Jessie is a social media manager, work-from-home mother, Autism advocate, and accidental influencer. She’s the mother to a wonderful 4-year-old boy and she shares their journey on Instagram.
You can find all of her links below.
Looking for more in-depth help? Sign up for 2-on-1 Mentoring With Us!!
We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form -> https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3
Brought To You By Harkla
This podcast is brought to you by Harkla. Our mission at Harkla is to help those with special needs live happy and healthy lives. We accomplish this through high-quality sensory products & child development courses.
Podcast listeners get 10% off their first order at Harkla with the discount code "sensory". Head to Harkla.co/sensory to start shopping now.
Links
Jessie’s Instagram @daily_dig
All Things Sensory Podcast Instagram
Harkla Website
Harkla YouTube
Harkla Instagram
Jessie is a social media manager, work-from-home mother, Autism advocate, and accidental influencer. She’s the mother to a wonderful 4-year-old boy and she shares their journey on Instagram.
You can find all of her links below.
Looking for more in-depth help? Sign up for 2-on-1 Mentoring With Us!!
We’d love to answer your questions on the podcast! Fill out this form -> https://harkla.typeform.com/to/ItWxQNP3
Brought To You By Harkla
This podcast is brought to you by Harkla. Our mission at Harkla is to help those with special needs live happy and healthy lives. We accomplish this through high-quality sensory products & child development courses.
Podcast listeners get 10% off their first order at Harkla with the discount code "sensory". Head to Harkla.co/sensory to start shopping now.
Links
Jessie’s Instagram @daily_dig
All Things Sensory Podcast Instagram
Harkla Website
Harkla YouTube
Harkla Instagram
I think a myth would be that people think of it as a burden. Like sometimes you'll be like, Oh, my child is autistic. Sometimes people will respond with like, Oh, I'm sorry. And there's nothing to be sorry about. It's okay.
Rachel:I'm Rachel.
Jessica:And I'm Jessica. And this is All Things Sensory by Harkla.
Rachel:We are both certified occupational therapy assistants and together with Harkla. We are on a mission to empower parents, therapists and educators to help raise confident and strong children of all abilities.
Jessica:On this podcast, we chat about all things sensory, diving into special needs, occupational therapy, parenting, self care, overall health and wellness, and so much more.
Rachel:We're here to provide raw, honest and fun strategies, ideas and information for parents, therapists and educators as well as other professionals to implement into daily life.
Jessica:Thank you so much for joining us.
Rachel:Hey, there, welcome back to another episode. We're so happy to have you. We have a fantastic interview today with our friend Jessie or Jessica, from the daily dig on Instagram.
Jessica:Yep, we're gonna talk all about autism, her journey with autism and her son, who's now four years old. We talk a little bit about her different experiences with her son, and other people and therapy. And this is a really great episode for parents to listen to, and just resonate, and relate to everything she says, but also, for therapists and teachers to just see, get inside of what it's like to be a parent of an autistic child. I think that's always important when you're working with children is to try to see what it's like for the parents.
Rachel:Yeah. Jessica has the best personality, the best sense of humor. You know, this Jessie or Jessica, we were gonna have to call her Jessie. So that way, we don't get them confused. But she has a great sense of humor. She's super fun. She shares us a little bit about her personal story with neuro divergence. And it's just a it's just a fun episode. So let's go ahead and meet Jesse. Hello, Jessica. How are you? Welcome to All Things Sensory.
Jessie:Thanks for having me. Hi!
Jessica:So we're gonna start with our five secret questions that we have for you today. And then we'll dive into who you are and what you do and why you do it.
Jessie:Awesome. Sounds great.
Rachel:All right. First question. Do you prefer oranges or grapefruits?
Jessie:Grapefruit 100%.
Jessica:With like sugar on it?
Jessie:No, just you know, cut in half and eat it with a spoon.
Rachel:Sounds terrible. I'm already getting sensory seeking vibes from you.
Jessie:It runs in the family.
Jessica:Weird. Okay. Do you prefer skiing or snowboarding?
