What happens when the unthinkable happens and you still have to pack a lunch, call Medicaid, and show up for dance class?

In this raw and emotional episode, Misty shares the full story behind her viral blog series Grief and Disability, weaving together personal loss, single parenting, and the reality of raising a child with Down syndrome and autism after the sudden death of her husband at age 45.

She tackles what grief really looks like when you’re a caregiver, why “hope isn’t a plan,” and how life insurance, Social Security, and (yes) Michigan ABLE accounts can be the difference between surviving and sinking.

If you’re a special needs parent, caregiver, widow, or just trying to get your life in order... you need to hear this.

💛 Real talk. Hard truth. A little humor. And a whole lot of heart.

🎧 Subscribe, share, and visit vergetalks.com/on-the-edge-letters to anonymously submit your own story or truth.

We’re back with Part 2 of The Checklist and this time, we’re diving into the guilt, the gray areas, and the “just let her have the iPad” moments every parent of a child with complex needs knows too well.

Misty and Mona pick up right where we left off: when your kid with developmental disabilities has outlasted you, your cup is cracked, and Beyoncé is nowhere in sight. From emotional regulation to meltdown recovery, this episode covers the daily standoffs, the soft landings, and why sometimes the most powerful parenting move is stopping the van and giving your child a hug.

🎧 What you'll hear:

• Transitions, shutdowns, and choosing your battles

• Why our kids know how to “win”

• Bribes, beads, and behavior wands

• Guilt, grace, and what happens when we don’t follow through

• Real behavior science, no jargon, just truth

If your child flips between sweet and sour faster than a mood swing in a candy store ... this one’s for you.

💛 Want more? Visit vergetalks.com or support the show at workandplaycenter.org.

In this episode of On the Verge, Misty shares a real-life parenting standoff complete with nonverbal shutdowns, power struggles, and a refusal to shower that ends in victory for “Princess I Don’t Have to Bathe Today.” Joined by her friend Mona, they dive into what it’s like raising strong-willed kids with developmental disabilities, and how inconsistency, exhaustion, and meltdown management all collide in daily life.

This is the unfiltered side of parenting kids with autism, Down syndrome, apraxia, and complex communication needs. If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to reason with a human Silly Putty or live in fear of forgetting the purple iPad, this one’s for you.

🎧 Highlights:

• Full Lockdown Mode explained

• When walking away feels safer than follow-through

• Why our kids outlast us—and what that teaches them

• That impossible balance between grace and consistency

Don’t miss Part 2, where we talk behavior plans, parenting guilt, and the sneaky psychology behind why our kids always seem to “win.”

Learn more at vergetalks.com or support the show at workandplaycenter.org.