EPISODES

Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt alienated by the pressure to practice “self-care!” (We know we have). And today as Mother’s Day approaches, we’re chatting about the trouble with many self-care practices and giving our own definitions to this popular term. As parents of kids with disabilities, most of us already feel like we’re at max capacity, so how can we schedule in a yoga session or weekly date night? We can’t just leave our kids with any babysitter and take off for the evening. Don’t worry, we’re not just ranting about our (failed) self-care practices in this episode.. we’re talking about actual ways to nurture ourselves (starting by admitting our limitations as humans), + our thoughts leading up to Mother’s Day. We’re holding the weight of the holiday for anyone who has experienced grief and complications related to it.

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It’s no secret that far too often, our loved ones with Down syndrome are seen as “problems” to be “fixed,” individuals in desperate need of “healing” or medicine.. whatever that might be. While we know this is NOT the case, our society’s love of prescription medicine and productivity has ALL of us chasing unattainable goals of “success.” But what if we pursued healing instead? Today we have Amy Julia Becker, a wife, mother, and author, on to discuss family, faith, and disability. We’re so grateful she’s joined us to chat about the gift of having limitations, the intrinsic value of individuals with disabilities, holistic approaches to healing, + more.

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When you receive your child’s Down syndrome diagnosis, your mind imagines a thousand different scenarios for how their life will go.. but what happens when we consider their siblings? What happens when they realize that the world won’t always be kind to their sibling with Down syndrome? Are they annoyed with each other because that’s their sibling or because they have Down syndrome? How do help our kids connect with one another? We’re chatting about all things SIBLINGS today! Join us as we discuss what it’s like to parent children with and without DS! We’re talking everything from dividing time between activities and therapies, figuring out how-not-to overburden any of our children, and how to share about DS with your kiddos.

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Markeisha Hall is a mother to 4, including her autistic son, a former special educator, an IEP expert, a podcaster, and so much more! And today she’s joined us to chat all about practical tips to take with you to your next IEP meeting (hint: send notes to the WHOLE team ahead of time, bring someone with you, & stay focused). Plus, she’s giving us insight into the minds of the teachers as they prepare for IEP meetings. Markeisha also opens up about the process of receiving her son’s autism diagnosis while in the middle of adopting him and what it was like going from a special educator to a parent of an autistic son. We’re so grateful for her powerful story and sound wisdom!

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Hey friends, it’s April! And in honor of April being Autism Acceptance Month, we’re chatting about Micha’s journey parenting Ace, her son with a dual diagnosis of Down syndrome and autism. And before we get started, we want to just say that we’re not experts on this topic and we are approaching it as learners. That’s why we’re grateful for the many autistic adults who share their stories for us all to learn from! And we appreciate your grace as we navigate this conversation too. So join us as we discuss finding community in the dual diagnosis space, the complexities of ABA therapy, and the root behind our hopes and dreams for our children. Let's keep learning together!

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We’re fresh off of the excitement of World Down Syndrome Day and we LOVE seeing all the ways our community advocates to celebrate our loved ones on 3/21. But if you’re anything like us, you might feel a little (okay a LOT) of pressure during these busy months, especially when it comes to advocating online. Does it ever seem like everyone is doing more? Or like all the good ideas are already taken? Today we’re chatting about how the scarcity mindset hurts our community and how we can support our fellow advocates. That’s why we have Chantele Holm, fellow lucky mama + host of TALK Down Syndrome podcast on the show to chat all about her advocacy journey and the importance of community over competition. What better way to support the DS community than to support one another?

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Happy World Down Syndrome Day! And happy 3 year (or maybe 4 year??) anniversary to our podcast! If you listen.. you’ll see that we’re still really not sure. Annnyway, today in honor of 3/21, we are chatting all about.. well pretty much everything! Because we have a special Q and A from each of you. Join us for a chat about what educators should know about our kids, how we balance our family dynamic for siblings without Down syndrome, and of course.. our #WDSD plans! Happy 3/21, friends. Hug your loved one with DS extra hard today.