Jessie:Observing - so neither?
Jessica:I'm right on board with that.
Rachel:That's why I love it. If you had to do one of them, which would you do? I would do snowboarding.
Jessica:Rachel is not good at snowboarding so well.
Rachel:Well, I used to be and then I transitioned to the ski world and it's been so much better. So. Yeah,
Jessie:I've tried both, you know.
Rachel:Okay. Do you prefer shopping online? Or shopping in person?
Jessie:Online. 100%. Okay, got it.
Jessica:Would you rather walk on ice barefoot? Or walk on fiery coals wearing flip flops?
Jessie:Probably walk on ice barefoot. Okay. I feel like I've done that before getting the mail.
Rachel:Been there, done that. No biggie. Here last question and our most favorite one of all what is your sensory quirk?
Jessie:There's a lot of them. I think my biggest one is I really don't like socks. And it's winter in the Midwest here. So like I have to wear socks. So I will wear them inside out with the crease not touching my toes. I'll wear like slip on shoes to like school pickup and people be like, where are your socks? I can't wear them.
Jessica:Do you use like slippers?
Jessie:Yeah, they're like a flip on ugh type thing. So like their Sherpa line so they're warm enough? Yeah, just no socks. Just no socks.
Jessica:I prefer to wear slippers over socks in the wind. her.
Unknown:Yes, I can do slippers. It's just that like, even if they're seamless, like I can still feel the seam.
Rachel:Okay? It's the seam though. Don't even get started on like wet socks...
Jessie:No, we will never have wet socks.
Rachel:That's not a conversation we're gonna have that day.
Jessie:We'll move on. Now that everyone knows your deepest, darkest secrets, can you tell us who you are ,what you do, why you do it? All the details. Yeah, so I'm a little bit of everything. So I am a mom to a four, or he's almost four, next week, four year old little boy, John. I'm a social media manager. So I work part time, don't go to school part time. So I'm just kind of like juggling all the things. And then I also manage my own little sensory play Instagram account. So a little bit of everything.
Rachel:We are going to focus today's podcast on the topic of autism because John has been diagnosed, which we'll talk about when he's been diagnosed with autism. And we really wanted to have you on the podcast to share your story share John's story. You know, we have people who listen who are new to the journey of autism, who are new to the journey of sensory who I think just want it demystified. And I think that you are a perfect person to explain that. And I think that you have a good view of autism and how it's changed your life, but also changed your life for the better to, just from following Instagram, you have a great Instagram. So we'll make sure everyone follows you there. But okay, so let's dive into it all. Okay, first thing, share the signs of regression that you've saw initially with autism.
Jessie:Yeah, so with John it was he was hitting all of his milestones up until about 18 months, when I started to see like a loss of speech. And at that point, he didn't have that many words, but it was like the mama, dada, up down, help, kind of those functional words. And those first words. And those slowly kind of started to slip away. And then some of the gestures, pointing slowly, it was slowly. But it was enough for me to be like, Oh, he no longer says mama, or he's no longer asking for help. He's no longer making eye contact. He's no longer responding to his name. So it was just like these things that kind of kept happening, that where I was kind of like, Huh, okay. And then like, loss of gestures, so no longer clapping, no longer pointing. And so there was kind of like, set something off in my mind that I was like, hmm, maybe, you know, this is something to bring up with our pediatrician. So those were definitely the first signs of regression that I saw.
Jessica:And were you familiar with autism at that time?
Jessie:Now, honestly, not really know, like, you just kind of you know, what you learn in school? It's like, Oh, you went to school with someone that's autistic, but do you really know, like, deep down everything to it? And I didn't, because I didn't you know, at that point, I didn't have a child.
Jessica:Can you tell us a little bit about how John got his diagnosis?
