Your child speaks, reads, or knows more about their favorite subject than most adults—and people assume they need less help than they actually do.

Or they need substantial support, and people overlook their abilities.

What do the words “high-functioning” and “low-functioning” really tell us?

In this episode, I share how something I heard in an audiobook made me question a description I’ve often used for my own son, Jordan. We explore what functioning labels leave out, where autism support levels fit, and how to describe your child’s abilities and needs in ways that help others understand.

You’ll hear:

• Why speaking doesn’t tell us how someone manages everyday life.
• How broad labels can hide support needs or lead people to underestimate abilities.
• What Levels 1, 2, and 3 describe—and what they don’t.
• Practical language you can use with family, teachers, and providers.

You don’t have to downplay what your child can do to explain what they still need help with.

💻 FREE LIVE WEBINAR
BEYOND THE IEP: What Moms REALLY Need to Navigate the Autism Parenting Journey

Wednesday, November 11, 2026
7:30 PM Eastern | 6:30 PM Central | 5:30 PM Mountain | 4:30 PM Pacific

Join Shannon to discover three things no one tells you after an autism diagnosis—and how to decide what matters now, what can wait, and what to do next without second-guessing yourself.

Register FREE:
https://new.notyouraverageautismmom.com/registration-page

Find coaching, resources, and a community of moms who understand at www.notyouraverageautismmom.com.

Your child knows every dinosaur but struggles to ask for help. They’re learning new things, yet the differences between them and other children their age are becoming harder to overlook.

What does that mean—and what should you do next?

In this episode, we’re focusing on the preschool and elementary years, when developmental differences can become more noticeable through play, communication, classroom expectations, and everyday independence.

We’ll talk about:

• What a developmental gap means—and why one “developmental age” can’t describe your whole child.
• How strong abilities in one area can make support needs in another harder to recognize.
• Why your child can make progress while the gap still becomes more noticeable.
• Why families sometimes wait to seek an evaluation.
• How to describe your concerns and request appropriate assessments.
• What to ask the school or therapy team if your child already has a diagnosis.

Whether you’re beginning to wonder about your child’s development or realizing their current support isn’t addressing what you’re seeing, this conversation will help you identify a practical next step.

💻 FREE LIVE WEBINAR
BEYOND THE IEP: What Moms REALLY Need to Navigate the Autism Parenting Journey

Wednesday, November 11, 2026
7:30 PM Eastern | 6:30 PM Central | 5:30 PM Mountain | 4:30 PM Pacific

Join Shannon to discover three things no one tells you after an autism diagnosis—and how to decide what matters now, what can wait, and what to do next without second-guessing yourself.

Register FREE:
https://new.notyouraverageautismmom.com/registration-page

Learn about the Not Your Average Autism Mom private membership:
https://www.notyouraverageautismmom.com

If this episode helped you, share it with another mom and leave a rating or review. You’ll help more moms find information and support for this parenting journey.

You love your children. And sometimes, you wish this life were easier. You want to go places, take the pictures, and make family memories. But sometimes, being home is easier—and you feel disappointed, angry, or guilty that it is.

In this personal episode, I’m talking about the feelings so many autism moms keep to themselves. The comparison. The fear of being judged as a parent. The embarrassment you feel guilty admitting. And the pressure to make experiences work because you wanted them so much for your child.

With the holidays approaching, we’re talking honestly about:

• Wanting experiences that may not work for your child right now.
• Feeling misunderstood by people you love.
• Making parenting decisions without needing everyone’s approval.
• Navigating holiday plans and time with your other children.
• Finding people you can talk to without having to explain everything first.

After 25 years of navigating autism with Jordan, I still have worries. I’m sharing what I’ve learned about acceptance, changing plans, and making room for your own feelings along the way.

You can be grateful for your child and disappointed about something your family couldn’t do. You deserve support for both.

FREE WEBINAR
BEYOND THE IEP: What Moms REALLY Need to Navigate the Autism Parenting Journey

Register here:
https://new.notyouraverageautismmom.com/registration-page

EXPLORE OUR COMMUNITY
https://www.notyouraverageautismmom.com

If this episode helped you feel understood, share it with another mom and leave a rating or review. You’ll help more moms find us.

“We already figured this out. Why is this hard again?”Your morning routine was working. Your child loved going to the library. They could get dressed without much help. Now something feels different, and you’re wondering what changed.

In this episode, Shannon shares everyday examples and experiences with her thirty-year-old autistic son, Jordan, to help you understand why familiar routines, activities, and supports may need adjusting.

You’ll hear about:
• Why a new school year can change mornings at home—even when your routine stays the same.
• How your child can have a skill and still need help using it somewhere else.
• Why a favorite library visit can suddenly become overwhelming.
• How your child’s interests can change as they grow.
• Making room for new possibilities while respecting your child’s preferences.

Whether your child is speaking or nonspeaking, needing different support doesn’t automatically mean their progress is gone. Sometimes understanding what’s different helps you see what they need now.

FREE WEBINAR
Beyond the IEP: What Moms REALLY Need Raising Autistic Children

Join Shannon for a conversation about what deserves your attention now, what can wait, and what you need along your autism parenting journey.

Register here:
https://new.notyouraverageautismmom.com/registration-page

You can also find event information on our Not Your Average Autism Mom Facebook Page.

