Neuroshambles
A fortnightly podcast about the ludicrous realities of being a parent of neurodivergent kids. Lapsed comedian Mark Allen has three kids - all diagnosed autistic with ADHD. Each episode, he swaps stories with his guests about the challenges they face dealing with seemingly simple events, such as birthday parties, holidays, mealtimes, and leaving the house.
Episodes

Wednesday Nov 05, 2025
Difficulty with transitions - Part 2 | Pete Wharmby
Wednesday Nov 05, 2025
Wednesday Nov 05, 2025
In part two of this deep dive into transitions, Mark reunites with author, trainer, and neurodiversity advocate Pete Wharmby to look at more reasons they can cause such a monumental challenge for autistic, ADHD and PDA kids (and adults).
From difficulties pulling our kids away from screen-time and replacing a broken fridge, to the regular flashpoint of brushing teeth, Mark and Pete share real-life strategies that can make these transitions more manageable - or at the very least a bit more fun.
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CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated):
00:00 - Welcome back and reintroducing Pete Wharmby
02:30 - Recap of what we covered in episode 45 and why transitions affect all neurodivergent kids
06:10 - Screen time, flow states and Pete's oil tanker analogy
16:45 - The role that monotropism plays in transitions
27:00 - Strategies: lead-In Times, choice and routines
36:40 - Understanding how PDA affects transitions and why it’s not just defiance
46:00 - Strategies for control-driven transitions (e.g. declarative language)
55:30 - Difficulty throwing stuff away: fridges, crocs and clinging to familiarity
1:04:30 - Schools as the perfect storm of transitional triggers
1:15:20 - The positives
1:18:00 - Neurodiversity Champions
1:20:40 - Tiny Epic Wins
1:23:15 - "What the flip?" moments
1:26:00 - Wrap-up and thanks
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LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:
Pete Wharmby website - https://petewharmby.com/
Untypical by Pete Wharmby - https://amzn.eu/d/8gGK6v4
What I Want to Talk About, by Pete Wharmby - https://amzn.eu/d/6tY0kZQ
What is monotropism? - https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/professional-practice/what-is-monotropism
Last One Laughing - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LOL:_Last_One_Laughing_UK
Ausome Training, Cothu course - https://ausometraining.com/cothu-with-pete-wharmby
Declarative language - https://lifeskillsadvocate.com/blog/declarative-language-for-neurodivergent-communicators/
Anna Freud - https://www.annafreud.org/
Georgia Pavlopoulou (LinkedIn) - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-georgia-pavlopoulou-651a042a
Neuro Nook Storytime - https://www.neuronookstorytime.com/
Bedknobs and Broomsticks - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedknobs_and_Broomsticks
Silksong - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollow_Knight:_Silksong
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CONTACT US
🌐 Website: www.neuroshambles.com
📧 Email: hello@neuroshambles.com
📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles
🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod
📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles
🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles
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CREDITS
🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay

Wednesday Oct 22, 2025
Difficulty with transitions - Part 1 | Pete Wharmby
Wednesday Oct 22, 2025
Wednesday Oct 22, 2025
This episode of Neuroshambles, will resonate will all parents of neurodifferent kids, as Mark discusses difficulties with transition with the wonderful autism advocate, Pete Wharmby. Together, they delve into the messy, stressful, and often misunderstood world of transitions – from seemingly small everyday routines to major life changes.
Whether it’s leaving the house, going into school, or prying them away from screen time, transitions can often be a sensory, emotional and logistical nightmare for autistic, ADHD and PDA kids (and adults). But why exactly are they so hard – and what can we do to ease the load?
This is a funny, heartfelt, and cathartic episode full of insight, compassion and practical suggestions, as well as a much-needed sense of solidarity for anyone who’s ever dreaded their kids being invited to a birthday party.
