Shows
Special Needs Supermom podcastFrom Pediatric to Adult Care: Navigating the Transition – part 2Making the leap from pediatric to adult healthcare can be overwhelming. In this episode, I discuss what to expect, how to prepare, and how to support and advocate for your special needs’ teen through this transition. Please note: How transition care is handled can depend on the country you live in, the health care system of said country, but also insurance. I am based in the Netherlands so therefore some of the tips I share are based on living here. It might be therefore different for you. However, a lot of the tips I think are applicable to...2025-05-1923 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastFrom Pediatric to Adult Care: Navigating the Transition – part 1From Pediatric to Adult Care: Navigating the Transition. Suddenly you just had your last appointment with your kiddo at the pediatric hospital. I felt overwhelmed with all.the.feelings. Memories of the past, the uncertainty of the future. Knowing it will never be the same: the time you get with the doctor, the bond you often build over the years. I recorded this episode in the car just after I dropped supergirl of at her internship after her last appointment at the pediatric hospital. Making the leap from pediatric to adult healthcare can be overwhelming and emotional. I...2025-02-2406 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastHow to Enjoy Holiday Family Gatherings - My Top Tips after 20 YearsHow to Enjoy Holiday Family Gatherings - My Top Tips after 20 YearsSpecial Needs and family gatherings during the holiday season. A perfect combo for meltdowns, tantrums and disappointments. And I am not talking about just your kiddo.With 20 years of experience, here are my top tips that will help make gatherings and travel as enjoyable as possible.Preparation tips for your kiddo and your familyTravel tipsHow to prevent meltdownsHow to rechargeWhat you can do just before or during a meltdownSnow globe exerciseAnd uhm briberyStay sane Stay happy Nadine 2024-11-2730 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastTherapy lessons - What to be aware of when choosing a therapistTherapy. It can be super helpful. If you get the right therapist for your kid. Because otherwise it can do more harm than good. In this episode I share the hard lesson we learned last time, why it went wrong and what could help you when looking for the right therapist for your kid.Stay sane 🧘 Stay happy 💃 mom.NadineNeed some more help to find and recharge your superpowers? Follow me on:- IG: @specialneedssupermompodcast - FB: www.facebook.com/specialneedssupermompodcast - https://specialneedssupermom.com* Spon...2024-09-3023 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastWhy it’s so hard to schedule me-time and why you should do it nonethelessMonday morning brain. With three health care appointments and a funeral in the coming days I really need to get out my planner and schedule in essential relax and recharge time. It sounds so easy. Yet somehow it's suddenly 11:30 AM and I still have to get started. Ugh. Why is this so hard? 11:30 I wanted to be at the gym, yet here I am haven't done anything yet. Or have I...Let me take you on a journey through a regular special needs supermom morning. You might recognize a thing or two (or ten or f...2024-05-2834 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastThe snowglobe and other tips against overwhelmSpecial Needs and the Christmas season. Recipe for overwhelm and meltdowns. That's why in this episode I share my favorite grounding exercise to stop the overwhelm and find my inner calm. Even when you're in a crowded supermarket or at a big family gathering. Plus an extra exercise using the 5 senses that can also help snap out of the overwhelm. If your kid needs a little help to snap out of the overwhelm, this one is great to do together! And at the end I've got a few tips to help your kid at Christmas celebrations (or any family g...2023-12-1211 min
Mama AdvocateAdvocating for yourself everydayNadine van Lierop is a special needs mom of an autistic wonderboy with ADHD and a supergirl battling juvenile arthritis, a military spouse, and a passionate multipreneur. She is awarded top 50 global neurodiverse evangelists on Linkedin, is an ADHD happiness coach, wrote a children’s book for the youngest kids dealing with juvenile arthritis, is an international copywriter, podcaster, illustrator, and board member of the Dutch Juvenile Arthritis Association. Running, quilting and Starbucks keep her sane.
It’s her mission to help fellow special needs and neurodiverse supermoms find and recharge their superpowers.