Follow the podcast so you don’t miss our weekly conversations, and share this episode with a mom who’s wondering why something that used to work suddenly doesn’t.

Learn about our private membership:
https://www.notyouraverageautismmom.com

A canceled outing. A favorite food that isn’t available. A friend who can’t come over. You see another option—but your child is still focused on the plan that disappeared.

In this episode, Shannon shares practical ways to help your autistic children handle everyday disappointments while taking their feelings seriously. You’ll hear examples from life with Jordan, phrases you can use when plans change, and ways to support coping and problem-solving when your child is ready.

We’ll talk about:
• Acknowledging disappointment without changing a necessary answer
• Giving your child time before offering alternatives
• Supporting communication, including for nonspeaking children
• Preparing for changes without promising outcomes you can’t control
• Recognizing progress—even when there are still tears

You can’t always fix what disappointed your child. But you can help them through it. And your child can still be disappointed while learning how to cope.

Related episodes:
Episode 89 — Calming Down Big Emotions
https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/o592Wn5u16b

Episode 53 — Understanding Rigid Behaviors in Autism
https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/b3Zxkx7u16b

You can also explore all the ways we can support you, join our FREE Facebook group, The Not Your Average Autism Mom MOVEMENT, or catch up on more than 200 podcast episodes.If this episode helped you, share it with another mom and follow Not Your Average Autism Mom so you don’t miss our weekly conversations.

Does your autistic child need more friends—or are you worried because their friendships don’t look the way you imagined?

In this episode, Shannon talks honestly about the sadness she has felt knowing that her son Jordan, now 30, has never had a best friend, sleepovers, or weekend plans with friends. She also shares what she has learned from paying attention to his experience: Jordan enjoys the familiar people and routines at his day program, and he has never told her he feels lonely.

But some autistic children do desperately want friends and feel the pain of being left out. Shannon talks about how to listen when your child says they’re lonely, notice connections that may be easy to overlook, and help them pursue the kind of friendship they want.

If you’ve ever wondered whether your child is missing out, this conversation will help you separate your worry from what your child is telling you—while making room for your feelings, too.

For more on social interest and the pressure to fit in, listen to episode 176, Discovering Unique Paths: Navigating the Social Dance. For ideas on teaching social skills and creating opportunities to practice them, listen to episode 88, Social Awkwardness.

Looking for more support? Join my FREE webinar, Beyond the IEP: What Moms REALLY Need to Navigate This Autism Parenting Journey—save your spot here. You can also explore all the ways we can support you, join our FREE Facebook group, The Not Your Average Autism Mom MOVEMENT, or catch up on more than 200 podcast episodes.

Your child knows the answer but won’t say it. They’ve completed the task before, but suddenly insist, “I can’t.” They refuse to begin, ask you to do it for them, or fall apart when someone is watching.

It may look like defiance, laziness, or a lack of effort. But sometimes your child isn’t refusing because they don’t want to try. They’re afraid they’ll get it wrong.

In this episode, Shannon explains how performance anxiety can show up in autistic children, teens, and adults—and why being watched, timed, corrected, or asked to perform in a different setting can make it harder for your child to access a skill they already have.

You’ll learn how to respond without increasing the pressure, make a task smaller and clearer, support your child without doing everything for them, and help them discover that mistakes are part of learning—not proof that they have failed.

Shannon also shares questions to ask the school, possible supports to consider, and one practical way to look differently at a task your child regularly avoids.

Looking for more support? Join my FREE webinar, Beyond the IEP: What Moms REALLY Need to Navigate This Autism Parenting Journey—save your spot here. You can also explore all the ways we can support you, join our FREE Facebook group, The Not Your Average Autism Mom MOVEMENT, or catch up on 200+ podcast episodes.

A child who is screaming, crying, or falling apart is clearly struggling. But what happens when an autistic child’s response to overwhelm becomes quiet?

Autistic shutdowns can look like ignoring, refusing, withdrawing, or simply choosing not to participate. Your child may stop speaking, become unusually still, retreat to their room, stare into space, or temporarily lose access to skills they normally have. Because shutdowns don’t always disrupt the room, they are much easier to miss—and often misunderstood.

In this episode, Shannon explains:

• What an autistic shutdown may look like

• Why a verbal child may temporarily be unable to answer

• How overload can build throughout the day

• What parents may mistake for attitude, stubbornness, or defiance

• Why asking more questions can add pressure

• How to reduce demands and support communication without speech

• What recovery may look like afterward

• When a change in your child’s behavior deserves medical attention

Shannon also shares what she learned from the questions she used to ask Jordan immediately after school—and why the connection she wanted sometimes had to wait until he had time to recover.

Your child does not have to fall apart loudly to be overwhelmed. Sometimes their struggle fills the room, and sometimes it disappears inside them. Both deserve attention, understanding, and support.

If everything has been feeling like too much in your home, register for Shannon's FREE live training, happening September 24 at 7:30 pm Eastern: Helping Your Autistic Child When Everything Feels Like Too Much —save your spot here.

And whenever you're ready for more:

Explore all the ways we can support you by visiting www.notyouraverageautismmom.com .

Join our FREE FB Group, The Not Your Average Autism Mom MOVEMENT (NOTE: You must answer the questions or you won't be let in) Click HERE