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CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated):
00:00 – Intro and why this is only part one
03:30 – Meet the guest: Pete Wharmby
12:00 – Transitions: What they are and why they’re so difficult
19:00 – Fear of the unknown
25:00 – Why birthday parties can be so anxiety-inducing
32:00 – Strategies for smoother transitions to the unknown
40:00 – School and powerlessness
48:00 – Holidays, Google Earth and visual planning
55:00 – Fear of the Known: Why school can feel like a punishment
1:03:00 – Processing struggles and instruction overload
1:13:00 – Fixable triggers and simple (free) accommodations
1:20:00 – The double-edged sword of hyperfocus
1:24:00 – Neurodiversity Champion: Fight For Ordinary
1:26:30 – Tiny Epic Wins
1:29:00 – What the Flip? Moments
1:33:00 – Wrap-up and tease for part 2
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LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION:
Pete Wharmby website - https://petewharmby.com/
Untypical by Pete Wharmby - https://amzn.eu/d/8gGK6v4
What I Want to Talk About, by Pete Wharmby - https://amzn.eu/d/6tY0kZQ
Fight for Ordinary - https://disabledchildrenspartnership.org.uk/fight-for-ordinary/
Google Maps Street View - https://www.google.com/streetview/
Google Earth - https://earth.google.com/web/
Ordnance Survey Maps - https://shop.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/
Albion In The Community - https://bhafcfoundation.org.uk/
Monotropism and Autism Theory - https://monotropism.org/
Interoception - https://www.autism.org.uk/advice-and-guidance/professional-practice/interoception-wellbeing
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CONTACT US
🌐 Website: www.neuroshambles.com
📧 Email: hello@neuroshambles.com
📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles
🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod
📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles
🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles
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CREDITS
🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: pixabay.com

Wednesday Oct 08, 2025
Managing the work/shambles balance | Mark Holborow
Wednesday Oct 08, 2025
Wednesday Oct 08, 2025
In this episode of Neuroshambles, Mark Allen is joined by devoted dad and fellow Neuroshambler Mark Holborow, for a refreshingly honest look at the difficulties of holding down a job, while raising neurodivergent kids and trying (often unsuccessfully) to keep those two worlds from colliding.
They discuss naked Zoom call interruptions and the emotional labour of school drop-offs, as well as the guilt, the resilience, and the accidental skillsets parents of ND kids develop.
It’s a cathartic, relatable deep dive into the realities of navigating employment when your home life is anything but typical – with plenty of laughs, rants, and candid talk about autism, ADHD, PDA and neurodivergent parenting.
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CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated):
00:00 – Intro & Listener Survey Feedback05:30 – Meet the Guest: Mark Holborough10:00 – The Challenges of working parents16:30 – Working from Home with neurodifferent Kids25:00 – Background chaos, interruptions and client calls33:00 – The emotional guilt of being the breadwinner40:00 – Supporting the non-working Parent53:00 – How open can you be at work?1:00:00 – Hiding a child at work: Real life stories1:07:00 – Why parents of neuro-exceptional kids make great employees1:13:00 – The economic cost of caring1:26:00 – The Positives1:29:00 – Neurodiversity Champions1:33:00 – Tiny Epic Wins1:37:00 – What the Flip? Moments1:41:00 – Wrap-up and thanks
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LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:
Neuroshambles Listener Survey: https://forms.gle/2wFVupe4HumCYym6A
LSE Report – The Economic Case for Prioritising Autism in Policy and Reform: http://lse.ac.uk/cpec/assets/documents/Autismeconomics.pdf
The Sunflower Alliance – raising awareness of hidden disabilities: https://hdsunflower.com/
BUPA Medical Insurance: https://www.bupa.co.uk/health/health-insurance-ppc-b
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CONTACT US
🌐 Website: www.neuroshambles.com📧 Email: hello@neuroshambles.com📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles
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CREDITS
🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: pixabay.com

Wednesday Sep 24, 2025
Swearing | Heidi Mavir
Wednesday Sep 24, 2025
Wednesday Sep 24, 2025
To kick off Season 3, Mark welcomes back Neuroshambles favourite Heidi Mavir - bestselling author, speaker, fearless advocate and proud neurodivergent parent - for a lively and cathartic deep dive into swearing. From F-bombs on the trampoline to grandparent-safe alternatives, they explore how language, context, and neurodivergent wiring all shape how (and why) our kids swear.
This warm and witty episode unpacks the relationship between swearing and regulation, impulse control, PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance), sensory overload, and social context. Expect plenty of laughs, the occasional C-bomb, and a ton of relatable chaos for anyone raising autistic, ADHD, or otherwise differently-wired kids.
Whether you’re a proudly sweary household or struggling to police your neurodivergent child's potty-mouth moments, this episode is packed with nuance, honesty, and a surprising amount of empathy - even for those who hate bad language.
