gwunspoken - Beyond the Plan
gwunspoken: Beyond the Plan
Hear the person beyond the plan.
This podcast is where NDIS participants, families, and supporters reclaim their narrative. We dive into life beyond the diagnosis, beyond the reports, and beyond the plans—exploring identity, strength, and voice.
Whether you're a parent seeking connection, a support worker craving understanding, or someone walking their own NDIS journey, this space is for you.
Because labels don’t define people—stories do.
gwunspoken - Beyond the Plan
Two Brothers Navigate Life's Challenges While Supporting Each Other
What happens when two young brothers sit down for an unfiltered conversation about life's challenges and joys? Twelve-year-old Oscar and his younger brother Arie deliver a refreshingly honest dialogue that reveals the complex, beautiful reality of growing up in today's world.
Oscar bravely shares his journey with ADHD, explaining how medication has transformed his school experience: "Ever since I started the medication, I've gotten much better. I'm behaving a lot more in my classes." His matter-of-fact approach to discussing neurodiversity offers a powerful lesson in acceptance and adaptation.
The brothers take us through their shared passion for gaming, particularly Roblox and Fortnite, revealing how digital experiences create meaningful connections between siblings. Their detailed explanation of "Grow a Garden" – complete with strategies for helping each other advance – mirrors their real-life dynamic of competition balanced with support.
When asked about the worst aspects of school, both brothers immediately respond with "bullying," reminding us that despite increased awareness, these challenges persist in children's lives. Oscar candidly recounts specific hurtful incidents while demonstrating remarkable resilience.
Perhaps most touching is their perspective on navigating life between two households. With wisdom beyond their years, they appreciate different aspects of each home – from their mother's structured approach ("She makes me do chores... if I do it, I'm not going to be lazy later in life") to their father's more relaxed gaming rules.
Through rapid-fire questions about everything from favorite foods to fears, we glimpse the authentic personalities of these remarkable young men. Oscar's admission about being terrified after catching an enormous fish and Arie's beautiful impromptu song performance reveal vulnerable moments that celebrate childhood in all its complexity.
Listen to this episode for a reminder of the wisdom children possess when given space to express themselves authentically. Their voices might just help you see the world through fresh, hopeful eyes.
Welcome to an edition of GW Unspoken where we discuss stuff we don't typically talk about but probably should. And we're here as part of Beyond the Plan and Engage you and I've got two very special guests here, our returning guests. Now, ari, how are you Good? How about you introduce our guests? Who have we got over there sitting across from us today? My brother, we've got your brother. We've got Oscar. How are you, oscar? Good, mate, first time for you for a podcast. How are you feeling Good? Good, are you nervous? Yeah, I'm nervous too. Are you nervous, ari? No, ari just doesn't get nervous about anything. Also, to ask you a few questions, because people don't know about you yet. So how old are you?
Speaker 3:12, turning 13.
Speaker 1:13, very shortly July the 4th, I heard Yep. All right, and what's something that you really love doing?
Speaker 3:I really love playing video games, yeah Do you have a favourite. Yeah.
Speaker 1:What is it?
Speaker 3:Fortnite.
Speaker 1:Fortnite Ari, do you play Fortnite?
Speaker 3:No, it's 12 and above.
Speaker 1:A bit young for you. I reckon Ari's favourite would be Roadblocks. Is that right?
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Do you play Roadblocks as well? Mm-hmm, are you good at that? Yeah, do you play Roblox as well? Mm-hmm, are you good at that? Yeah, when you play Roblox, can you guys like play each other, or can you team up, or how do?
Speaker 3:you do it, we can friend each other and then we can join each other in the games. Okay, there's some games that Ari and me agree on, some of them we don't. The one that we mostly agree on is Grow a Garden, yeah.
Speaker 1:What do you do on that one?
Speaker 3:You get seeds and then. So you first buy fruit seeds and then you plant them in your garden, and then you wait for them to grow and then you can take them to and you sell them.
Speaker 1:Oh nice.
