On The Hard Days

By Megan Champion

Raising an out-of-the-box kid can feel isolating. You wonder, Am I crazy? What am I doing wrong? The doubt, guilt, and exhaustion are overwhelming—and finding another mom who truly gets it

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4.9

173173 ratings

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FAQs about On The Hard Days:

How many episodes does On The Hard Days have?

The podcast currently has 215 episodes available.

On The Hard Days episodes:

March 04, 2025Ep. 203 Mom Emily on Managing *Caregiver Burnout* When There's No End in Sight
"It always goes back to - NOBODY gets it." We're BACK!! And we're kicking it off with mom guest, Emily. I'm telling you right now - you will ABSOLUTELY resonate with her story!
In this episode, we talk about:
The frustration of being your child's co-regulator 24/7
When being a "stay at home mom" means you can't take your kids out due to your child's struggles - so you're always at home.
The way motherhood is romanticized on social media
The sadness of losing friendships with other adults over time because they have NT kids.
How sharing your nervous system with your child's means you have nothing left at the end of the day.
How finding her village has helped her reclaim her identity
How parenting a demand avoidant kid requires a whole different approach
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
"Wow, listening to this was so validating!" <--- Sound like you? Please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more moms - just like you - who need the support and validation to get through the hardships of parenting ND kids.
Click HERE, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with 5 stars, and select "Write a review". And be sure to follow the show so you're notified whenever I publish an episode. Follow Now!
Mothers Together *Open House*
...is coming up on April 2nd! Open House is primarily a validation-based event, where you and I can connect and chat, and I'll support you, along with my Host Mom "tour guides", as we introduce you to the warm and welcoming Mothers Together community.
Open House is FREE, VIRTUAL, and NOT time zone-dependent, so you can join from anywhere around the world!
Sign up for Open House NOW and save your spot - the next Open House isn't until JULY! See you there!
...more
1h
December 04, 2023 Ep.202 Mom Chantelle Stieghan on Facing Motherhood Struggles With Humor & Rolling With the (Literal) Punches
About This Episode: It's Mama Monday! This week, I'm talking with mom Chantelle. I loved this whole conversation and I know you will too! Here are just some of the topics we discussed:

-The lack of support when living in a foreign country
-When doctors have never heard of the struggles your child is facing
-Eating disorders as part of being neurodivergent
-How ADHD can look so different in different kids
-How emotional it is to feel alone in your struggles
-Trying to advocate for your child in a different language than your native tongue
-How exciting it is to find a resource that helps
-Chantelle's children's books that she made up for her children - on sale on Amazon! Find them here: https://www.amazon.com/Books-Chantelle-Stieghan/
Please shower Chantelle with love and support by SHARING this episode with a mom who needs to hear her story.

** HUGE NEWS!! Our next Mothers Together "Open House" is coming up at the end of the year! At Open House, you'll walk away with actual connections to real moms just like you AND the validation you deserve but often don't receive. I'm thrilled to be able to bring you a taste of how inclusive, safe, and judgment-free the Mothers Together community is. If you are ready to meet other moms like you, please join us for Open House! Here's the link to sign up: mothers-together.com/openhouse. See you there!
I ALWAYS welcome YOUR thoughts! Feel free to DM me on IG (@on.the.hard.days) or email me: [email protected]. This podcast is what it is because of YOU.

And speaking of the podcast, YOU all recently got my show to over 230K downloads. Thank you!

The best way to keep this podcast download streak is to:
1) Subscribe to the podcast - your device will automatically download new episodes!
2) Share the show with others - think therapists, pediatricians, and teachers!
3) Leave a rating/review for the show - the Apple algorithm will push the show out to more moms who need the support and validation!