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CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated):
00:00 - Welcome Back & Meet the Guest: Heidi Mavir03:00 - School Turbulence, Burnout & Finding Your Flow08:00 - Why Swearing Is This Week’s Topic12:00 - What Is a Swear Word Anyway?18:00 - Swearing, Context & Cultural Taboos25:00 - Family Rules: “Nana Swears” vs “F-Bombs at Home”33:00 - Parenting Through Swearing: Where Do You Draw the Line?41:00 - PDA, Equalising Behaviour & Rage Rooms50:00 - When the Swears Are Aimed at You58:00 - Swearing as a Self-Regulation Strategy1:03:00 - Should We Be Policing Swearing at All?1:12:00 - Swearing and Impulse Control in ADHD1:17:00 - Teaching Context Without Policing Expression1:25:00 - Workarounds, Wordplay & Sweary Shenanigans1:30:00 – Tiny Epic Wins1:35:00 – What the Flip? Moments1:40:00 - Wrap-Up & Where to Find Heidi
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LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:
Heidi Mavir website - https://www.heidimavir.com/
Heidi’s “Your child is not broken” book - https://amzn.eu/d/cjoih9W
Eliza Fricker “Can’t not won’t” book - https://amzn.eu/d/91m7voc
PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) - https://www.pdasociety.org.uk/what-is-pda/
“F*ck you I won’t do what you tell me”, song lyric by Rage Against The Machine - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWXazVhlyxQ
Lindsay McGlone - https://www.instagram.com/rollinwithlindsay_/
Reclaimed Means Business - https://lindsaymcglone.kartra.com/page/RMB2025
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CONTACT US
🌐 Website: www.neuroshambles.com📧 Email: hello@neuroshambles.com📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles
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CREDITS
🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: pixabay.com

Wednesday Jul 23, 2025
Surviving the summer holidays | Lisa Galley
Wednesday Jul 23, 2025
Wednesday Jul 23, 2025
In this season finale, Mark welcomes back the brilliant Lisa Galley (@school_run_mum_autism), who is an autism family consultant, ex-speech and language therapist, and mum of three grown-up autistic humans.
Together, they discuss how the summer holidays are a very different experience for parents of neurodifferent kids and why the concept of a “relaxing summer” is more often myth than reality.
Touching on the common parental feelings of boredom, guilt and the ever-present FOMO, this is a candid, humorous and occasionally insightful look at what we're going to be experiencing over the summer when it seems like we're house-bound with our autistic, ADHD and PDA kids.
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CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated):
00:00 - Intro & Meet the Guest: Lisa Galley04:00 - Introducing the topic of the week06:30 - The burden of boredom10:00 - Dealing with guilt of not providing the "perfect" summer17:00 - The loss of spontaneity and the rampant FOMO26:30 - The unspoken impact on working parents30:00 - Attempting to go on holiday34:00 - The importance of summer holidays for our kids38:00 - Q&A: Answering listeners' summer holiday questions41:00 - Testing out home education in the summer45:00 - How to help yourself as a parent47:30 - The challenges of co-parenting in the summer holidays58:00 - Advice from listeners1:03:00 - The positives of the summer holidays1:05:00 - Neurodiversity Champions1:08:30 - Tiny Epic Wins1:11:30 - "What the Flip?" moments1:16:30 - Outro and Season Wrap-Up
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LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:
Lisa Galley Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/school_run_mum_autism/
Parent Carer Cheerleeding Squad Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/parentcarercheerleadingsquad
Special Assistance at airports - https://www.caa.co.uk/passengers-and-public/special-assistance/accessing-special-assistance/
We're Not Your Typical Podcast - https://were-not-your-typical-podcast-258bbca3.simplecast.com/
Let’s Talk Neurodivergent Kids Podcast - https://pod.link/1442067009
Legoland Windsor Accessibility Pass - https://www.legoland.co.uk/plan-your-day/before-you-visit/accessibility/
"Holidays" episode of Neuroshambles - https://pod.link/1710455546/episode/2b5dc7973b418c9d6069ced370c409b9
"Hobbies" episode of Neuroshambles - https://pod.link/1710455546/episode/19a31193017cd7413d681ff3b36119eb
Lisa Galley's Summer Survival Guide - https://lisagalley.myflodesk.com/survival
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CONTACT US
🌐 Website: www.neuroshambles.com📧 Email: hello@neuroshambles.com📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles
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CREDITS
🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: pixabay.com

Wednesday Jul 09, 2025
Swimming | Hatty Ashdown
Wednesday Jul 09, 2025
Wednesday Jul 09, 2025
In this episode of Neuroshambles, Mark is joined by returning guest Hatty Ashdown - not only a parent of a neurodivergent child, but also a brilliant comedian, writer and host of the Funny Mummies podcast. Together they dive into the deceptively simple but totally chaotic world of swimming.