Need s...2023-10-2735 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastJust startAbout why you should never wait till you really have the time to start following your dream or pick up that hobby you love. Because let's be honest, as a special needs supermom there is always something going on or something to do.Stay sane 🧘 Stay happy 💃 mom.NadineNeed some more help to find and recharge your superpowers? Follow me on:- IG: @specialneedssupermompodcast - FB: www.facebook.com/specialneedssupermompodcast - https://specialneedssupermom.com* Supermom tribe:Looking for a private trib...2023-09-0416 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastSpecial Needs Tips to Recharge and Have a Fun Summer for EveryoneOne more week to go before schools are out! And woman, am I tired pfffff. Those last few weeks are always packed with stress. But this year really took the cake. So, I took out an old tool once taught to wonderboy, which helped me see when it’s time to recharge and how long I really need. On hectic times it is also so easy to forget to invest in couple time. Last week we unexpectedly had an evening without kiddo’s – and it was so nice… It was a good reminder to take more quality time together, and not w...2023-07-0338 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastEating the elephant one bite at a timeAn episode about why it’s a good thing we don’t know the future when we get the diagnosis of our kid(s) or ourselves, why we shouldn't want to know, why we can't even know, and that today’s decision can be changed tomorrow.Stay sane 🧘 Stay happy 💃 mom.Nadine*Need some more help to find and recharge your superpowers? Follow me on:- IG: @specialneedssupermompodcast - FB: www.facebook.com/specialneedssupermompodcast - www.specialneedssupermompodcast.com* Supermom tribe:Looking for...2023-06-0731 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastSeriously, you’re still struggling? An episode on why you shouldn’t have to say sorry.I was off the grid for a few weeks. Again. That’s why this episode is all about – the need to – go off the grid every so often as a special needs mom and/or woman and why you should not have to say sorry for doing so. Or feel the need to say sorry for anything else for that matter, like your messy house, having sandwiches for dinner, cancel lunch with a friend for the 2nd time, the tantrum of your kid or dealing with depression or burnout still or again. *In this episode I talk a...2023-05-0145 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastDepression in teens: possible signs, what to do and say (and what not)Did you know that when your teen is dealing with a chronic illness or is neurodivergent, it significantly increases their chance on depression? In episode 82 of the Special Needs Supermom Podcast, I talk about possible signs your teen is dealing with depression. What to say and do. And what not. Including tips from teens to parents. Plus: why it is so important you double your relax and recharge time when shit hits the van. How this benefits not only you but your teen as well during hard times.Stay sane 🧘 Stay happy 💃 mom. N...2023-03-2819 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastHow to deal with relapses and depressionThe hardest thing I find as special needs mom? Dealing with the relapses and depression of my kids. Meds that don't work any longer; being different; losing friends because you're no fun to play with; not getting that internship because of your condition; constantly tired because of your chronic illness or because your brain is wired differently than the outside world; not being able to do what you used to do (when even fun things are too exhausting) ... Relapses and depression are often enough part of the special needs life. And that sucks. So, what can you d...2023-02-1359 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastSpecial Needs Child: goal setting do’s and don’tsGoal setting with your Special Needs Child. It’s a recipe for failure and low self-esteem: Setting goals for your kid instead of with them. Only setting goals focused on the outcome like high scores and being able to go to college and or university. Compare your special needs child and decide how good your kid is doing, based on what their average peers can do. There are more roads that lead to Rome. And by the way, why Rome? Maybe your kid decided to go and is way better off in Barcelona. So, in this e...2023-01-3037 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastSpecial Needs Mom - How to have an awesome start of the year, your goals or anything reallySpecial Needs Mom - How to have an awesome start of the year, your goals or anything really. In episode 79 of the Special Needs Supermom Podcast I talk about why I go into and love hibernating during the week between Christmas and New Year; how I don’t like to start the year with a bang; how I don’t come up with excuses to stay of the grid (and neither should you) and how I have an awesome start of the year thanks to my experience