Even If. The Special Needs Parenting Podcast.

Motherhood, Caregiving, and Advocacy with Holly Robinson Peete

What happens when the future you imagined for your child suddenly looks different? And how do you find the strength to keep advocating while navigating the challenges of caregiving?

In this special episode of Even If. The Special Needs Parenting Podcast, sisters Moriah Potter and Michaela Smith sit down with actress, author, and autism advocate Holly Robinson Peete for an honest, heartfelt, and sometimes humorous conversation about motherhood, special needs parenting, caregiving, and advocacy.

Holly opens up about her son RJ's autism diagnosis, the loneliness she experienced in those early years, and the doctor's words that turned diagnosis day into what her family calls "Never Day." She shares why parents should trust their instincts, hold on to hope, and never stop believing in their children's possibilities.

We also talk about raising children with autism into adulthood, the importance of employment opportunities and inclusion, and how RJ continues to challenge expectations.

Holly shares how caring for her father after his Parkinson's disease diagnosis shaped her understanding of caregiving, and why caregiver burnout, respite care, and asking for help deserve more attention.

We also discuss the HollyRod Foundation, its work supporting families affected by autism and Parkinson's disease, and its annual DesignCare Gala, this Saturday, November 7th.

Through it all, Holly reminds us that building a strong support system around our children is one of the most important things we can do. Whether that support comes from family, friends, schools, churches, or other parents walking a similar road, finding your community matters.

If you're a special needs parent, autism parent, disability advocate, or caregiver feeling overwhelmed or alone, this conversation is for you.

Learn more about the HollyRod Foundation: https://hollyrod.org

Topics: Holly Robinson Peete, autism parenting, autism diagnosis, special needs parenting, caregiver burnout, Parkinson's disease, disability advocacy, adults with autism, caregiver support, HollyRod Foundation, motherhood, and building a support system.

Puberty is challenging for any parent, but what happens when your child has special needs or developmental disabilities? How do you navigate physical changes, personal hygiene, hormones, and growing independence when your child still depends on you for everyday care?

In this episode of Even If: The Special Needs Parenting Podcast, sisters Michaela and Moriah sit down with two moms, Jeri Lynne Lansford and Sandi Reese, who have already navigated puberty with their children with disabilities.

We're having an honest conversation about the challenges of puberty and special needs parenting, including:

• Physical changes in boys and girls with disabilities
• Menstruation, body hair, hygiene, and personal care
• Communication challenges and sensory sensitivities
• Hormonal changes, seizures, anxiety, and behavior
• Teaching privacy, boundaries, and maintaining dignity
• The emotional challenges of watching our children grow up while continuing to provide hands-on care

From awkward conversations to practical caregiving challenges, these moms share their experiences, what surprised them, and what they wish they'd known before puberty began.

Whether you're parenting a child with cerebral palsy, Angelman syndrome, autism, or another developmental or physical disability, we hope this conversation helps you feel a little more prepared for the changes ahead.

Because even if puberty brings a whole new set of challenges, you don't have to navigate them alone.

Content note: This episode includes candid, educational discussions about sexual development, masturbation, menstruation, and reproductive health.

Episode 13: It's a Big Deal to Us

Sometimes the smallest victories are actually the biggest ones.

In this episode of Even If: The Special Needs Parenting Podcast, we're talking about those moments in special needs parenting that might not seem like a big deal to anyone else, but mean absolutely everything to us.

From celebrating new abilities and unexpected progress to navigating setbacks and learning not to compare our children's journeys, we're sharing why these little wins deserve to be celebrated.

We also share some incredible victories from other special needs families, reminding us that every milestone matters, no matter how big or small it may seem.

Because sometimes what looks like an ordinary moment to someone else is something we've been hoping and praying for.

And to us, that's a really big deal. ❤️

Join sisters Michaela and Moriah for another honest conversation about the joys, challenges, and unexpected moments of special needs parenting.

The mental load of special needs parenting goes far beyond everyday parenting responsibilities. Between medical appointments, insurance battles, therapies, IEP meetings, prescriptions, and coordinating care, the to-do list never seems to end.

In this episode of Even If: The Special Needs Parenting Podcast, we talk about the invisible work of care coordination, staying organized, managing caregiver stress, and learning when to ask for help.

Whether you're raising a child with a disability, navigating a rare disease diagnosis, or feeling overwhelmed by caregiving responsibilities, we hope this conversation reminds you that you're not alone.

This week, we’re joined by Emily for an honest conversation about caregiving, mental health, asking for help, finding community, and remembering that somewhere underneath all the appointments, responsibilities, and daily care… **you’re still you.**

Because you are more than the care you give.

We’re sitting down with LPC-Associate Jennifer to talk about navigating some of the harder parts of this life and how professional support can help.

Self-care matters. The quiet coffee, the walk, the book, the night out, or simply sitting alone for a few minutes—those things can help us breathe.

But sometimes what we’re carrying needs more than a break.

Self-care cannot process our trauma, provide dependable respite, quiet persistent anxiety, or make an unsustainable situation sustainable.

In our episode, “When Self-Care Isn’t Enough,” we talk honestly about the difference between needing self-care, mental health care, and practical support—and why some of us may need all three.

Needing more than self-care doesn’t mean you failed at taking care of yourself. It may simply mean you’re asking one tool to do a job it was never meant to do.

We share our own lived experiences, along with honest stories submitted by other parents, about how caring for and advocating for our children affects our mental health every single day—the constant worry, guilt, exhaustion, fear, and pressure to keep going even when we’re struggling.

If you’ve ever wondered, “Is it just me?”—this episode is for you.

We’re talking about the exhaustion no one sees, the guilt that comes with needing a break, and what “self-care” actually looks like when stepping away isn’t always possible.

We love our kids more than anything. But that doesn’t mean we have to love everything that comes with special needs parenting.

The planning. The packing. The appointments. The advocating. The things that have to be thought about every single day that most people never even realize.

In this week’s episode, we’re talking about the things we’re just plain tired of having to do—and why admitting that doesn’t change how deeply we love our kids.

We’re talking about those comments that leave special-needs parents smiling politely or not so politely while internally screaming…

"What did you just say?"

We will be talking about these crazy comments and what we are supposed to do in reaction to them.

This is about grief, but not the kind people usually think about.

It’s the quiet grief. The complicated grief. The kind that comes and goes, and the kind you learn to carry for a lifetime.

We hope you’ll listen—and maybe feel a little less alone.

Every journey has a beginning. This is ours.

In our very first episode, we are introducing ourselves, sharing the stories that brought us here, and talking about why we felt called to create Even If.

If you have ever felt alone on the special needs parenting journey, we hope this conversation feels like sitting down with old friends who truly understand. 

There’s a moment when you realize life isn’t going to look the way you thought it would.

In Episode 2, we’re sharing ours. We talk about the first signs, the moments that changed everything, and what it was like trying to find our footing when suddenly the future looked completely different.

Every family’s story is different, but so many of the feelings are the same. The fear. The questions. The uncertainty. And eventually, learning how to move forward into a life you never expected.

If you’ve ever had a moment that divided your life into before and after, this conversation is for you.

Episode 3: Our New Normal

Our third episode, being aired August 11th, with 1 & 2 , is about finding the “new normal” in this life you did not expect.

Because “normal” doesn’t always mean easy or predictable. Sometimes it just means this is our life now, and we’ve learned how to live it.

And, if you are still trying to figure out what your “new normal” looks like… you are not alone.

A brief preview of what's to come!