For children with autism, ADHD, PDA, and other forms of neurodivergency, swimming can be simultaneously a magical sensory experience and an absolute logistical nightmare. From the infuriating act of trying to get them to swim in the first place, to negotiating the changing room routine, navigating the lockers and dealing with their antics in the pool, Mark and Hatty share candid and hilarious tales of what it’s like to take your neuro-exceptional brood swimming - and why we keep doing it, despite the enormous faff.
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CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated):
00:00 - Intro & Meet the Guest: Hatty Ashdown06:00 - Topic of the Week: Swimming09:00 - Why do neurodivergent kids love swimming?15:00 - The challenge of teaching neurodivergent kids to swim30:30 - The massive faff of a swimming trip: Hatty's routine37:00 - The massive faff of a swimming trip: Mark's routine42:00 - The chaos of changing rooms46:30 - The stress of the lockers53:00 - Shenanigans in the pool59:30 - Losing their goggles1:04:00 - The Positives: the joy of swimming1:08:00 - Neurodiversity champions1:12:00 - Tiny epic wins1:15:00 - What the Flip? Moments1:20:00 - Wrap-Up and Where to Find Hatty
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LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:
• Hatty Ashdown’s Website – https://hattyashdown.com/
• Funny Mummies Podcast: Basics – https://pod.link/1451332466
• Funny Mummies Podcast: VIP (Patreon) – https://www.patreon.com/FunnyMummiesPodcast
• Bella Ramsey (Neurodiversity Champion) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bella_Ramsey
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CONTACT US
🌐 Website: www.neuroshambles.com
📧 Email: hello@neuroshambles.com
📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles
🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod
📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles
🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles
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CREDITS
🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com

Wednesday Jun 25, 2025
Tackling Ignorance - Part 2 | Jo Matthews
Wednesday Jun 25, 2025
Wednesday Jun 25, 2025
Following on from part 1, fan favourite Jo Matthews joins Mark once more for another laughter-filled, cathartic rant through the most mind-bogglingly ill-informed things people have said about raising autistic, ADHD, PDA and otherwise neurodivergent kids.
This one features a fresh batch of well-meaning nonsense, unsolicited advice, and flat-out offensive comments submitted by Neuroshambles listeners. It’s funny, familiar, and frighteningly relatable.
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CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated):
00:00 - Intro & Meet the Guest: Jo Matthews Returns
05:30 - "Have you tried a routine?"
10:30 - "Have you tried a parenting course?"
13:30 - “Have you tried changing their diet?”
17:00 - "Why don't you take their screens away?"
20:00 - "Does he have mild autism?"
25:30 - Good autism v bad autism
29:00 - “We’re all a bit autistic"
34:30 - "ADHD is just an excuse"
37:00 - “It doesn't define him”
41:00 - "There's nothing wrong with him"
43:00 - Medical v Social models of disability
47:30 - "My kid does that"
50:00 - “He'll eat when he's hungry"
52:30 - “He'll grow out of it"
54:30 - “He doesn't look autistic"
56:30 - “But, he can talk, so he can’t be autistic”
59:00 - “ADHD is just for boys”
1:01:30 - "What's wrong with him?"