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We talk all the time about the importance of story telling when it comes to shifting the Down syndrome narrative.. but how do we actually do that?! What if we’re not an influencer? What if we don’t have a stage or online platform? We’ve all thought things before.. but what if we told you that the most transformative stories are actually told around a dinner table? Today we are chatting with Katie Quesada, a speaker, storytelling coach, and Heather’s friend of many years! And she’s breaking down the art of story for us in a very practical way.. sharing about advice for fellow advocates, believing in the power of your story, our personal spheres of influence, and where to start (all you need is a one page word doc).

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Today we are joined by Jo Lopez, a fellow lucky mama + IRL assistant to Heather Avis! Jo has made it her mission to find community within the Down syndrome space and today she’s sharing all about how she’s found her people. It started with an early (and confusing) diagnosis, an overwhelming google search, and then a sweet Facebook message that changed everything! We’re also chatting about finding your people in-person, the right time to join an online group, and how having a child with DS shapes your social life.. especially as they get older.

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Friends! We have Cole Sibus (maybe you’ve heard of him!?) on the podcast today and in case you couldn’t tell.. we’re so excited! He’s a 24-year-old actor with Down syndrome who starred on ABC’s Stumptown. And when he’s not working, he’s living with his roommates, learning how to surf, spending time with his girlfriend, and working at a restaurant! We’re chatting about all of it today.. everything from moving out of his parents house to inclusivity in Hollywood! Cole is also sharing about the pranks he played on set, the impact he had on the cast, and why he wants to play a role where DS is not the focus.

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Heather met Ashley Dirks last fall at a retreat for moms of children with Down syndrome. And one of their first conversations was about how Ashley wanted to leave the retreat. She was the only black mama the whole weekend and it left her wondering, “Do I fit in.. Am I supposed to be here.. Where are the other black moms?” And all this makes us realize that the Down syndrome community is not immune to exclusion. So today, we’re talking about it. Join as we chat about tokenism, toxic positivity, social media advocacy, and what happens when we know the importance of diversity but don’t do anything about it.

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A few months ago we had the chance to attend the Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network Rockin’ Mom’s Retreat and meet SO many wonderful women! And our girl Mercedes grabbed a microphone and sat down with a few lucky mamas from the DSDN Black Families group to chat all about diversity within the Down syndrome community! These mamas shared about what it’s like to google “Down syndrome” and not see a picture of a child that looks like yours, how the recent events in the country have continued to shape them, and why they sought out a group for fellow Black families. The DSDN Black Families group has grown to 1,000 members and we encourage you to join them if you are part of this community. We’re so grateful for these mamas sharing more about their experiences in the DS community!

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This month is all about listening to and learning from the Black community. And if you don’t know where to start, we got you covered! We’ve compiled a list of our favorite resources for Black History Month into this episode! From board books for your littlest kiddos to thought-provoking shows for your teens, there’s a little something for everyone! We’re chatting about our favorite podcasts, IG accounts, books, & movies — say hello to a guilt free night on Netflix! You do not want to miss this one, friends.

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Friends! February is Black History Month! You know what that means.. lots of important conversations between us and some of our favorite Black advocates in the Down syndrome space. Because let’s face it, many of us have been able to skip out on these tough conversations our whole lives. Growing up, the month of February just meant coloring a picture of Martin Luther King Jr and then moving on with the day. Not anymore friends. We’re doing our best to highlight Black voices this month (and all the time really). And today we are chatting all about celebrating diversity, why talking about race is important for talking about disability, what it means to be an ally, and how to talk to your children of all ages about Black History Month. We’re committed to doing our best to listen and learn alongside all of you.

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Three weeks into January isn’t too late to wish y’all a Happy New Year right? Let’s just go with it! Because today we’re catching up with each other after our holiday break.. we’re talking all things schedule changes, behaviors, covid cancellations, (already failed) resolutions, and how to entertain our children during their school break (and why it’s okay not to)! We’re also discussing some heavier topics today as Micha is diving deep into how the loss of her father in December has affected her and her family.. including Ace. Processing grief with your children with Down syndrome is complicated.. to say the least. We’re sending all our love and support to our beloved Micha and her family.

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