Neurodivergent Conversations | Autism, ADHD, AuDHD, PDA, Emotional Regulation, SEND parent, Meltdowns, Special Needs Parent

If sleep feels like the hardest part of neurodivergent family life, you’re not imagining it—and you’re not failing. In this episode, Greer Jones talks with sleep specialist Melisa Moore about why neurodivergent kids (and adults!) often have more sleep challenges… and what can actually make things gentler.

Melisa breaks down the “why” in a way that’s clear and grounding: biology and genetics can play a role, circadian rhythms can be different (like ADHD tending later and autism sometimes being inconsistent), and some neurodivergent profiles come with a higher likelihood of specific sleep disorders. Then there’s the big real-life layer: things like allergies, eczema, reflux, anxiety, and more—stuff that isn’t “a sleep disorder,” but absolutely messes with sleep.

From there, you’ll get practical support that doesn’t demand perfection. Melisa shares her “5 S’s” of bedtime routines—short, sweet, sensory-soothing, streamlined, and steady—and offers permission to stop chasing the ideal. Even a bedtime routine once a week can help.

You’ll also hear a refreshingly nuanced take on screens: the research isn’t as black-and-white as “all devices ruin sleep.” For some kids (and adults), a little screen time can quiet the brain enough to fall asleep faster—and you can still move toward “good, better, best” without turning bedtime into a battle.

Finally, if your child wakes in the night and needs the exact same sound/light setup to settle again, you’ll understand why—and what to tweak so everyone gets more rest.

In this episode, we talk about:

Why neurodivergent sleep can be more complicated (circadian rhythm, biology, and more)

Restless legs/restless sleep and why kids describe it in the most creative ways

The “5 S’s” bedtime routine that supports nervous systems without rigid rules

A realistic, research-led perspective on iPads/screens before bed

Why sound machines and night lights help only if they stay consistent all night

How to think about “how much sleep is enough” by watching daytime functioning

The reminder every tired parent needs: there’s hope, and there’s always something else to try

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If your life feels like a beautiful, noisy jumble—kids, work, relationships, responsibilities, and about 47 open tabs in your brain—this episode will feel like a deep exhale.

Greer Jones sits down with Jessica Lamb (mom, business owner, podcaster, and recently diagnosed ADHDer) to talk about what it’s actually like to hold all the roles at once—especially when you don’t naturally compartmentalise and everything feels layered on top of everything else. Jessica describes family life as “chaos,” but not in a hopeless way—more like: this is the water we swim in, and we’ve learned how to live here.

They get honest about the season of early motherhood and how ADHD can show up hard when executive functioning takes a hit—right when you’re trying to learn how to be a parent. Jessica shares that she’s still figuring out what “self-care” even means for her, but one thing is clear: therapy is her anchor—a predictable space to decompress and untangle the mental knots.

You’ll also hear the kind of practical, real-life support that doesn’t require a perfect routine:

embracing the ebbs and flows of different seasons

using small “reset pockets” of time (like 30 minutes after school drop-off) to create a calmer home base

the surprising power of tiny cues—like Greer’s “earrings on = I can do things” mindset shift

why reframing “chaos” as manageable chaos can change how you show up day-to-day

Jessica also talks about redefining success as an ADHD entrepreneur—success as the right systems, the right number of clients, and work that supports the life you actually want (not just what looks impressive from the outside). And in a moment that will make so many ADHD brains feel seen, she shares how she’s learned to stop shaming her procrastination and instead build around it—setting herself up so deadline-time focus becomes a strength, not a moral failure.

This episode is for the mom who looks “put together” on the outside but feels like a duck paddling furiously underneath. It’s a reminder that you’re not behind—you’re adapting. And a little more grace (from you and from others) goes a long way.

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JOIN THE EVERYDAY NEURODIVERGENT PARENTING SUMMIT

Have you ever noticed that fun is usually the first thing to go when life gets hard? When the budget is tight, when you're exhausted, when you're running on fumes — fun feels like a luxury you can't afford.