THANK YOU, so very much, for your continued support!
...more
58min
November 27, 2023 Ep.201 Mom Felicia Watkins on Stopping the Cycles of Self-Gaslighting and Judging How She Parents Her Neurodivergent Kids
About This Episode: It's Mama Monday! This week, I'm talking with mom Felicia. I loved this whole conversation and I know you will too! Here are just some of the topics we discussed:

-Raising multiple children with Autism
-Learning how to stop self-gaslighting when looking at your child's struggles
-The exhaustion she feels from trying to meet the needs of all of her kids
-Rolling with the punches while establishing your household "norms"
-How she's practicing self-love with less judgement
Please shower Felicia with love and support by SHARING this episode with a mom who needs to hear her story.

** HUGE NEWS!! Our next Mothers Together "Open House" is coming up at the end of the year! At Open House, you'll walk away with actual connections to real moms just like you AND the validation you deserve but often don't receive. I'm thrilled to be able to bring you a taste of how inclusive, safe, and judgment-free the Mothers Together community is. If you are ready to meet other moms like you, please join us for Open House! Here's the link to sign up: mothers-together.com/openhouse. See you there!
I ALWAYS welcome YOUR thoughts! Feel free to DM me on IG (@on.the.hard.days) or email me: [email protected]. This podcast is what it is because of YOU.

And speaking of the podcast, YOU all recently got my show to over 230K downloads. Thank you!

The best way to keep this podcast download streak is to:
1) Subscribe to the podcast - your device will automatically download new episodes!
2) Share the show with others - think therapists, pediatricians, and teachers!
3) Leave a rating/review for the show - the Apple algorithm will push the show out to more moms who need the support and validation!

THANK YOU, so very much, for your continued support!
...more
33min
November 13, 2023 Ep.200!! Celebrating 200 Episodes With Megan Through Vulnerability & Validation
About This Episode: I'm celebrating 200 episodes today - join me as I reflect on how sharing stories brings us the crucial validation we need.

** HUGE NEWS!! Our next Mothers Together "Open House" is coming up at the end of the year! At Open House, you'll walk away with actual connections to real moms just like you AND the validation you deserve but often don't receive. I'm thrilled to be able to bring you a taste of how inclusive, safe, and judgment-free the Mothers Together community is. If you are ready to meet other moms like you, please join us for Open House! Here's the link to sign up: mothers-together.com/openhouse. See you there!
I ALWAYS welcome YOUR thoughts! Feel free to DM me on IG (@on.the.hard.days) or email me: [email protected]. This podcast is what it is because of YOU.

And speaking of the podcast, YOU all recently got my show to over 230K downloads. Thank you!

The best way to keep this podcast download streak is to:
1) Subscribe to the podcast - your device will automatically download new episodes!
2) Share the show with others - think therapists, pediatricians, and teachers!
3) Leave a rating/review for the show - the Apple algorithm will push the show out to more moms who need the support and validation!

THANK YOU, so very much, for your continued support!
...more
40min
October 30, 2023 Ep.199 Mom Stephanie Fluger on Asking For Help: Learning to Let Go of Control, Shed Guilt & Anger, and Actually Take Care of Yourself
About This Episode: It's Mama Monday! This week, I'm talking with mom Stephanie. I loved this whole conversation and I know you will too! Here are just some of the topics we discussed:

-The hardships of raising a non-verbal toddler and a baby during Covid with very limited resources.
-Relearning how to ask for help and take care of herself as a stay-at-home mom.
-When everything just feels like too much
-Feeling like we have to do everything and letting go of control
-Why did she feel so angry all the time?
-How she now feels that exercise isn't self-care - it's a necessity.
-How hormone imbalance adds to our challenges
Please shower Stephanie with love and support by SHARING this episode with a mom who needs to hear her story.

** HUGE NEWS!! Our next Mothers Together "Open House" is coming up at the end of the year! At Open House, you'll walk away with actual connections to real moms just like you AND the validation you deserve but often don't receive. I'm thrilled to be able to bring you a taste of how inclusive, safe, and judgment-free the Mothers Together community is. If you are ready to meet other moms like you, please join us for Open House! Here's the link to sign up: mothers-together.com/openhouse. See you there!
I ALWAYS welcome YOUR thoughts! Feel free to DM me on IG (@on.the.hard.days) or email me: [email protected]. This podcast is what it is because of YOU.

