Neuroshambles

By: Mark Allen
  • Summary

  • A fortnightly podcast about the ludicrous realities of being a parent of neurodivergent kids. Lapsed comedian Mark Allen has three kids - two diagnosed autistic with ADHD and one highly-suspected autistic. Each episode, he swaps stories with his guests about the challenges they’ve had dealing with seemingly simple events, such as birthday parties, holidays, mealtimes, and leaving the house.
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Episodes
  • Am I raising an arsehole? | Kate Ebbutt
    Oct 2 2024

    A potentially controversial episode, this one, where Mark chats to an old friend, Kate Ebbutt (Mum to 11 year-old neurotypical and 9-year old diagnosed ADHD/suspected autistic humans). They talk candidly about something they've both found themselves worrying about in their darker moments - am I raising an arsehole? They dissect the behaviours that qualify someone as being "an arsehole" and discuss to what extent they can be fairly applied to our neurodivergent kids.

    They also discuss to what extent the gentle parenting approach could be contributing to this behaviour, as well as recounting experiences of times where they've had to explain their parenting choices to neurotypicals who struggle to understand their approach.

    Please note, if you are offended by the word arsehole, it is sprinkled liberally throughout the episode, so this one might not be for you.

    LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:

    "The Explosive Child" book - https://drrossgreene.com/the-explosive-child.htm

    Gentle Parenting - https://www.parents.com/parenting/better-parenting/style/what-is-gentle-parenting/

    National Trust - https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/

    RAM (Random Access Memory) - https://www.ign.com/articles/what-is-ram

    Sheffield Queer Parents - https://sites.google.com/view/sheffield-queer-parents

    Angling 4 Education - https://www.angling4education.com/

    CONTACT US

    If you have any feedback about the show, ideas for topics or suggestions for neurodiversity champions you'd like us to give a shout out to, you can email: hello@neuroshambles.com FOLLOW US

    Instagram: www.instagram.com/neuroshambles

    Facebook: www.facebook.com/Neuroshambles

    Threads: www.threads.net/@neuroshambles CREDITS

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

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    1 hr and 11 mins
  • Conversation | Kieran Rose
    Sep 18 2024

    Mark chats to the inspirational Kieran Rose. As well as being autistic/ADHD himself, Kieran has three autistic/ADHD children (11, 14 and 15) as well as an autistic wife.

    Kieran is an author, academic, trainer, consultant and all round font of knowledge on autism, so this episode contains some fascinating insights into the different communication styles between neurodivergents and neurotypicals when having a conversation.

    As well as topics such as situational mutism, hyperverbalism and monotropism, Mark and Kieran swap tales about the fact they're never able to finish a conversation without being interrupted and discuss the perils of group conversation and their very different takes on the ridiculous neurotypical habit of engaging in small talk.

    LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:

    Neurodive Podcast - https://soundcloud.com/neurodivepod/kieranrose

    Kieran's website - https://theautisticadvocate.com/

    Maori word for autism - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-40493398

    KIERAN'S RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER READING:

    A short (and very inexhaustive) list of Autistic advocates and allies no longer with us, who have made a phenomenally constructive difference to the narratives around Autistic and Neurodivergent people, but who never get the recognition of lauded non-Autistic people: Jim Sinclair Don't mourn for us - Jim Sinclair wrote one of the pivotal texts in the reframing of Autistic experience (opens as a PDF): https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://philosophy.ucsc.edu/SinclairDontMournForUs.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwik86zq-smIAxWCWUEAHQ2NH5UQFnoECCQQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3WfDEINrbr2olYTgiO6ZKl A book about Jim: https://amzn.eu/d/3qalj4l Donna Williams Conceptualised a model of advocacy based on an inside-out approach - that observation based on your own or a normative experience can only take you so far. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donna_Williams She produced a massive number of books: https://uk.jkp.com/collections/author-donna-williams-pid-199891 Mel Baggs: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Baggs An old (quality is indicative of its age, so please bear with it) video on two parts that off a deep challenge to normative assumptions around communication and experience: https://youtu.be/JnylM1hI2jc?si=IaPhwkiYn1vRmmlp Dinah Murray https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinah_Murray Co-creator of the theory of monotropism: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1362361305051398 A basic introduction: https://youtu.be/qUFDAevkd3E?si=SMiSDEoiNcDtV2eg Steve Silberman https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Silberman The author of Neurotribes, a game changing book that brought a model of different, not less into the mainstream: https://amzn.eu/d/clw0AD8

    CONTACT US

    If you have any feedback about the show, ideas for topics or suggestions for neurodiversity champions you'd like us to give a shout out to, you can email: hello@neuroshambles.com FOLLOW US

    Instagram: www.instagram.com/neuroshambles

    Facebook: www.facebook.com/Neuroshambles

    Threads: www.threads.net/@neuroshambles CREDITS

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

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    1 hr and 23 mins
  • Food, laborious food | Dee McMahon
    Sep 4 2024

    Kicking off season 2 of Neuroshambles, Mark chats to the wonderful Dee McMahon who also has three neurodivergent children: a 16-year old boy, (diagnosed Autistic/ADHD with anxiety disorder) a 13-year old girl (diagnosed ADHD with Dyslexia/Dyscalculia) and a 9-year old boy (diagnosed Autistic with ARFID).

    Mark and Dee take a deep dive into the soul crushing nightmare of trying to feed their neurodifferent kids something remotely resembling a balanced diet. From the trauma of putting together meal plans and shopping lists, to the sense of nervous trepidation when trying to introduce their kids to new foods and the wounded pride they experience when food they've slaved away at is dismissed without even being tried.

    They also take an in-depth look at the more serious side of food issues, when they discuss Dee's personal account of her boy's recent diagnosis of ARFID (Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder).

    LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:

    ARFID - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avoidant/restrictive_food_intake_disorder

    ARFID Community Facebook Group - www.facebook.com/groups/arfid/

    mASCot website: https://www.asc-mascot.com/

    mASCot Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/221337174595596/

    To make a donation to mASCot, so they can continue their amazing work: https://www.givey.com/mascot

    Evelina Clinic, London - www.evelinalondon.nhs.uk

    Sainsbury's pasta stars - https://www.sainsburys.co.uk/gol-ui/product/sainsburys-stars-500g?

    Spruce tips - www.foragerchef.com/spruce-tips/

    CONTACT US

    If you have any feedback about the show, ideas for topics or suggestions for neurodiversity champions you'd like us to give a shout out to, you can email: hello@neuroshambles.com FOLLOW US

    Instagram: www.instagram.com/neuroshambles

    Facebook: www.facebook.com/Neuroshambles

    Threads: www.threads.net/@neuroshambles CREDITS

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

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    1 hr and 34 mins

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