with burnout, ADHD therapy, peri-menopause and Long Covid. Getting older really helps with...2023-01-1638 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastTop tips to truly enjoy the holidays, relax and prevent overwhelm and meltdowns with your special needs child.Top tips to truly enjoy the holidays and prevent overwhelm and meltdowns with your special needs child. December is one of the most challenging months for special needs children. And their mom. Stress, overwhelm, meltdowns… we had it all. Until a few years ago, we changed a few things. It made all the difference for especially wonderboy. And me. *Hope these tips will help you and your family relax and thus truly enjoy the holidays. Ask yourself what you truly want and need (and I don’t mean for a present) this holiday season. And what y...2022-12-2349 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastWhy I am celebrating my one year ADHD diagnose anniversaryYay! It’s my one year ADHD anniversary!!!!Why I celebrate this? And why I think you should celebrate getting a diagnose or label?Because it helps you move forward, understand and accept yourself or your kid, and find the help you or your kid need.Did my diagnose, meds or therapy change me? I still don’t finish sentences. Still happily dive into rabbit holes. Am still a very creative person with all.the.ideas. But giiiirl, the diagnose, meds and therapy have been a game changer...2022-12-1440 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastWhy you should have a dopamenu or happymenuWhy you should have a dopamenu or happymenu for your special needs child and as special needs mom. A dopamenu or happymenu as I like to call it, is your instant guide to snap out of overwhelm, stress, when you’re stuck in your brain, when anxiety is taking over, can’t focus on your (home)work. It’s a really great life hack to rewire your brain. How it works? It’s kinda like a restaurant menu but instead of starters, main courses, and desserts it lists little things that help you snap out of your brain and relax an...2022-11-2318 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastChronic fatigue – what perimenopause, adhd, long covid and being a special needs mom have in common.If you’ve been wondering what I was up to with all the irregular podcasts and posts the last couple of months… well this is it. A nice combination of perimenopause & ADHD, everyday life as a special needs mom and long covid. Enter chronic fatigue... When I got the long covid diagnose a couple of weeks ago I was like really??!! Another thing I can do without? Are you freaking kidding me???!!! It explained a lot though. I mean even my ADHD couldn’t get me moving. And that says a lot in my case. The good...2022-10-1136 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastSometimes you just need a good cry special needs mom – and 10 cookiesLet’s just be honest, sometimes you just need a good cry special needs mom – and 10 cookies. No need to sugar coat it. Sometimes the whole special needs life just sucks and there’s nothing that can change that. It’s totally understandable, totally fine and it is actually healthy to acknowledge that things sometimes suck. Days you cry. Days you grieve. Days you’re just lost. Days you are beyond tired. But how do you get through those awful days? How do you make it bearable? Don’t soldier on or focus on happy thoughts, forget gratitude lists on days like...2022-09-1019 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastHow to keep sane as a special needs mom during the start of the school year – or any day for that matter.In this episode of the Special Needs Supermom Podcast, I share how to keep sane as a special needs mom during the start of the school year – or any day for that matter. *The start of the school year can cause a lot of stress. Besides your special needs kid being anxious about a new teacher and new (or old) classmates, as a special needs mom we have to deal with the meltdowns; inform new teachers, mentors; maybe have some info ready for new classmates as well, IEP meetings, getting a 504, school supplies, special needs tra...2022-08-2318 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastBest tips to get through the bad days as a special needs momIn this episode of the Special Needs Supermom Podcast: Best tips to get through the bad days as a special needs mom.It’s been one of those weeks as a special needs parent. Just plain awful. And when your special needs kid is not doing well, we don’t feel well, right mom? In this episode I share how I get through these weeks as a special needs mom. What I do, and especially what I don’t do to recharge and thus have the energy to help my kid. Have one of those bad wee...2022-07-2819 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastSummer tips for Special Needs Parents to relax, recharge and have funSummer tips for Special Needs Parents to relax, recharge and have fun. Not going on a trip this summer or just don’t know what to do with your kids all these long