Jessie:Yeah. So we were living in Seattle at the time, actually. And John was around, like, two years, maybe? Yeah, I think he was a little over two. And he was in early intervention virtually because of COVID. So we were super duper lucky there that they, the early intervention program had a fast track option with the Autism Clinic in Seattle. Which I feel like we just got so lucky with that, because I feel like nobody else has that. And every time they're like, how do you get a diagnosis so quick. So when I brought up that, like, Hey, I think he would benefit from getting evaluated for autism. They did kind of a virtual evaluation since nobody was seeing anyone in person. So I feel really lucky that we had that program that kind of just like, fast tracked everything for us. And we were also moving to the Midwest, like moments after that, and I needed him to wear a mask on the plane, which was not going to happen for a sensory sensitive two year old. So we were just like, Okay, let's go ahead and do this.
Rachel:Okay, so at 18 months, you brought it up to his pediatrician, what did the pediatrician say?
Jessie:So the pediatrician sent this to a neurologist and wanted us to get like an MRI on the brain to like rule out any like, honestly, the first thing that she said was let's roll out like a brain tumor or water on the brain. Never once was autism mentioned to me and I was like, okay, awesome, so I'm gonna go put my kid under, so he can get this MRI, not hear back for two weeks if he's okay or not. And I just remember following up and being like, Hey, what are the results of this? Even the neurologists, when she gave me the results never said anything about autism. It was me constantly having to be like, hey, if it's not this, like, could it possibly be autism? And they're like, Oh, he's really young. He's really young. It's hard to say. So it was always me kind of just being like, No, something in my mind says like it's there or something.
Rachel:Do you feel like if you wouldn't have pushed for it, your story would be different?
Jessie:Yeah, I mean, I feel like we probably wouldn't have a diagnosis because he was so young. But for me, it was never about, like getting the resources, you know, because I'm like, we're going to move I would like him to have therapy setup in place. So it was just like having all those resources for him. And I'm like, whether or not they think, I don't know that he would benefit from a diagnosis at such a young age. I'm like, it doesn't hurt because it opened the door to amazing support and resources.
Jessica:And now you've moved. And are you guys going to therapy on a weekly basis? What does that kind of look like for him?
Jessie:Yeah, so he goes to a public school. So he's on an IEP through the public school. And he started there when he turned three. So he gets speech, OT and adaptive PE there. Once a week. And it's amazing. And then we also have him at a private practice once a week for a speech and OT.
Rachel:He's doing all the things. He's doing all the things. Does he talk now?
Jessie:Yeah, I mean, he still has a significant speech delay, but he is getting his wants and needs met through communicating his way, gestures, approximations. So it's been awesome to see that.
Rachel:Good. That's awesome. Does he use a communication device at all?
Jessie:He does not. So we were using packs at a time. And then he kind of had this language explosion. He does really love like routines, visual routines. So he uses like a visual schedule at school and at home, which has been awesome, especially with such a busy schedule, that can sometimes change. I'm like, Hey, here's our speech card. This is where we're going today.
Rachel:I love that. So important.
Jessica:What has been the hardest parts of your journey with autism so far?
Jessie:The hardest part, I would say is probably finding the right resources and support because I feel like you couldn't go to a pediatrician. And as amazing as they are. They don't necessarily know everything about autism. So it's kind of like, Hey, here's this pamphlet, your child is autistic read it. So I feel like kind of finding the right support the right therapist, the right therapy, all the things for your kid and your family is probably the hardest thing.
Jessica:Yeah, I agree with that.
Rachel:Good for you for advocating though. And like pushing I feel like that is like you said the hardest part, but also the most rewarding part too, because you are his best advocate and you get to learn what works. What doesn't work. What's right. And yeah, pros and cons for sure. What's the best part?
Jessie:I mean I've just learned so much even about like, myself, you know, I mean, I recently just got an ADHD diagnosis at 32 years old. And it's like, seeing the way that he is in school now. And certain things I'm like, This was me as a child. But I didn't have an IEP. I didn't have the support. And so I mean, just like learning from him, like, Hey, I'm wiggly and can't sit still like maybe I need to go do some heavy work. I mean, just learning all the things.
Rachel:You see a lot of your same sensory quirks in him too?
Jessie:Yes, a ton. Like he even goes to school with a spare pair of socks because I'm like, if we step in a puddle in the parking lot like day is ruined.
