For autistic children - or those with ADHD, PDA, and other forms of neurodivergency, swimming can be simultaneously a magical sensory experience and an absolute logistical nightmare. Hatty Ashdown joins Mark to dive into the deceptively simple but totally chaotic world of swimming.

From the infuriating act of trying to get them to swim in the first place, to negotiating the changing room routine, navigating the lockers and dealing with their antics in the pool, Mark and Hatty share candid and hilarious tales of what it’s like to take your neuro-exceptional brood swimming - and why we keep doing it, despite the enormous faff.

This is a funny, heartfelt and painfully relatable episode about parenting neurodivergent kids that is well worth a listen if you've ever had to try to retrieve your child from inside a locker.

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CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated):

00:00 - Intro & Meet the Guest: Hatty Ashdown

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LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:

• Hatty Ashdown’s Website – https://hattyashdown.com/

• Funny Mummies Podcast: Basics – https://pod.link/1451332466

• Funny Mummies Podcast: VIP (Patreon) – https://www.patreon.com/FunnyMummiesPodcast

• Bella Ramsey (Neurodiversity Champion) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bella_Ramsey

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CONTACT US

🌐 Website: www.neuroshambles.com

📧 Email: [email protected]

📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles

🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod

📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles

🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles

⸻

CREDITS

🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com

Following on from part 1, fan favourite Jo Matthews joins Mark once more for another laughter-filled, cathartic rant through the most mind-bogglingly ill-informed things people have said about raising autistic, ADHD, PDA and otherwise neurodivergent kids.

In this episode, Mark and Jo go deeper into strategies for pushing back against ignorance without burning out.

Jo shares practical approaches for raising awareness in schools and extended families, and why some battles just aren’t worth fighting.

This one’s full of laughter, reassurance, solidarity and a few tactical comebacks for the next time someone says, “They seem fine to me.”

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CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated):

00:00 - Intro & Meet the Guest: Jo Matthews Returns

05:30 - "Have you tried a routine?"

10:30 - "Have you tried a parenting course?"

13:30 - “Have you tried changing their diet?”

17:00 - "Why don't you take their screens away?"

20:00 - "Does he have mild autism?"

25:30 - Good autism v bad autism

29:00 - “We’re all a bit autistic"

34:30 - "ADHD is just an excuse"

37:00 - “It doesn't define him”

41:00 - "There's nothing wrong with him"

43:00 - Medical v Social models of disability

47:30 - "My kid does that"

50:00 - “He'll eat when he's hungry"

52:30 - “He'll grow out of it"

54:30 - “He doesn't look autistic"

56:30 - “But, he can talk, so he can’t be autistic”

59:00 - “ADHD is just for boys”

1:01:30 - "What's wrong with him?"

1:02:30 - "I bet he's good at maths"

1:04:30 - "I don't know how you do it"

1:07:00 - Misguided empathy: "I know how you feel"

1:09:00 - "But I do that and I'm not autistic"

1:14:00 - The completely batshit mental comments

1:20:00 - Neurodiversity Champions

1:21:30 - Tiny Epic Wins

1:25:00 - "What the flip?" moments

1:27:30 - Wrap-up & contact info

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LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:

The medical vs social models of disability: www.scope.org.uk/about-us/social-model-of-disability/

Autism assessments (AQ Test): www.embrace-autism.com/aq-10/#test

⸻

CONTACT US

📧 Email: [email protected]

📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles

🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod

📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles

🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles

⸻

CREDITS

🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com

In this episode, Mark is joined once again by the brilliant Jo Matthews for a cathartic, hilarious, and occasionally sweary dive into the unfiltered reality of parenting autistic, ADHD and PDA kids.

From "It's just a label" and "He’s fine with me" to "You just need to push them out of their comfort zone", this is part one of a two-part special on the unsolicited commentary we all get, whether it’s from strangers, family members, or well-meaning-but-utterly-wrong professionals. The kind of comments that pretend to be supportive but are really just dismissive, ignorant, or unhelpfully optimistic.

Together, Mark and Jo share personal stories, listener submissions, and a few moments of pure rage-laughter, as they unpack why these statements cut so deep - and how to push back with humour, honesty, and the occasional incredulous raise of the eyebrow.

If you've ever encountered the ignorance of strangers and you're looking for a neurodivergent parenting podcast that makes you feel seen, this is the one for you.

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CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated):

⸻

LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:

⸻

CONTACT US

📧 Email: [email protected]

⸻

CREDITS

🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com

In this episode, Nicole Bateman joins Mark to explore why neurodivergent kids often struggle to take up hobbies - those wholesome after-school activities that see neurotypical kids flourish… but which, for many parents of autistic, ADHD or PDA kids are either a logistical nightmare, a sensory minefield, or a fast track to public meltdown.

Together, they explore the myths, pressures and downright ridiculousness of what “having hobbies” means when you are parenting neurodivergent children.

