Special Kind of Motherhood | Stress, Sleep Deprivation, Hormone Imbalance, Healthy Foods
Natural Health Tips for Busy Moms To Feel Their Best **TOP 2% of Podcasts in the World** Do you want to switch to more natural products in your home, but every time you try to, you end up feeling overwhelmed by all the options and information out there, so you just give up? Wanting to have a garden to grow food for your family, but you don’t have the time to research how to get started? Does it feel like your dreams of homesteading and holistic living will never happen because of the extra cost it would take? Feel like if you can’t do this whole natural living thing perfectly, there’s no point at all in even trying? Welcome, friend! This podcast is going to help you learn how to work towards your dream for homesteading, gardening, and holistic living in small, simple steps that WON’T overwhelm you. Hi, I’m Ashley. I’m a wife, Jesus follower, and Mom to some amazing kids. As I began having children, we quickly realized that several of our kids had some special needs. This sent me on a journey of nonstop research and countless hours of trying to figure out ways that I could make changes to our lifestyle to help my children thrive, despite the challenges. I was so stressed out, feeling like I needed to change everything at one time. I was keeping up with therapies, dietary changes, communication challenges, while also trying to implement this holistic lifestyle, and I was BURNT OUT. I finally realized that this all-or-nothing mentality was keeping me paralyzed from actually making real, lasting, progress on my goal for helping my kids. I had to decide to start making one small change at a time, then build from there. It was a process of learning to let go and rest in Jesus, to learn that even if I couldn’t get rid of all of the toxins in our home, or only give my family organic food, Jesus had me on this journey to better health for my family and I had to do it in a way that was sustainable as a busy Mom caring for my neurodiverse kids. And you know what? Because I was willing to slow down and take small intentional steps towards changing our food, growing a garden, switching to natural products, and learning how to prepare holistic remedies for my family, it meant that over the years this has just become a way of life for my family. Without stress, or overwhelm, or constantly feeling like I wasn’t doing enough. I’ve learned to walk this holistic journey in a way that works for me AND my family. If you’re ready to hear from another Mama who understands the extra challenges we face every day while parenting our kids with special needs, who can come alongside you on this journey, showing you how to take simple steps towards better health for your family, then this is the podcast for you! Pop in your earbuds, reheat your coffee for the third time and let’s do this! Connect with me: Email: hello@ashleybraden.com Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/specialkindofmotherhood
Listen on:
Episodes
Thursday Mar 23, 2023
Thursday Mar 23, 2023
Do you find yourself struggling to find time for yourself each day? Does self-care feel like an impossible idea to actually implement in your life?While we care for our differently-abled kids, the reality is that self-care is so important for our own health and well-being, but also so we can show up for our family in the way that we desire to. Burnout while juggling the parenting and caregiver roles is very real. How can we find ways to decrease our chances of burnout and actually make time for ourselves? Is it possible that our thoughts surrounding self-care are stopping us from finding creative solutions? I think so! Join me today as we talk about the real need for time away from our responsibilities, the challenges we come up against to actually make that happen, and some ways we can begin to be honest with those around us about our desperate need to care for ourselves, too! XO,
Ashley
I would love to connect even more with you! Please email me or reach out to me on social media!
Email: hello@ashleybraden.com
Facebook: facebook.com/specialkindofmotherhood
Instagram: instagram.com/specialkind.ofmotherhood
Tuesday Mar 21, 2023
Tuesday Mar 21, 2023
Do you find that the busyness of parenting your children with special needs leaves little room for you to connect with your spouse? Have you heard that the divorce rate is higher among those who have a child with a disability, but you don't know how to increase your chances of having a successful marriage? I share my #1 routine for increasing connection and communication in your marriage in a way that doesn't feel unattainable or overwhelming. When we already struggle to find time for ourselves or to find someone to watch our kids so we can consistently go on a date-night, we just need to find a simple routine in order to cultivate that connection in our marriage that we really desire to have. Listen in as I share what that looks like for us! XO,Ashley
I would love to connect even more with you! Please email me or reach out to me on social media!