Rachel:Those accommodations that makes such a big difference.
Jessie:Yeah. But I'm like, this is me.
Jessica:Yeah. Wow. So interesting. Yeah. Cool.
Jessie:I'm like the foods. I'm like, my food can't touch. So it's... I'm him.
Rachel:Let's talk about a myth that people have surrounding autism. What do you feel like is something that people have in their minds about it... it's a myth.
Jessie:I think a myth would be that people think of it as a burden. Like sometimes you'll be like, Oh, my child is autistic, people will respond with like, Oh, I'm sorry. And there's nothing to be sorry about. It's okay. And like, yeah, there are things that like I can't just take him to a new restaurant like it does take prep to be like, Hey, here's a picture of where we're going, here's what you're going to eat. Here's, we're going to talk about it for five days before we go. Versus it's like maybe a neurotypical kid that's like, Oh, we're going out to dinner. So I wouldn't say it's a burden. There's just, you know, some more takes a lot more prep for certain things.
Rachel:A few more adaptations.
Jessica:I think that's an interesting point of, you know, when somebody finds out that your child is autistic, and they say, Oh, my gosh, I'm so sorry. That is a really interesting point. What do you think? What would be a better response when people hear that?
Jessie:I mean, my biggest thing, when I got diagnosed too you feel alone? Because maybe you don't know somebody that has an autistic child. So I think just asking like, you know, tell me about it. Like, what kind of accommodations does he need? You know, if we have a playdate, like, how can I set this up for success? Just like, how, really just how someone can help you?
Rachel:Have you been able to make friends with other moms or other dads or other people who have autistic kids or neurotypical kiddos?
Jessie:Yeah, a little bit of both. So John, his therapy center is amazing. And they do like a little social group. So he goes to that, where it's all the kids that go to the therapy center are neurodivergent. And it's like working on play skills and just kind of hanging out with peers. So I've met some really awesome moms and kids through that. And then John goes to an inclusive preschool. So half of the kids are on IEP s, and half of them are not. And so have met awesome neurotypical and neurodivergent kids and parents there. It's been amazing.
Jessica:So that preschool is designed that way, specifically?
Jessie:Yes.
Jessica:Oh, that's interesting. Did you choose that preschool for that reason?
Jessie:It's one of the big reasons why we moved to Ohio. Yeah, because they have incredible public schools. And I loved that this program takes them at three, because it's, that's when early intervention ends here. So it's like you kind of get that cut off. And you're like, Okay, what do I do now? Yeah. So this was just like a smooth transition from early intervention right into the public school system. And he only goes for like, two hours a day, five days a week, but it's perfect.
Jessica:I was just thinking about all the different types of schools that we have here in Idaho. And I don't know that we have any preschools that are set up to be that way.
Jessie:Really?
Jessica:I haven't heard of anything that is designed specifically to be, you know, half of the students are on IEP s and half of them are not, and you're working on, you know, that inclusion piece of kind of teaching them about each other while they're also learning their ABCs.
Jessie:Right. And his teacher is an intervention specialists, which is cool, because she also knows, like the sensory integration stuff with him, and she works on his IEP goals. So it's been like a perfect fit.
Jessica:That's amazing.
Rachel:My next thought, we kind of mentioned this a little bit, but let's say you go to like a school event, and you're chatting with other parents. And what's something that you wish that other parents understood or recognized or knew about autism, about John?
Jessie:Yeah, I think a big one that I kind of deal with, like when we go out in public to target and all the places is that all communication or all behavior is communication. So what may look like John having a tantrum in Target is really like sensory overload. He's like, I smell all the things, I see all the things, there's a ton of people, I'm not usually here. So just kind of like what that can look like. Because you can kind of get some stares. And it's like, embarrassing at times, but there's nothing you can do. And it's, you know, I feel for him because his body's going to that like flight or fight response. And he's like, I am overwhelmed. But I can't find the words to explain it.
