In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses we talk about congenital heart defects, medical parenting, and family resilience as Sarah Boes shares the moment that changed everything. Sarah Boes is a nurse practitioner, entrepreneur, author, and “heart mom”. Late in her pregnancy, a routine scan revealed that her unborn daughter had several complex heart defects. …
What happens when the services your child needs don’t exist yet? Judi Uttal faced that challenge when her son Josh was diagnosed with autism at age four. She reflects on the early challenges, including the lack of autism awareness and resources in the 1990s, and how her early advocacy, community support—including a pilot program in …
What’s it really like raising two kids on totally different parts of the autism spectrum, especially when you’re on the spectrum yourself? In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses, Wendy Ernzen chats with Eileen Lamb, a mom, author, photographer, and all-around autism advocate who knows the ups and downs firsthand. Eileen shares stories about her …
What would you do if the medicine that saved your child’s life was still considered illegal by the federal government? In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses, I talk with Michelle Wright, a mother and advocate whose adult son Ian has profound autism. Michelle shares how medical cannabis changed everything for her family, easing Ian’s …
How do you know when to trust your gut over everyone else’s advice about your special needs child? On this episode of Let’s Plant Houses we talk about Down syndrome support, school advocacy, and special needs parenting with Angela O’Brien. Angela’s story will resonate with every special needs parent who’s ever felt lost, overwhelmed, or …
How do you co-parent your special needs child after divorce? In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses we talk about autism parenting, co parenting, and family resilience as John Goralski shares his powerful story. When John’s son Jack was diagnosed with autism, it didn’t just change their understanding of Jack—it changed everything. The stress of …
What would you do if your child was being sent out of the classroom every single day in kindergarten? On this episode of Let’s Plant Houses we talk about autism parenting, early signs, and family advocacy as I sit down with Jordan Hendrix to hear her family’s transformative autism journey. What began with daily classroom …
What would you do if doctors told you your 7-year-old would “never progress past second grade” and belong in a group home? In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses we talk about epilepsy awareness, disability advocacy, and family resilience as Mike Knox shares his powerful story. Mike thought his world was ending when his 2-year-old …
How might having a child on the autism spectrum change a marriage? In this episode of Let’s Plant Houses we talk about autism parenting, fatherhood, and neurodiversity when I sit down with Paul Carroll, founder of Autism Dadvocate, a podcast and community he’s built for autism dads. Paul opens up about parenting his 18-year-old son …
What happens when a school principal who’s worked with autistic students for years becomes a grandparent to a child on the spectrum? This week on Let’s Plant Houses my guest is Jennifer Kaufman, author of “Grandparenting on the Spectrum: A Journey from Both Sides of the Desk.” Jennifer brings a unique view to autism support, …