Email: hello@ashleybraden.com
Facebook: facebook.com/specialkindofmotherhood
Instagram: instagram.com/specialkind.ofmotherhood
Thursday Mar 16, 2023
Thursday Mar 16, 2023
Hey Sister-friend! Welcome back to the podcast! Do you have children who are Neurodivergent, who have some kind of disability, or complex medical needs? Do you find school and their education to be in a constant state of “Warrior Mom Mode" to fight for your kids to get an education that works for their unique learning styles?Been.There. I share in today's episode why we decided to Homeschool our kids and what a beautiful (and admittedly, often difficult) journey it has been for us so far. If you are desperately desiring to step out of the box of what you've been told is the appropriate way to educate your children, but can't overcome that feeling that if you do so, you will be failing them, then you're going to want to listen to today's episode! XO,
Ashley
Resource for Learning Styles: http://carolbarnier.com/learning-styles/
I would love to connect even more with you! Please email me or reach out to me on social media!
Email: hello@ashleybraden.com
Facebook: facebook.com/specialkindofmotherhood
Instagram: instagram.com/specialkind.ofmotherhood
Tuesday Mar 14, 2023
Tuesday Mar 14, 2023
Hey Mamas!
Have you ever been told that you are SuperMom for parenting your child with special needs? Or that people don't see how you do it all as far as caring for your kids, juggling therapies, and all the things that parenting our kids requires?
I know I have had that said to me, or something similar, many times over the years. I want to chat with you today about how I feel that mindset of being SuperMom is often actually not helpful for us as Moms.
Parenting a child with special needs can be incredibly rewarding, but it's also incredibly challenging. There are days when you might feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and stretched thin. And that's okay! You're not alone in feeling that way.
Remember, there's no shame in admitting that you need some extra support. And we don’t have the keep the expectation that we do all the things, all the time. Let's talk about what the Bible has to say about how the burdens that we carry while helping our kids to grow into healthy, thriving adults really aren't a source for us to feel proud of ourselves for all of our accomplishments, but instead are a place to rest in the grace and love of Jesus.
XO,
Ashley
I would love to connect even more with you! Please email me or reach out to me on social media!
Email: hello@ashleybraden.com
Facebook: facebook.com/specialkindofmotherhood
Instagram: instagram.com/specialkind.ofmotherhood
Thursday Mar 09, 2023
Thursday Mar 09, 2023
Do you struggle with feeling like your kids are on screens too much, but you can't find a good alternative to replace some of their screen time?
Have you found setting boundaries for yourself with your phone to be really difficult to stick to?
Today I share some great screen-free alternatives that can provide your children with some entertainment! We also talk about some options that use screens, but how we can adapt those to make them less stimulating to our kids.
And if you're struggling to stick with your own boundaries around scrolling your phone, tune in to my simple hack for limiting the addictive nature your phone can have on you!
XO,
Ashley
Toniebox: $15 off coupon HERE
Geminii: HERE
Mathseeds & Reading Eggs: HERE
*This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase using one of my links, I may earn commission, but at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
I would love to connect even more with you! Please email me or reach out to me on social media!
Email: hello@ashleybraden.com
Facebook: facebook.com/specialkindofmotherhood
Instagram: instagram.com/specialkind.ofmotherhood
Tuesday Mar 07, 2023
Tuesday Mar 07, 2023
Do you notice negative effects from screen time for your kids, but you also rely on screens to help educate or entertain your child with special needs?
If you have a child who is Neurodivergent, you may find them being drawn even MORE to screens, which can make the idea of limiting screen time seem even more challenging.
Today we talk about some of the research behind the negative effects that screens can have on our kids. If you notice your children are consistently overstimulated, struggling to concentrate, anxious, or obsessed with their games or devices, you're going to want to listen to today's episode! We are going to have some real talk about the problems that can come from too much screen time and what we can do about it as busy moms who often feel we need screen time for our kids as a way of getting a break! Here we go!
XO,
Ashley
Products for Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Health
*This post contains affiliate links. If you use my links I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!