Jessica:What do you do in those moments? If you are at Target, and he's having a sensory meltdown because he's so overloaded? What do you typically do in those moments?
Jessie:Yeah, so for John, the biggest thing is just give him a big squeeze and don't say anything. I feel like when we kind of overwhelm him or bombard him with questions, it just gets me things worse. So just kind of hold them and tell them okay, it's okay buddy work I'm here for you give them big squeezes. And a lot of the time we do leave, you know, because it's just whatever, in the moment can wait, as long as he's safe and happy. That's really all that matters.
Rachel:Does he use any sensory strategies when you go to places like that?
Jessie:He does. So we usually on the ride there, he'll use his Harkla weighted puppy - so like a lap pad. So I tried to do like some heavy work and get him regulated before we go in there just to let him know. And then talk him through the whole thing. And it's gotten a lot better. But there was a time when like, we first got diagnosed that like, I did try to avoid outings like that, because they were so hard and so stressful, but it does get so much easier when you find the right tools.
Jessica:You have the right tools for him in the moment, and you're consistent. When you're inconsistent with helping him use his strategies or inconsistent with exposing him to these different environments, then it would probably be harder.
Jessie:Yes, definitely.
Rachel:I think to that something that parents want to hear - that it gets easier. I think that it's so often, you know, caught up in the moment, you're just maybe either trying to figure out what's going on, maybe you're newly diagnosed, or you're going through that season, and your kiddo is just a hot mess, for lack of a better term. Seeing that, you know, he's almost four. So you've been going through this two plus years. Knowing that, can you give any inspiration to these parents who are in the, like, tough season right now?
Jessie:Right, which is it just it does get easier? Like I were just like I said, I remember times when I like, could not leave the house by myself, because I'm like, is he gonna run and just all the things going through your head, you know, like, worst case scenarios. And it just, it does get easier, you get the tools, you get more confident, you're consistent, you get support. And I think another thing would be to just take things one day at a time, because when I first got the diagnosis, I would constantly be worrying about the future. And like that can send you down in a spiral and you don't want to go there. So I think just taking things one day at a time, and just helps you, you know, navigate things easier.
Jessica:Can you talk a little bit about the sensory bins that you set up? And what made you start doing it, how did they help?
Jessie:Yeah. So I started doing the sensory bins with John to expose them to different textures, because I noticed there were some things around, he had a food aversion when he was younger, and just kind of didn't want to touch certain textures. So I felt like the sensory play would help with like a low pressure way to expose them to those things. So we started with like dry pasta, and then wet pasta. And it was always a really fun way to like connect with him through play in a low pressure way with no expectations. Just kind of like hey, here's the sensory bin, like you want to scoop and dump you want to throw then that's fine, throw it into the other bin, just kind of this unstructured play in a way for us to connect and build his communication and helping with skills that we're working on. So working on pointing so kind of poking it like a pop it tube with a pom pom in it and just working on fine motor skills. And I just feel like there are so many different ways that we could work on skills through sensory play. And it always helped him as a regulation tool. I think that's how I found you on Instagram, you have the cutest sensory bin activities. And just, I remember you posted you know, when you're scrolling on Instagram, you're like, oh, look, they're doing sensory bins. It's so clean and perfect and organized. And I'm like, Haha my kid would never do that. And then on your story one day, you posted like a behind the scenes and they were like black beans literally, everywhere, So often that will send parents into like that spiral and they'll say, No, I can't do it. I can't handle it. How do you handle that sort of stuff? I mean, at some like at first I would like cringe inside but then there's like the aspect of it. Like it's all over the floor. He's stepping on it and I'm like he's tolerating the sensory input in his feet. So it was like such a huge win for me that I'm like, Yeah, this is a huge mess. But like, this is huge for him. These are huge wins for him stepping on something, you know, exploring with his hands, and I'm like the mess is temporary. We can clean it up.
Jessica:That's such a good perspective. And so important for us to remember as parents that you know if our child is engaging in something that's helping them, it's benefiting them. The mess is worth it.
Jessie:Exactly. Yeah, mess is temporary. Yes. Like unless it's my house then it's permanent.