summer days? With most of my family members being homebodies and uhm gamers, it is a bit easier for me these days. But like most kids they are tired at the end of an intensive school year, wonderboy still has a hard time with the transition at age 18 and boy do I remember those looooong days when the kids would wake up at 5 AM! So, in th...2022-07-1326 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastChronique fatigue in kids and teensChronique fatigue in kids and teens is not about going to bed too late. It’s a long-term condition marked by extreme fatigue or tiredness that doesn’t go away with rest. Like Supergirl’s doctor explained: it’s like having a jetlag 24/7 and no matter how much you sleep or naps you take, it won’t go away. It effects school attendance, school results, physical health, and even worse: a kid’s social life and happiness. In this episode of the Special Needs Supermom podcast: what can cause chronique fatigue, what are possible symptoms, why special needs kids have a highe...2022-06-2931 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastSigns and symptoms of special needs children: real issue or talked into?In this episode of the Special Needs Supermom Podcast I talk about signs and symptoms of special needs children: real issue or talked into? *When you’re autistic you’re anti-social; when there’s a smog weather alarm you have to stay inside when asthmatic; all kids taking MTX-injections get ‘allergic’ to the color yellow, the smell of fresh cut grass is enough to trigger an asthmatic allergy attack. Or is it because society keeps telling us this? *Wonderboy is the most social sensitive kid out there, hence why people always question him...2022-06-2219 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastReport card grading for children with special needs - Celebrate your C-Grade kid!Report card grading for children with special needs. Or better: celebrating your C-Grade kid. Wrapping up the school year there is a lot of attention for the kids that excelled. The A-Grade, honor rol, 3.6 and higher GPAl students. But what if you really tried hard and just don’t get past that C? You do the best you can, but the only thing you hear and see is that you should just try harder, study more and if you don’t get straight A’s, you won’t be successful. And that is simply not true! Nor should it matter w...2022-06-1523 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastWhat to do when your special needs kid refuses to eat?In episode 67 of the Special Needs Supermom Podcast, I talk about what to do when your special needs kid refuses to eat. Years ago, when big wonderboy was still a little wonderboy dinnertime was the most stressful time of the day. One look at his plate and little wonderboy asked if he could be sent to the ‘naughty corner’. Nice and quiet and no yucky food. In this episode I share what we discovered and changed to make wonderboy eat again and have a fun family dinner time. I’ll give you some useful tips that might help you discov...2022-06-0825 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastTackle burnout series: Find out the reason for your burnout in order to fix itIn episode 66 of the Special Needs Supermom Podcast I explain why it is so important to find out the reason for your burnout in order to fix it. Why this is important? Because you can feel burned out or have a burn out for so many different reasons. Only when you know the real reason that led you to this burnout, you can find the solution that will help you get back on your feet. Are you always available for instance? Or not able to say no? Do you feel guilty when you have a mo...2022-05-3139 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastTackle burnout series: Refinding your self-worth when you feel you haven't accomplished anythingIn this episode of the Special Needs Supermom podcast I give you an insight in the day out of the life of a special needs mom. Why I struggle with my self-worth on days like this. And how I break that spell. *This week was just one of those weeks... come Thursday evening I felt worthless. I had two major things on my to-do for this week, yet here I was, exhausted, busy all day, and yet: none of the to-do's ticked off. Yay I've accomplished nothing. Or did I? *Lucky enough I learned a...2022-05-2036 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastDepression in Special Needs Children: quite common, why, what to do and what NOT to.Depression in Special Needs Children: quite common, why, what to do and what NOT to. Let’s talk depression mom. I know it sucks. If I could I would bubble wrap my kids and safely store it away in a safe, nice and happy place to protect them from pain, the exclusion, the hurtful comments… But I can’t.Our kids learn at an early age that they are different. That things won’t come easy, that they might not be able to pursue their dream. Have to give up their favorite sport. If they even can...2022-05-0535 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastThe effect