I would love to connect even more with you! Please email me or reach out to me on social media!
Email: hello@ashleybraden.com
Facebook: facebook.com/specialkindofmotherhood
Instagram: instagram.com/specialkind.ofmotherhood
Thursday Mar 02, 2023
Thursday Mar 02, 2023
Parenthood is stressful at times, am I right? It's an amazing blessing to raise these precious kids, but there are days when it feels like WE may not make it until the end of the day.
When we are parenting kids with special needs, at times, the feelings of stress can be amplified. Oftentimes as caregivers, we rarely (or never) get breaks. This can only add to our stress and the feelings of isolation and overwhelm.
If you've found yourself struggling to manage your stress in ways that feel healthy and that actually work, please listen as I share 5 of my favorite tips that I use daily to help manage my own stress levels. An added bonus is that many of these tips can also help our children stay calm and relaxed as well!
XO,
Ashley
I would love to connect even more with you! Please email me or reach out to me on social media!
Email: hello@ashleybraden.com
Facebook: facebook.com/specialkindofmotherhood
Instagram: instagram.com/specialkind.ofmotherhood
Tuesday Feb 28, 2023
Tuesday Feb 28, 2023
Does this sound familiar? You start your morning out feeling behind, scrambling to get everyone dressed for the day, trying to find matching outfits, or some days, just clean clothes...who cares if they match! You finally make it out of the door, but you're late (again.)
I know this has been a scene in my home more than once as I tried to get my kids to their speech and occupational therapies!
Often as a Mom with differently-abled kids, our children may have some kind of disability that requires us to pick out their clothes and offer them extra help with getting dressed and ready for the day. If we aren't prepared, this can add to our stress as we are trying to get out of the door on time.
I want to share with you in today's episode one of my favorite tips for eliminating some of the stress and overwhelm we can feel with our morning routines when it comes to getting our children dressed and ready to start the day!
If you want to find a simple way to make your mornings feel a lot more relaxed (and start to actually make it to places on time!) then you're going to want to listen in! Let's do this!
Ashley
I would love to connect even more with you! Please email me or reach out to me on social media!
Email: hello@ashleybraden.com
Facebook: facebook.com/specialkindofmotherhood
Instagram: instagram.com/specialkind.ofmotherhood/
Thursday Feb 23, 2023
Thursday Feb 23, 2023
If you have a child with Sensory Processing Disorder, you may know what a struggle it can for them to be open to trying new foods.
I started gardening as a hobby for myself then quickly realized it had even MORE benefits than I had ever thought possible. I share today all about the amazing things we have seen come from growing our own backyard garden (hint: it's not just the fact that my kids are willing to try new foods!)
In today's episode you're also going to hear how to start a beginner's garden in a way that can feel really simple! I can't wait to hear what you're growing at your house this year!
XO,
Ashley
Greenstalk Planter get $10 off here.
MIGardener: migardener.com
Baker Creek: rareseeds.com
*This post contains some affiliate links. If you use my link I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support!
I would love to connect even more with you! Please email me or reach out to me on social media!
Email: hello@ashleybraden.com
Facebook: facebook.com/specialkindofmotherhood
Instagram: instagram.com/specialkind.ofmotherhood/
Tuesday Feb 21, 2023
Tuesday Feb 21, 2023
You're out in public and it's apparent your child is overstimulated and having a meltdown. Everyone is staring and you have NO idea how to help your child. Ever been there? Yeah, me too.
In today's episode I share some of my favorite tips for helping our children when they are feeling overwhelmed and overstimulated.
Tune in for some real talk about the negative feelings that can come up for us as Moms during these moments - shame, embarrassment, or frustration, to name a few. If you've been on this struggle bus more times than you'd like to admit, know you aren't alone! Listen in for some of my favorite ways to work through these tough moments as a special needs Mom.
XO,
Ashley
I would love to connect even more with you! Please email me or reach out to me on social media!
Email: hello@ashleybraden.com
Facebook: facebook.com/specialkindofmotherhood
Instagram: instagram.com/specialkind.ofmotherhood/