Rachel:I need Daniel to listen to this episode because he is that like clean freak when we're doing all the messy activities. Now Tripp is starting to say like, oh, we need to get the vacuum out. Like we need to clean. We're making a mess.
Jessie:I know my husband and like, watch my stories. It's like, okay, good thing I was at work!
Rachel:You have all signs of mess, like cleaned up hidden away.
Jessie:No, he would never know that, like, that's what was going on during the day.
Rachel:That's so funny. So you did share on Instagram a few days ago, about special interests. And I thought that was an interesting topic to bring up. For someone who may be is like, Oh, my kids obsessed with trucks. Right? That's, that's John. Yes. It's always been his special interest. So tell us a little bit about that.
Jessie:Yeah, it's always been trucks, like I was just John's birthdays on Tuesday, the 21st. And just seeing like, looking back at our first birthday was garbage truck. And then 2-4 are construction, like he is just so loyal to his construction vehicles. And I just think, like, sometimes parents would be like, Oh, my kid only wants to play with trucks. And our spotlight will get DMS like that on Instagram. And I'm like, That's okay. Like use that truck, use their trucks and level it up, or, you know, kind of build upon that. So like, John is working on using scissors at school. So I've created these, like, cutting strips that like have a little tuck at the end, and then just stuff like that, that like, even if it has just a tiny bit of their interest. It's just, it means the world to them, and he's interested in it. And so I think it's always good to use their interests to your advantage.
Jessica:Rachel is just saying that you're basically an OT.
Rachel:It's amazing, though. Like, it's such a simple concept. But it makes such a big difference.
Jessie:It does. Because, I mean, we've had therapists, like when we first moved here, we had one that maybe wasn't a great fit, you know, like it happens, but like kind of kept trucks from him and didn't see any progress. And I'm like, this is not going to work, you know, he can use his trucks.
Rachel:So they were almost using it as like a reward like taking it away from him rather than like incorporating it into therapy?
Jessie:Incorporating it. Yeah. Like we got to embrace the trucks. They're a part of it.
Jessica:That kind of leads me to my next thought. We have a mixture of therapists and parents and teachers who listen to the podcast. And I think that this is a great episode for them for all of them to listen to to get, you know, a perspective from a parent. So what is one thing that you really love about John's therapists right now? Like, what are they doing with him in therapy that you're like, this is awesome.
Jessie:I think the biggest thing with them is it's very child led, and they are so connected to him. Like there's never any like them, forcing him to do anything. It's all just very natural. And I mean, he loves going to therapy, he's excited to see them. So I think that connection piece is just huge. I mean, he knows that they adore him, he adores them. And I just feel like having that connection and that friendship with them that he just feels comfortable. And that's how he's going to make progress. Just becoming, you know, more efficient with what he does every day and communication and all the things. Exactly.
Rachel:Have you guys ever done ABA therapy?
Jessie:We have not. So I know a little bit about it. But we I mean, I feel like we're in a good place with what we have going on with the OT and speech that honestly, I don't know how we would add anything to our schedule. With school and the two days a week that I'm like, I don't think we have any room for anything.
Jessica:Yeah, well, and it kind of sounds like you guys are in a good place at the moment that you probably don't need it.
Jessie:That's what I was thinking that I'm like, I feel like because all of our needs are being met, and he's safe and happy that we're in a good place for now.
Jessica:How are you preparing for the future?
Rachel:We're not supposed to talk about that.
Jessica:But I think that it's an important question.
Rachel:I'm sure a lot of our listeners are probably thinking the thing.
Jessie:I do just kind of take things one day at a time. And try not to go like, Oh, when is John gonna get married? When is John gonna move out? Um, but like they are all things that I obviously think about. But yeah, I honestly I am not prepared. I just kind of hope for the best, you know, and I trust and know that he's amazing. And he can do anything. So I feel like even though he's autistic, and he has this diagnosis, that doesn't mean anything different than a neurotypical kid.
Jessica:Yeah, totally. I think that's a good perspective. See, aren't you glad I asked that question?
