Here! Get the book – “Hi World, I’m Dad: How Fathers Can Journey to Autism Awareness, Acceptance, and Appreciation” on audio, digital, or print.

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In this episode, James Guttman explores how his nonverbal son with autism, Lucas, redefined the very idea of perfection. It’s not about milestones, math scores, or sports trophies. It’s about honesty, love, and authenticity.

Lucas doesn’t hide his intentions. He doesn’t play emotional games. And while life with severe autism comes with real challenges, James shares how those challenges are matched by something even more powerful: a son who is, in every meaningful way, perfect.

If you’ve ever felt like the world’s definition of “normal” doesn’t fit your life, this is the episode for you.

Watch The Video From This Show: https://youtu.be/CxM41UtGOMs

It's Here! Get the book – “Hi World, I’m Dad: How Fathers Can Journey to Autism Awareness, Acceptance, and Appreciation” on audio, digital, or print.

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What if your child couldn’t speak...but still knew exactly how to make you laugh?

In this heartfelt episode, James Guttman shares the unexpected ways he built a private language of humor with his nonverbal son, Lucas. From early fears about never sharing a laugh to perfectly timed glances and paused songs, this story is a reminder that connection doesn’t need to be spoken. Sometimes, all it takes is a sideways look and a shared moment.

Whether you’re on your own autism journey or just need a reminder of how deep love can go without words, this one’s for you.

It's Here! Get the book – “Hi World, I’m Dad: How Fathers Can Journey to Autism Awareness, Acceptance, and Appreciation” on audio, digital, or print.

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At 35 years old, James Gutman was given just four hours’ notice before undergoing a quintuple bypass with no prior health issues, no medications, and no warning signs. But that life-saving operation wasn’t the end of his story. It was the beginning of a new one.

In this powerful episode of Hi Pod! I’m Dad, James shares how surviving heart surgery changed everything: how he viewed stress, how he approached parenting, and how he discovered a deeper connection with his nonverbal son Lucas through what he now calls “autism appreciation.”

Lucas became an emotional mirror, reflecting James’s calm or stress back at him, and their bond grew stronger when James stopped trying to control everything and instead entered his son’s world. From heart health to emotional growth, this episode is a raw, inspiring look at what happens when life delivers challenges that turn into unexpected gifts.

Watch This Episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/R4NwAimSXJo

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📝 New blog posts every Monday & Wednesday at HiBlogImDad.com
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Every parent has their share of parenting challenges, but when your child has severe, non-verbal autism, even something as ordinary as a haircut can become a years-long emotional battle.

In this week’s episode of Hi Pod! I’m Dad, James Guttman shares the raw and personal story of how a supposedly “autism-friendly” salon failed his son Lucas and how that painful moment led him down a years-long journey of cutting his son’s hair himself.

From heartbreaking meltdowns to trying every trick in the book (and on Amazon), James reflects on what it truly means to parent through difficulty and how progress often looks nothing like what we expect. The solution? Not special clippers or a miracle strategy, but growth, both his son’s and his own.

This episode is a powerful reminder that yesterday’s impossible struggles can become tomorrow’s triumphs.

▶️ Watch on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/ErslqmGlIC8
 📺 Subscribe: https://youtube.com/@hiblogimdad

📝 New blog posts every Monday & Wednesday at HiBlogImDad.com
📱 Follow @HiJamesGutman on Instagram, TikTok, Threads & Facebook

It's Here! Get the book – “Hi World, I’m Dad: How Fathers Can Journey to Autism Awareness, Acceptance, and Appreciation” on audio, digital, or print.

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We all have stories we tell ourselves about who our kids will become, how our relationships will unfold, and what life is supposed to look like. But what happens when reality tears those stories apart?

In this week’s episode of Hi Pod! I’m Dad, James Guttman shares a raw, honest reflection on the life he never expected. From a divorce during the pandemic to parenting a nonverbal son with autism, James opens up about the imagined futures he had to grieve and the unexpected beauty he found in letting them go.

▶️ Watch the full episode on YouTube and subscribe to the channel:
 👉 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Qn6bV6k6Jq8
📺 YouTube: @HiBlogImDad

💬 The emotional centerpiece? A memory about almost giving his son the middle name “Charming” so he could impress girls at bars one day. It’s a funny, touching reminder of the hopes we place on unborn children — and how healing it can be to release those hopes when life takes a different turn.

🎧 Listen on your favorite podcast platform — including Spotify, Audible, Apple, and more — or stream the episode directly here:
 👉 Listen on HiPodImDad.com

📖 Hi World, I’m Dad — Available now on Amazon (print, eBook, and audiobook):
👉 Buy the book

📝 New blog posts every Monday & Wednesday at HiBlogImDad.com
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It's Here! Get the book – “Hi World, I’m Dad: How Fathers Can Journey to Autism Awareness, Acceptance, and Appreciation” on audio, digital, or print.

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Also, be sure to read the blog that started it all - Hi Blog! I'm Dad.