Love Them, Guide Them
June 3, 2025
Young Families Parenting Workshop
By Carol S. Siege, PCC
Founder, Family Pathways Coaching, LLC
Comedian Ray Romano has a great quote about rearing a family: "Having children is like living in a frat house — nobody sleeps, everything's broken, and there's a lot of throwing up."
If that quote expresses the unpredictability, chaos, and general craziness of a house full of typical kids, raising neurodiverse kids ups the ante 10-fold. Whether our kids struggle with mental health issues, emotional challenges, or cognitive delays, learning to recognize their triggers, anticipate their demands, and advocate for their rights – all while juggling other family and work priorities, as well as our own needs – can be downright overwhelming.
Parents already are well aware there is no parenting guidebook that answers every question and trains us for every situation. Whether we are surprised by a child who has needs unlike a family’s other children or we have a cluster of kids who all fall under that neurodiverse umbrella (that would be me!), having a caring community and nonjudgmental advisers can ease us through the taxing times.
That’s why I am developing workshops to support parents of young neurodiverse children.
Consider joining one of these groups if you are worried that your children seem anxious or impulsive, if you are concerned their behavior is different from their peers, or if your child has already been diagnosed with any variety of neurodiverse condition. Feel connected and learn strategies for growth.
Topics may include:
Stigma and Judgement
- Public behavior: Stress over how others react to our child’s behaviors in public.
- Feeling judged: Especially when others don’t understand neurodiversity and assume “bad parenting” is to blame.
Family Impact
- Strain on siblings: Worry that other children in the family may feel neglected.
- Relationship stress: The emotional toll that parenting a neurodiverse child can take on marriages or partnerships.
- Parental guilt: Wondering if we are doing enough or if we have made mistakes.
Social Integration and Peer Relationships
- Isolation: Fear that our children won’t make friends or be accepted by peers.
- Bullying or exclusion: Worry about how other children (and even adults) will treat our children.
Access to Support and Services
- Early intervention: Stress about whether we are accessing the right services early enough to make a difference.
- Therapies and specialists: Worries about finding and affording quality care, including occupational therapy, speech therapy, behavioral therapy and more.
- Educational placement: Anxiety over choosing the right preschool or early education setting and getting appropriate accommodations.
If you’re interested in joining a workshop, or if you know someone who may benefit from participating, reach out today at carol@familypathways.com. Watch for more information coming soon about workshops for parents of neurodiverse young adults.