Rachel:I wanted her on the plane. I passed because you're just so go with the flow like this is this is beautiful. This is the thing this is this is just him and this is how it is. And it's fine.
Jessie:Everything's fine, right? Like it's gonna be okay. Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Jessica:Totally. It's such a good, you just have a really good perspective on all of it.
Rachel:Has it always been this way though?
Jessie:I mean, definitely getting a diagnosis, there is all the fields, like you need to allow yourself to grieve because as much as it's not, your child is getting labeled with a diagnosis. It's like that is an overwhelming feeling like, oh, are people going to look at my child and be like, Oh, he's autistic, I'm not going to play with him. So you do kind of... thoughts go through your mind. I mean, it's a lot to take in. And I do think you kind of, you know, think about, this is not the life that you thought, the path you would be taking, but it's going to be okay. And it ends up being just as amazing. But I think you need to allow yourself to kind of grieve what you thought things would be like, feel all the feelings and then, you know, kind of move forward, and it's gonna be the best thing ever.
Rachel:Have you guys considered growing your family anymore?
Jessie:We have some I feel like now that John is in preschool. And now I've kind of feel like I'm not driving around 24/7 to therapy and like, doing all the things like because early intervention was a lot like it was multiple days a week, and then that on top of therapy. So I feel like it's the first time in like, four years that I'm like, okay, I can breathe, like things are settling down. John has gone for two hours in a day and then comes home and takes a two hour nap. Like, there's four hours and a chunk of the day that I can manage something. So we're starting to think about it. Yeah, slowly but surely.
Rachel:That's, that's a cool place to be able to reach. Have time to think and, you know, have different options on the table. And, and just to feel like, we've got this.
Jessie:Exactly. And I'm like, I could do this again. You know, if I have to.
Rachel:Now that we're talking about it, we're gonna like jinx something.
Jessica:Sorry about that.
Rachel:And hopefully, that's not the case. Before we let you go, we have a couple last things. What would you say is the biggest challenge with what you do, everything, going on?
Jessie:I feel like there's still a little bit of a stigma around autism. Not everyone is super kind, super accepting. Super patient. So I feel like sometimes you do still get the people that like will give you a dirty look when your kid is doing something or when he's stimming and making loud noises or flapping his hands or something. So I think the biggest challenge is kind of people around you who you know, that maybe aren't as accepting or willing to learn more.
Rachel:Have you ever had a bad experience with someone saying something or doing something?
Jessie:I have. So I was at the grocery store. And he we were doing self checkout, and he was having a little bit of a sensory meltdown. And the person was like spoiled rotten. That's what he is. And I just remember, like freezing in my tracks. I was like, okay, okay. And it was like a little bit of an older person. And I'm like, we're just gonna let this go. I'm like, I can barely hear you over my screaming child anyways.
Jessica:I just can't imagine being at the grocery store and seeing someone that I know nothing about. I've never seen this person before. And making that kind of judgment out loud. Like, maybe I might think in my head like, Oh, I wonder. But to like, say it out loud, so that that person can hear you, is wild.
Jessie:Like I was just like, okay, appalled.
Jessica:Wow, like you didn't say anything to them?
Jessie:I didn't because I was just in that moment. Like, I think I was honestly in shock. I was just like, did you really just say that?
Rachel:What would you what would you rather someone do in that moment? If you because someone's listening, and they're, you know, gonna share this with their grandmas and grandpas? Who might be someone who might say that. I don't know.
Jessie:What would you I would honestly, I would love if someone was like, Do you need help? And I could be like, Yeah, can you like help me finish scanning my cart full of things so that I can get my kid out of here?
Jessica:I just, I think it's probably better that maybe you didn't say anything, you know, like, don't give that person the time of day and the attention that maybe they're seeking out by saying something... I don't know.
Jessie:I know. It's like what did you say? You know, like, I'm sorry. You're so disturbed by a child having a sensory meltdown.
Rachel:They clearly have no idea.
Jessie:I hope your day is as pleasant as you are. I'm not sure. That's the response I like.