And speaking of the podcast, YOU all recently got my show to over 225K downloads. Thank you!

The best way to keep this podcast download streak is to:
1) Subscribe to the podcast - your device will automatically download new episodes!
2) Share the show with others - think therapists, pediatricians, and teachers!
3) Leave a rating/review for the show - the Apple algorithm will push the show out to more moms who need the support and validation!

THANK YOU, so very much, for your continued support!
...more
42min
October 23, 2023 Ep.198 Mom Cathy Shields on Acceptance & Understanding of a Neurodivergent Young Adult
About This Episode: It's Mama Monday! This week, I'm talking with mom Cathy. I loved this whole conversation and I know you will too!
Please shower Cathy with love and support by SHARING this episode with a mom who needs to hear her story.

Find Cathy at cathyshieldswriter.com!

** HUGE NEWS!! Our next Mothers Together "Open House" is coming up at the end of the year! At Open House, you'll walk away with actual connections to real moms just like you AND the validation you deserve but often don't receive. I'm thrilled to be able to bring you a taste of how inclusive, safe, and judgment-free the Mothers Together community is. If you are ready to meet other moms like you, please join us for Open House! Here's the link to sign up: mothers-together.com/openhouse. See you there!
I ALWAYS welcome YOUR thoughts! Feel free to DM me on IG (@on.the.hard.days) or email me: [email protected]. This podcast is what it is because of YOU.

And speaking of the podcast, YOU all recently got my show to almost 220K downloads. Thank you!

The best way to keep this podcast download streak is to:
1) Subscribe to the podcast - your device will automatically download new episodes!
2) Share the show with others - think therapists, pediatricians, and teachers!
3) Leave a rating/review for the show - the Apple algorithm will push the show out to more moms who need the support and validation!

THANK YOU, so very much, for your continued support!
...more
51min
October 16, 2023 Ep.197 Dad Rob Gorski on the "Sudden Detour" of a Massive Regression & Parenting the Kid, Not the Diagnosis
About This Episode: Today's brand new episode features a dad!! I'm talking with Dad Rob Gorski. I loved this whole conversation and I know you will too! Here are just some of the topics we discussed:

-How challenging a massive regression was for him to process
-How fevers brought back the "old" child - and going through the grief all over again
-What "survival mode" looked like for him
-How he channeled his struggles into writing and podcasting
-What life looked like as a single dad - and how he chose to focus on positivity
-How to compassionately hold his kids accountable for tough behaviors

Want to connect with Rob? Go to theautismdad.com and specialneedsohio.com.
Please shower Rob with love and support by SHARING this episode with a mom (or dad!) who needs to hear his story.

** HUGE NEWS!! Our next Mothers Together "Open House" is coming up at the end of the year! At Open House, you'll walk away with actual connections to real moms just like you AND the validation you deserve but often don't receive. I'm thrilled to be able to bring you a taste of how inclusive, safe, and judgment-free the Mothers Together community is. If you are ready to meet other moms like you, please join us for Open House! Here's the link to sign up: mothers-together.com/openhouse. See you there!
I ALWAYS welcome YOUR thoughts! Feel free to DM me on IG (@on.the.hard.days) or email me: [email protected]. This podcast is what it is because of YOU.

And speaking of the podcast, YOU all recently got my show to almost 220K downloads. Thank you!

The best way to keep this podcast download streak is to:
1) Subscribe to the podcast - your device will automatically download new episodes!
2) Share the show with others - think therapists, pediatricians, and teachers!
3) Leave a rating/review for the show - the Apple algorithm will push the show out to more moms who need the support and validation!