Nicole shares how she’s reframed success and what helps her child engage without pressure. Mark opens up about the guilt, the frustration and the financial strain of trying to nurture interests that never seem to last past the first session.

They cover what actually works, what definitely doesn’t, and the benefits of learning to follow your neurodifferent child's lead, so you can meet them where they're at, rather than where you want them to be.

It’s an honest, often funny conversation about persistence, passion and letting go of neurotypical timelines.

00:00 – Intro & Meet the Guest: Nicole Bateman

📧 Email: [email protected]

📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles

🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod

📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles

🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles

🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com

Shopping - whether it’s for clothes, food or shoes - can be a sensory, emotional and logistical nightmare when you’re parenting autistic or ADHD children. Helen Stuart joins Mark to discuss why “just popping to the shops” is a long-held pipedream.

They share tales from the front line of their own shopping trip traumas, and discuss how sensory overload, PDA, and unpredictable environments make supermarkets and shopping centres feel like hostile territory.

Helen explains the practical steps her family takes to get through it - and when they just opt out entirely. Mark shares how even a trip to the corner shop has to be planned like a military operation, and how public perception adds a whole extra layer of pressure.

A funny, honest episode that every neurodivergent parenting family will relate to.

00:00 – Intro & Listener Feedback

PDA Society - Support and resources for families living with a PDA profile: https://www.pdasociety.org.uk

Supermarket Sweep - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarket_Sweep_(British_game_show)

Sunflower Lanyard Scheme - For invisible disabilities: https://hiddendisabilitiesstore.com

Waterstones Book Tokens - https://www.waterstones.com/help/gift-cards-and-vouchers/32

H&M - https://www2.hm.com/en_gb/kids.html

Skechers - https://www.skechers.co.uk/kids/

Lindsay's Swim School - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063580090089&sk=about

Nelson Street Church, Rochdale - https://www.nelsonstreetchurch.org/

Thrive Together Training website – https://thrivetogethertraining.co.uk

Thrive Together Training Facebook page – www.facebook.com/thrivetogethertraining

Thrive Together Training Instagram account – www.instagram.com/thrivetogethertraining

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🎧 Do you have a “What the flip?” moment or a tiny epic win to share?

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📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles

⸻

🎶 Theme tune by Skilsel on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com

Starting school is a big deal for any child – but for neurodivergent children, it can be the beginning of a long and complicated relationship with the education system. Mark is joined by Helen Daniel to explore what happens when the school system isn’t built for your child.

They discuss transitions, sensory overload, academic gaslighting and the slow-burning isolation that builds in the school playground (for kids and parents alike), as they dissect the emotional rollercoaster of watching your child struggle in a system not built for them.

Together, they share tips for advocating for your child while staying sane – and what they wish they’d known from the beginning.

If you’re looking for an autism, ADHD or PDA parenting podcast episodes about starting school, this one is essential listening.

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STUFF WE COVER:

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LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:

⸻

CONTACT US

🎧 Got a “What the flip?” moment or a tiny epic win to share?

⸻

FOLLOW US

📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles

⸻

CREDITS

🎶 Theme tune by Skilsel on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com

Have you ever felt like the odd one out in your own family? In this episode, Mark chats with Kirsty Hockenhull, a fellow self-diagnosed neurotypical in the midst of a chaotic, neurodivergent household. They discuss how it feels to be the lone neurotypical in a family teeming with autism, ADHD, and PDA - touching on everything from helping them navigate everyday social conventions to how to cope when your emotional needs are the only ones not being accommodated for.

They discuss the challenges of bridging two worlds - interpreting “neurotypical” rules for neurodivergent loved ones, while also learning where those same social norms should be thrown out of the window altogether.

There are candid insights into parenting styles, navigating brutal honesty (“Mum, why are you so old?” or “Dad, you should iron your face!”), and the realisation that sometimes your greatest strength is simply having enough “spoons” to hold it all together.

A light-hearted but deeply affirming neurodivergent parenting podcast episode for mixed-neurotype families.

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LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:

⸻

CONTACT US

If you have any feedback about the show, ideas for topics, suggestions for neurodiversity champions, or any “What the flip?” moments you’d like to share, feel free to email us:

[email protected]

⸻

FOLLOW US

⸻

CREDITS

The Neuroshambles theme tune was created by Skilsel on Pixabay:

Thank you for listening and being part of the Neuroshambles community. If you enjoyed this episode, please tell a friend, leave a review, or share it on social media. Have a nice life!

What happens when you hit a wall, and there’s no one around to help you up again? Liz Evans joins Mark to talk about parental burnout: what it looks like, why it’s so common, and the stigma around admitting you're not coping.

Liz discusses her own experiences of parental burnout, and shares her knowledge of how to spot the signs of impending burnout, before offering guidance on strategies we can implement to avoid it happening to us - because let's face it, many parents of autistic and ADHD children are constantly dancing around the edges of it.

This one’s a lifeline for exhausted parents of neurodivergent kids who have been in survival mode for far too long.