1:02:30 - "I bet he's good at maths"
1:04:30 - "I don't know how you do it"
1:07:00 - Misguided empathy: "I know how you feel"
1:09:00 - "But I do that and I'm not autistic"
1:14:00 - The completely batshit mental comments
1:20:00 - Neurodiversity Champions
1:21:30 - Tiny Epic Wins
1:25:00 - "What the flip?" moments
1:27:30 - Wrap-up & contact info
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LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:
The medical vs social models of disability: www.scope.org.uk/about-us/social-model-of-disability/
Autism assessments (AQ Test): www.embrace-autism.com/aq-10/#test
Bowles Outdoor Centre - www.bowles.rocks
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CONTACT US
📧 Email: hello@neuroshambles.com
📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles
🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod
📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles
🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles
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CREDITS
🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com

Wednesday Jun 11, 2025
Tackling Ignorance - Part 1 | Jo Matthews
Wednesday Jun 11, 2025
Wednesday Jun 11, 2025
In this episode, Mark is joined once again by the brilliant Jo Matthews for a cathartic, hilarious, and occasionally sweary dive into the unfiltered reality of parenting autistic, ADHD and PDA kids.
From "It's just a label" and "He’s fine with me" to "You just need to push them out of their comfort zone", this is part one of a two-part special on the unsolicited commentary we all get, whether it’s from strangers, family members, or well-meaning-but-utterly-wrong professionals. The kind of comments that pretend to be supportive but are really just dismissive, ignorant, or unhelpfully optimistic.
Together, Mark and Jo share personal stories, listener submissions, and a few moments of pure rage-laughter, as they unpack why these statements cut so deep – and how to push back with humour, honesty, and the occasional incredulous raise of the eyebrow.
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CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS (Estimated):00:00 – Intro & Meet the Guest: Jo Matthews06:00 – “It's just a label”08:00 - The story of Rube Waddell16:00 - "Stop Mollycoddling your child"21:00 - "You let them win too much"22:30 - "Can't you just make them do it?"26:00 - "You should make their home life more unpleasant"28:00 - "Your parenting is wishy washy"31:00 - "Children just need boundaries"36:00 - "You need to push them out of their comfort zone"43:00 - "Are you too afraid to say no?"48:00 - "How will they manage in the real world?"52:00 - "Sometimes, it's a choice"54:00 - "They're just trying to get their own way"01:02:00 - "They're fine when they're with me"01:07:00 - The Positives01:09:30 - Neurodiversity Champions01:12:00 - Tiny Epic Wins01:14:30 - What the Flip?01:17:00 - Wrap-Up & What’s Coming in Part Two
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LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:
Rube Waddell - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rube_Waddell
"Am I raising an arsehole?" episode of Neuroshambles -https://pod.link/1710455546/episode/a313c1057becbcd2e24d64c5bf94820e
"The Explosive Child" book - https://drrossgreene.com/the-explosive-child.htm
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CONTACT US
📧 Email: hello@neuroshambles.com📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles
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CREDITS
🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com

Wednesday May 28, 2025
Why can't they stick with a hobby? | Nicole Bateman
Wednesday May 28, 2025
Wednesday May 28, 2025
In this episode, Mark takes a typically sideways look at the idea of hobbies – those wholesome after-school activities that see neurotypical kids flourish… but which, for many neurodivergent families, are either a logistical nightmare, a sensory minefield, or a fast track to public meltdown.
Joining him is the brilliant Nicole Bateman – podcast host (Conversations with a SEND Mum), former teacher, trainer, and founder of The Friendly SEND Advisor and Super Sensory Squad. Together, they explore the myths, pressures and downright ridiculousness of what “having hobbies” means when your kids are autistic, ADHD or PDA.
They cover what actually works, what definitely doesn’t, and the benefits of learning to follow your neurodifferent child's lead, so you can meet them where they're at, rather than where you want them to be.