THANK YOU, so very much, for your continued support!
...more
56min
October 09, 2023 Ep.196 Mom Taylor Alexander on Surviving & Prioritizing What's Important When Managing a Whole Family With ADHD
About This Episode: It's Mama Monday! This week, I'm talking with mom Taylor. I loved this whole conversation and I know you will too! Here are just some of the topics we discussed:

-How she received an ADHD diagnosis in adulthood and what ADHD looks like for her
-How ADHD looks differently in girls vs. boys
-The process of acquiring stimulant medication for multiple people in the family at the same time.
-How hard it is to leave the house as a family - always preparing for the worst-case scenario
-Figuring out true priorities and what she can let go
Please shower Taylor with love and support by SHARING this episode with a mom who needs to hear her story.

** HUGE NEWS!! Our next Mothers Together "Open House" is coming up at the end of the year! At Open House, you'll walk away with actual connections to real moms just like you AND the validation you deserve but often don't receive. I'm thrilled to be able to bring you a taste of how inclusive, safe, and judgment-free the Mothers Together community is. If you are ready to meet other moms like you, please join us for Open House! Here's the link to sign up: mothers-together.com/openhouse. See you there!
I ALWAYS welcome YOUR thoughts! Feel free to DM me on IG (@on.the.hard.days) or email me: [email protected]. This podcast is what it is because of YOU.

And speaking of the podcast, YOU all recently got my show to almost 220K downloads. Thank you!

The best way to keep this podcast download streak is to:
1) Subscribe to the podcast - your device will automatically download new episodes!
2) Share the show with others - think therapists, pediatricians, and teachers!
3) Leave a rating/review for the show - the Apple algorithm will push the show out to more moms who need the support and validation!

THANK YOU, so very much, for your continued support!
...more
40min
October 08, 2023 Ep.195 On The Hard Days is BACK! Here's The Update!
After a hiatus, we're back, my friends! I'm thrilled to be pushing out new episodes to you starting TOMORROW and every Monday after that.

**You're invited to the Mothers Together "Open House", a virtual gathering to give you a taste of what my Mothers Together community is all about. Be sure to get on the email list, as I'll be sending out more information soon.
Go to mothers-together.com/openhouse to sign up!
...more
15min
August 07, 2023 Ep.194 (Replay): Dad Brent Nohl on How Therapy & Meds For YOU Help Your Neurodivergent Kids Become the Best Versions of Themselves
About This Episode: Dad Bren was the first in a series of dads to join me on the show. He was so vulnerable in sharing what it's like from a dad's perspective to raise a neurodivergent child with challenging behaviors. I'm so excited to you all to hear what he has to say - and if YOU know a dad who might benefit from hearing Brent's story, please send him this episode! Here's just some of what we discussed:

-Frightening febrile seizures
-Play therapy experience with a child with severe ADHD
-Hearing negative self talk with Mood Disregulation Disorder
-When your child is on a cocktail of drugs for physical and mental health
-Accepting your child isn't an extension of you and that you can only help them with acceptance
-Marriage counseling works - after objecting to it for a long time
-Realizing you have to parent him differently, and how weird that looks to everyone else
-Being on high alert all the time

** HUGE NEWS!! For the first time ever, I'm hosting a Mothers Together "Open House" - a free, 5 day challenge where you'll walk away with actual connections to real moms just like you AND the validation you deserve but often don't receive. I'm thrilled to be able to bring you a taste of how inclusive, safe, and judgment-free the Mothers Together community is. If you are ready to meet other moms like you, please join us for Open House! Here's the link to sign up: mothers-together.com/openhouse. See you there!
I ALWAYS welcome YOUR thoughts! Feel free to DM me on IG (@on.the.hard.days) or email me: [email protected]. This podcast is what it is because of YOU.

And speaking of the podcast, YOU all recently got my show to 200K downloads. Thank you!

The best way to keep this podcast download streak is to:
1) Subscribe to the podcast - your device will automatically download new episodes!
2) Share the show with others - think therapists, pediatricians, and teachers!
3) Leave a rating/review for the show - the Apple algorithm will push the show out to more moms who need the support and validation!

THANK YOU, so very much, for your continued support!
...more
1h 12min

FAQs about On The Hard Days:

How many episodes does On The Hard Days have?

The podcast currently has 215 episodes available.

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