🎧 Episode 8 – Finding Comfort in Chaos

This week on The NeuroDADverse, Ben and Dan reflect on the small but powerful wins that make parenting neurodivergent kids so rewarding. From managing tricky transitions at the SEND gym to celebrating social breakthroughs at the beach, it’s a conversation filled with honest insight, humour, and hard-earned lessons.

Oskar navigates a challenging week with moments of self-regulation and self-advocacy, while Frankie’s experience at a sensory-rich bounce house offers lessons in patience, perspective, and letting go of the perfect plan. The pair also explore the value of safe spaces, how to read between the lines when behaviour speaks louder than words, and why not every “challenge” is without its silver linings.

There’s also a heartwarming moment of friendship building outside of school, practical reflections on supporting teens through emotional shifts, and the familiar saga of bath time scores.

If you’ve ever juggled sensory needs, teenage independence, and your own self-care, this episode will feel like a deep breath and a reassuring nod.

💬 Topics this episode:

• Supporting neurodivergent kids through sensory-heavy transitions

• Safe spaces & self-regulation strategies

• Reading behaviour as communication

• Navigating teenage boundary testing with empathy

• Encouraging social connections outside of school

• Finding joy in small but significant wins

• The ever-evolving bath time ritual

👇 CHAPTERS BELOW for easy navigation.

00:00 – Welcome back & what to expect this episode

01:00 – Week in three words: small progress & heartwarming moments

03:00 – Time away, me-time & respectful parenting balance

04:30 – Challenge of the week: sensory transitions at the SEND gym

06:00 – Car-to-door struggles & letting go of frustration

08:00 – Safe spaces, regulation & comparing progress without judgement

10:30 – Behaviour as communication: when sitting quietly means more

12:30 – Supporting kids through complex transitions

14:00 – Recognising progress in non-verbal communication

15:30 – Challenge/Wins overlap: reframing the week

18:00 – Ben’s challenge: Oscar’s reflective garden moment

20:00 – Supporting teens through emotional shifts & self-expression

23:00 – Shepherding vs engineering: guiding, not forcing outcomes

25:00 – Wins of the week: creative communication & self-advocacy

28:00 – Enjoying activities with unpredictable sensory elements

30:00 – Community interaction: friendship-building outside of school

33:00 – Planning accessible social activities

36:00 – Reflections on connecting with other ND parents

38:00 – Listener story: celebrating small but important developmental steps

41:00 – Using “one second a day” to reflect on progress

44:00 – Looking ahead: football season, family time & solo parenting

47:00 – Week ahead plans & unstructured activity days

50:00 – Bath time score reflections

53:00 – Wrap-up & listener thank-yous

54:00 – Outro: How to connect with The NeuroDADverse

💡 If this episode resonates:

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