STUFF WE COVER:
00:00 – Intro & Meet the Guest: Nicole Bateman03:00 – The fantasy of hobbies vs the reality08:00 – Issues with trust and accessibility13:00 – After-school clubs18:00 – The Summer holiday hobby void25:00 – Trying to force your neurodivergent children to have a hobby33:00 – Social disconnect in group settings39:00 – When your best intentions fail44:00 - Environmental barriers to adopting a hobby47:00 – Competitive Sport: Gift or Curse?53:00 – Caesar-or-Nothing syndrome & hobby avoidance59:00 – Drop-off disasters1:07:00 – What *does* work?1:12:00 – It's not all rubbish: A look at the positives1:15:00 – Neurodiversity Champions1:23:00 – Tiny Epic Wins1:26:00 – What the Flip? Moments1:29:00 – Wrap-Up & Where to Find Nicole
LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:
Nicole Bateman’s Website – Friendly SEND Advisor and Super Sensory Squad: https://nicolebateman.co.uk/
Conversations with a SEND Mum – Nicole’s podcast: https://conversationswithasendmum.buzzsprout.com/
Super Sensory Squad Book – ‘Buzz’s Birthday’ and other penguin-based sensory tools: https://www.thesupersensorysquad.com/
Cub Scouts: https://www.scouts.org.uk/cubs/being-a-cub/joining-cubs/
Lisa Lloyd reel - Neurotypicals watching what their parents watch: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIzCFBxNzxT
“Why Can’t I Just Enjoy Things?” by Pierre Novellie – Caesar-or-nothing brains and comedy insight: https://amzn.eu/d/dSZA4dC
Minecraft Club - Online Social Group for 7-14 year olds: https://minecraftclub.co.uk/
Press Play - Stop frame animation workshops in Sussex: https://pressplayfilms.co.uk/
Boogie Beat - Music and movement classes: https://boogiebeat.co.uk/
Sam Mills – Disability Tennis Brighton: Email smsportsolutions@gmail.com for information
CONTACT US
📧 Email: hello@neuroshambles.com
📸 Instagram: @neuroshambles
🎵 TikTok: @neuroshamblespod
📘 Facebook: Neuroshambles
🧵 Threads: @neuroshambles
CREDITS
🎶 Theme music by Skilsel on Pixabay: https://pixabay.com

Wednesday May 14, 2025
The nightmare of shopping | Helen Stuart
Wednesday May 14, 2025
Wednesday May 14, 2025
This week, Mark dives into the chaotic, absurd and quite often traumatic world of shopping with neurodivergent children. If you’ve ever emerged from a supermarket having to impulse buy paracetamol just to get you through the shop, then this one’s for you.
Joining Mark is the brilliant Helen Stuart – a mum of six (four of her own and two step-children - all diagnosed or suspected neurodivergent), home educator, and co-founder of Thrive Together Training. Between them, they dissect the minefield of supermarkets, the unpredictability of meltdowns triggered by automatic doors, sensory overwhelm, the trauma of shopping for clothes, rage waiting, and the unholy panic when you realise the supermarket has unexpectedly moved everything around.
This is a laugh-out-loud, painfully relatable episode for anyone who has ever had lofty ambitions to do a quick “top up shop”, before ending up having to negotiate UN-level peace deals with your child in the frozen food aisle.
STUFF WE COVER:
00:00 – Intro & Listener Feedback02:00 – Meet the Guest: Helen Stuart06:00 – Topic of the Week: Shopping13:00 – Why Supermarkets Are Sensory Torture19:00 – The Emotional Toll of Trolleys and Comments25:00 – PDA Autonomy, Meltdowns, and the Elsa Cup Incident33:00 – Supermarket Sweep, PDA-Style39:00 – Self-Checkouts vs Human Interaction45:00 – Clothing & Footwear Battles52:00 – Lush, Libraries and Return Rage59:00 – When Book Tokens Become a Poisoned Chalice1:04:00 – The Positives (Yes, Really!)1:10:00 – Neurodiversity Champions1:16:00 – Tiny Epic Wins1:20:00 – What the Flip? Moments1:23:00 – Wrap-Up & Thrive Together Info
LINKS TO STUFF WE MENTION IN THIS EPISODE:
PDA Society - Support and resources for families living with a PDA profile: https://www.pdasociety.org.uk
Supermarket Sweep - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supermarket_Sweep_(British_game_show)
Sunflower Lanyard Scheme - For invisible disabilities: https://hiddendisabilitiesstore.com
Waterstones Book Tokens - https://www.waterstones.com/help/gift-cards-and-vouchers/32
H&M - https://www2.hm.com/en_gb/kids.html
Skechers - https://www.skechers.co.uk/kids/
Lindsay's Swim School - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063580090089&sk=about
Nelson Street Church, Rochdale - https://www.nelsonstreetchurch.org/
Thrive Together Training website – https://thrivetogethertraining.co.uk
Thrive Together Training Facebook page – www.facebook.com/thrivetogethertraining
Thrive Together Training Instagram account – www.instagram.com/thrivetogethertraining
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CONTACT US
🎧 Do you have a “What the flip?” moment or a tiny epic win to share?📧 Email us: hello@neuroshambles.com
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