of ADHD medicationIn this episode of the Special Needs Supermom Podcast I talk about the effect of ADHD medication. Unfortunately there is still a lot of controversy about ADHD medication. Whether it is really necessary, that it will turn you into a zombie, that all you need to do is take away the distractions and make it interesting. I got my ADHD diagnose at age 45. As part of my diagnoses and therapy I tried out medication. This is my story of the mind-blowing effect it had on me. And no, not because I turned into a zombie. I hope it will...2022-04-2925 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastMy top tips to avoid burnout as a special needs momIn episode 62 of the Special Needs Supermom podcast I share my top tips to avoid burnout as a special needs mom. As a special needs parent we face a lot. No wonder burnout is a real thing amongst us special needs moms. Not that we mention it of course. But I get you momma and I’ve been there. Heck, sometimes I still have days like this. Besides the fact there can be all kinds of different reasons for feeling like this (which I will talk about in another episode), luckily there are ways that can help you going fro...2022-04-2014 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastConfessions of a Confident ADHD Mind - author interviewConfessions of a confident ADHD Mind - tells the journey of parent Stephanie Anne D’Entremont, which started with a comment of her daughter’s dance teacher mentioning ADHD is hereditary. Stephanie talks about her discovery, what it brought her and how it helps her not only be her authentic self, but also how this helps her be a better parent of a child with ADHD. To quote Stephanie: “There are no problems, only solutions”. Want a positive insight in the ADHD brain? Stephanie and I got you covered in episode 61 of the Special Needs Supermom...2022-04-121h 07Special Needs Supermom podcastCan you use ADHD as an excuse? Yes and no.Can you use ADHD as an excuse? Yes and no. Fact: I joke about my ADHD quirks and throw in the 'I'm sorry it's my ADHD card' all the time. But that doesn't mean I think this excuses everything. Yes, I find it hard to remember birthdays, no that doesn't mean I can just go and forget. There are hacks. Also, a lot of I'm sorry cards and flowers.... So, when can you get away with something, and when should you put on your big girl pants? I explain in this episode. Stay safe, stay s...2022-04-0114 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastWhy you should get an ADHD diagnose. And when you shouldn't.Why you should get a diagnose for ADHD and when you shouldn’t. Getting an ADHD diagnose can be extremely helpful. It can not only provide valuable insights in why and how you or your kid is struggling with certain things. It can also open up a whole can of useful tools like extra help at school, getting CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) and of course meds. So, yay! Or not? In this episode of the Special Needs Supermom podcast, I share all the pro’s of getting that diagnose. But also when you shouldn’t get yourself or your kid te...2022-03-2320 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcast5 practical tools to use to talk about war with your special needs childIn this episode I share 5 practical tools to use to talk about war with your special needs child. Handy tools you can use to help kids express and deal with their feelings around emotionally though subjects like the war in the Ukraine. It helps young and or non-verbal kids to express grief, anger or fear. In the last episode, 57, I talked about the importance of talking about war with your child and how to. Especially with your anxious and or special needs child. In this episode I share 5 practical tools you can u...2022-03-1716 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastWhy and how you should talk about war with your childIn this episode I talk about why and how you should talk about war with your child. Especially your anxious and special needs child. No matter the age. I give you some easy tips how to talk about war with both young children as well as teenagers.Ok, why would you talk about something as awful as what is going on in Ukraine right now? Why upset your child? Is it not better to protect them from nasty things like this? Isn't it better to simply turn off the radio and tv the moment it’s...2022-03-1018 minSpecial Needs Supermom podcastHappiness hack for tired and overwhelmed special needs supermomsToo much to do fellow special needs supermom? Then this episode with a happiness hack for tired and overwhelmed special needs supermoms is for you. A few days ago, I was exhausted. Again. Overwhelmed. Again. Because so much to do. And supergirl asked if I wanted to come take a break with her and if she could paint my nails. I did NOT have the time. But she asked (a grumpy 16-year-old) and I felt I had to oblige. Stressed and restless at the beginning something remarkable happened at the end… I still had way too...2022-02-2311 min