Together For Send Conference, Bristol - https://www.bristolparentcarers.org.uk/events/togetherforsend2025/

The Untypical OT website - https://the-untypical-ot.co.uk/

The Untypical OT podcast - https://open.spotify.com/show/0L6K6RwcErY5Z9tggI40F3?si=d32fc06ab7ca4c60

The Untypical OT podcast (Heidi Mavir episode) - https://open.spotify.com/episode/49CtSzTKt8WStCL6bo8d5h?si=gVjZWlSgSj23eHJoMIGxWA

Workplace Burnout - https://www.who.int/news/item/28-05-2019-burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon-international-classification-of-diseases

Brené Brown short film on Empathy - https://youtu.be/1Evwgu369Jw?si=nRHnjrN2pb4jZ-W7

Super Good Bikers For Autism - https://www.supergoodbikersforautism.com/

The Stimming Pool - https://www.thestimmingpool.com/

CONTACT US

If you have any feedback about the show, ideas for topics, suggestions for neurodiversity champions or any "What the flip?" moments you'd like to share, you can email: [email protected]

Instagram: www.instagram.com/neuroshambles

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@neuroshamblespod

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Neuroshambles

Threads: www.threads.net/@neuroshambles

The Neuroshambles theme tune was created by Skilsel on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/ 

Despite what some people believe, getting an autism or ADHD diagnosis for your child is far from straightforward. It's a frustrating, emotional and exhausting journey - no matter which diagnosis pathway you travel. 

In this special episode, Mark speaks to Tam, who is his former partner, current co-parent and long time friend. They discuss the diagnosis process of their three neuro-exceptional kids, who each followed completely different routes in the UK - from NHS/CAMHS and private diagnosis, to the "Right to Choose" pathway.

This is a uniquely intimate and candid episode, where both parents reflect on the emotional rollercoaster of seeking diagnoses for Jay (diagnosed autistic/ADHD), Otto (diagnosed autistic/ADHD) and India (suspected autistic/ADHD... until now).

By a strange quirk of fate, the recording date of this episode fell on the same day they received the results of India's autism assessment, so you can hear their reaction to this, just moments after receiving the news, as they consider what it now means for their family unit.

It’s a raw, informative and validating conversation - particularly for parents wondering if it’s worth pushing for that piece of paper.

CAMHS - https://www.youngminds.org.uk/young-person/your-guide-to-support/guide-to-camhs/

The Effra Clinic - https://www.effraclinic.co.uk/

Right To Choose - https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/about-the-nhs/your-choices-in-the-nhs/

All Dogs Have ADHD - https://amzn.eu/d/8Tzq6dj

All Cats Are on the Autism Spectrum - https://amzn.eu/d/byZg2mQ

ADHDUK - https://adhduk.co.uk/

Heba App (formerly Hibi) - https://www.heba.care/

CONTACT US

If you have any feedback about the show, ideas for topics, suggestions for neurodiversity champions or any "What the flip?" moments you'd like to share, you can email: [email protected]

Instagram: www.instagram.com/neuroshambles

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@neuroshamblespod

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Neuroshambles

Threads: www.threads.net/@neuroshambles

The Neuroshambles theme tune was created by Skilsel on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/ 

Why do so many autistic and ADHD kids put on a brave face at school - only to melt down at home? Masking is a survival strategy for so many of our neurodivergent children. Pete Wharmby joins Mark to talk about why they do it, what the long terms affects are on their sense of self, and how we can help them unmask safely.

They explore the school environment, social pressures and internalised expectations that drive masking behaviour - often at great emotional cost.

Pete shares his personal journey of unmasking as an adult, and how he’s helping his own child feel accepted without having to perform. Mark reflects on the challenge of supporting a child who seems “fine” to outsiders – and the guilt that comes when parents question their own instincts.

If you’re looking for a neurodivergent parenting podcast episode that unpacks this essential topic with warmth, honesty and wisdom, this is it.

Pete Wharmby's website - https://petewharmby.com/

"Untypical" by Pete Wharmby - https://amzn.eu/d/35cWwBh

Alexis Quinn - https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/stories/stories-from-the-spectrum-alexis-quinn

University of Edinburgh study in autistic communication with other autistics - https://salvesen-research.ed.ac.uk/our-projects/autistic-autistic-communication

Autistic code switching - https://myautismmind.com/autism-masking/

Autistic Girls Network - https://autisticgirlsnetwork.org/

Lego hidden disabilities sunflower - https://hdsunflower.com/uk/insights/post/the-lego-group-joins-hidden-disabilities-sunflower

"What I Want To Talk About" by Pete Wharmby - https://amzn.eu/d/3HoKSt9

CONTACT US

If you have any feedback about the show, ideas for topics, suggestions for neurodiversity champions or any "What the flip?" moments you'd like to share, you can email: [email protected]

Instagram: www.instagram.com/neuroshambles

TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@neuroshamblespod

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Neuroshambles

Threads: www.threads.net/@neuroshambles

The Neuroshambles theme tune was created by Skilsel on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/