But what if that's exactly backwards?

In this episode, Greer sits down with Annie F. Downs — author, podcaster, and all-around fun enthusiast — for a conversation that feels like a warm exhale. Annie gently challenges the idea that fun has to be big, expensive, or perfectly timed. She makes the case that the moments we need fun the most are usually the ones where we think we can't have it.

Together, Greer and Annie explore:

Why we've been taught to think of fun as something we have to earn or save up for — and why that's getting in the way

A simple question that can help you rediscover what actually fills you up (hint: think back to age eight)

Small, low-cost ways to bring joy to an ordinary Tuesday — even when you're tired, stretched thin, or parenting through the hard stuff

Why "scrolling" doesn't count as a hobby, and what to do instead

How just 15 minutes a day of something you actually enjoy can start to bring you back to yourself

This episode is for any mom who has quietly stopped doing the things that used to light her up — and who needs a gentle reminder that she still matters in the equation too.

You don't need a vacation. You don't need three days off. You might just need a slushie, a craft store, and permission to play again.

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Don't forget to grab your FREE ticket to the Everyday Neurodivergent Parenting Summit happening May 11-14!

If you've ever felt like motherhood was supposed to be the thing that finally felt easy — and instead it somehow got harder — this episode is for you.

Greer sits down with Amy Marie Hann, ADHD coach and mom of neurodivergent kids, for an honest, grounding conversation about what it actually feels like to parent with ADHD. Not the productivity-hack version. The real version — the shame, the overcommitment, the mental load that never seems to let up.

Amy talks about why ADHD moms are so prone to over-extending themselves (hint: it's not a discipline problem — it's how your brain processes time and priority), and why the gap between the mom you imagined being and the mom you are right now can feel so painful.

But this isn't a heavy episode. It's a hopeful one.

Amy shares where to actually start when everything feels urgent and overwhelming — and it's not another complicated system. It's something much smaller, and much more doable. She also talks about why taking care of yourself isn't selfish — it's one of the most powerful things you can do for your neurodivergent kids.

They also get into something that feels quietly important: safety. What it means to find environments where your family can actually exhale. And why, as the mom, you often have to be the one who goes first.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

Why ADHD can make motherhood feel like a character flaw, not a skill gap

The hidden exhaustion of over-committing and time blindness

Where to start when you're overwhelmed and the to-do list feels never-ending

Why self-care for ADHD moms isn't a luxury — it's the foundation

The power of modeling regulation, routine, and rest for your kids

What it looks like to build a life that actually fits your brain and your family

You are the right parent for your child. Even on the hard days. Especially on the hard days.

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GRAB YOUR FREE TICKET TO THE SUMMIT FOR MAMAS

If you've been waking up exhausted before the day even starts, moving through the hours in a fog, snapping more than you want to, and quietly wondering what happened to the version of you that felt okay — this episode is for you.

Greer sits down with Irin Rubin, founder of MamaZen, for one of those conversations that feels less like an interview and more like someone finally saying out loud the thing you've been carrying alone.

Irin spent years in maternal burnout before she found something that actually helped — and it wasn't a planner, a routine, or another self-care tip. It was learning to regulate her own nervous system first. And everything changed from there.

In this conversation, Greer and Irin talk about:

Why burnout can creep up slowly over years — and why it so often gets mistaken for failing

The gap between what society tells us motherhood should look like and what it actually feels like on the inside

Why the "superhero mom" idea can quietly work against us — and what a real superhero mom actually looks like

How our nervous systems are deeply linked to our children's, and why our regulation is one of the most powerful things we can offer them

What co-regulation actually means in real life — including what to do when words just don't help

How Greer's son regulates during meltdowns by listening to her heartbeat (this moment will stay with you)

What MamaZen is and how it's helping moms move from chronic fight-or-flight into genuine calm

This episode is especially for moms raising neurodivergent kids — many of whom are navigating their own nervous systems at the same time. There's no judgment here. Just honesty, warmth, and a quiet reminder that you are the anchor. And anchors need tending too.

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