Rachel:Okay, I'm sorry that happened. That's so frustrating.
Jessie:That's okay. But other than that it has honestly, it's been pretty good pretty. People are super accepting. And I think a lot of it too, is where we live. And like the fact that Johnson that school with, you know, it's a blended program. So it's been nothing but good things.
Jessica:A lot of people who understand.
Rachel:You have an Instagram, we'll link it. Are there any other ways that people can reach out? I'm sure it's helpful to just have like a friendly face if someone may be going through this that they can reach out to you. Are you cool with that?
Jessie:The easiest way to reach me is probably Instagram DMs. Sometimes things get lost in comments and all that stuff. But I will always, always answer DMs. So I would say that's probably the easiest way.
Jessica:And then before we finish here, what is one piece of advice that you can give to our listeners?
Jessie:That everything's gonna be okay, you've got this.
Rachel:I love that. So you have any questions for us?
Jessie:How did you guys kind of get started on All Things Sensory?
Rachel:Well, I never wanted to work with kids. I wanted to work with seniors. And I got a job in a sensory clinic and learned about the hidden senses and how impactful they are. And the rest is history. And I just have been a nerd with it. And then my own sensory needs, then I'm like, wow!
Jessica:Yeah, I mean, my journey is similar. I worked at the same clinic. And we worked together for several years. And I think there was a day that Rachel came into the office, and she was talking about podcasts. And I said, What are podcasts I've never heard of, I don't even know what that is. Then the next idea was let's start a podcast to reach more, it started for families. Because we were struggling to provide the information that we wanted to our clients, families in such a short amount in such a short amount of time in the clinics. Like, we could give all of this information in podcast form to these families, and they could listen when they want and when they need it. And it's just grown from there.
Jessie:Yeah. And you're just crushing it. I love it.
Rachel:I'm days, hopefully changing lives. Well, Jessica, thank you so much for sharing your story and being so open and just just being here with your great sense of humor. And of course, we love it.
Jessie:Thank you guys.
Jessica:Hopefully you enjoyed that conversation. It was super fun to connect with her and talk with her and hear her full story. You can go follow her on Instagram. She's @Daily_Dig, she shares a lot of really fun content on her Instagram, you can reach out to her and talk to her. She's always open to new conversations with new people.
Rachel:She is and she's just a good person to have in your back pocket just to like yeah, just to, she's just always going to be on your team. So we're we're just thrilled that we were able to get her on the podcast and share her journey. And if this was a helpful episode, share it with a friend who maybe is in the same season or needs to learn more about this topic and just spread the word.
Jessica:Alright, we'll talk to you next week.
Rachel:Thank you so much for listening to all things sensory by Harkla.
Jessica:If you want more information on anything mentioned in the show, head over to harkla.co/podcast to get the show notes.
Rachel:If you have any follow up questions, the best place to ask those is in the comments on the show notes or message us on our Instagram account, which is at Harkla underscore family or at all things sensory podcast. If you just search Harkla You'll find us there.
Jessica:Like we mentioned before our podcast listeners get 10% off their first order at Harkla. Whether it's for one of our digital courses or one of our sensory swings, the discount code sensory will get you 10% off. That's s e n s o r y
Rachel:head to harkla.co/sensory to use that discount code right now.
Jessica:We're so excited to work together to help create competent kids all over the world. While we make every effort to share correct information, we're still learning
Rachel:We will double check all of our facts but realize that medicine is a constantly changing science and art.
Jessica:One doctor or therapist may have a different way of doing things from another.
Rachel:We are simply presenting our views and opinions on how to address common sensory challenges, health related difficulties, and what we have found to be beneficial. That will be as evidence based as possible.
Jessica:By listening to this podcast you agree not to use this podcast as medical advice to treat any medical condition in either yourself or your child.
Rachel:Consult your child's pediatrician or therapist for any medical issues that he or she may be having.
Jessica:This entire disclaimer also applies to any guests or contributors to the podcast.
Rachel:Thanks so much for listening