Speaker 3:And then you get money and then you can get the more expensive seeds. The best one is an ember lily. He doesn't have it, but I do. Okay, I've got two beanstalks as well. Those are the only two prismatics in the game.
Speaker 1:Can anything eat them? No, you can't eat them.
Speaker 3:And then you can also get gear like watering cans. Oh yeah, sprinklers, yeah, sprinklers, it goes from basic sprinkler all the way to a master sprinkler.
Speaker 1:Oh, so the idea is to build, so the idea is to grow your garden. Is that right? Yeah, how do you lose? Do you lose in that game? No, you just keep seeing how you grow your garden the fastest.
Speaker 3:People can steal from you as long as they have 37 Robux, that's a bit harsh, they can steal your garden. Yeah, but no, they only steal like fruits. I've stolen fruits, but for him.
Speaker 1:Oh, to help him out.
Speaker 2:From Dom's friend.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I stole a beanstalk.
Speaker 1:You know what I heard in the car on the way over here, which is really cool, how you guys are talking about, how you sort of support each other, no matter what disability you may have or what you know, because Oscar you were saying about so you might have some OCD and ADHD, yeah, I do have.
Speaker 3:I definitely have ADHD Okay.
Speaker 1:And what is it that makes you go crazy, did you?
Speaker 3:say, if I don't take the medication, then yeah, I can not be calmed down. Yeah, unless I'm stopped by my parents.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but you said too that you haven't had any problems at school. Once you've had that, hey, you've got a lot better at school behavior and stuff.
Speaker 3:Yeah, ever since I started the medication, I've gotten much better. Yeah, I'm behaving a lot more in my classes.
Speaker 1:Oh, well done, and also you've got some goals. Haven't you trying to put a bit of weight on and stuff?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I've got to put on 10 kilos.
Speaker 1:We can help you, Ari. We're going to help that with some hot dogs later. What do you think?
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Last time we were here, Ari made some hot dogs. Do you remember what we put on them?
Speaker 2:You got onions and tomato Tomato sauce. Yeah, you remember, right.
Speaker 1:And then what do you have on yours?
Speaker 2:Cheese and tomato sauce.
Speaker 1:And a sausage.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and the guy at the butcher gave you a Frito sausage too. Remember last time? Remember you gave it a little cheerio. You gave it a cheerio last time. Yeah, you're lucky he wasn't there today. We can get that All right. Well, let's talk about you guys as brothers. Here's a question for you, because no one can see you. Here's a truth question. Would you say you guys usually get along pretty well, or you argue most of the time In the middle. In the middle.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:All right. What good things do you guys do together?
Speaker 3:We play with our scooters, like we go outside and we try to do some tricks on our scooters. Sometimes we play Minecraft.
Speaker 2:Okay, that's cool.
Speaker 3:And then play.
Speaker 2:Roblox Yep. Okay, cool With our friend Yep.
Speaker 3:Dom we play with.
Speaker 1:All right. And what about if you guys like sat on the couch and mum or dad said let's watch Netflix a movie? Would you decide on the same movie easily or not?
Speaker 2:Not all the time. Not all the time In the middle. In the middle.
Speaker 3:Because sometimes we fight over like what we want to watch.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah. Do you like similar movies or not?
Speaker 3:I like action ones. I don't know about him, but he loves this action one that I love, which is Lego Ninjago. It's episodes.
Speaker 1:Oh episodes.
Speaker 3:It's gone from the Rise of the Serpentine all the way to Dragon's Rising.
Speaker 1:Okay, ari, what about you? What type of movies do you like?
Speaker 2:Mufasa Moana 2, moana Inside Out, inside Out 2.
Speaker 1:So you like all the animation movies too? Yeah.
Speaker 3:I only like, like the action ones.
Speaker 1:Okay, here's a question, ari, do you cry in movies? No, oscar, do you cry in movies?
Speaker 2:in movies.
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 3:Oscar, do you cry in movies? One I nearly cried. We were watching Jurassic Park.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah.
Speaker 3:And then when the T-Rex got out of its cage it started roaring. I thought that was real for a second.
Speaker 1:That sounds scary.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and I just hid underneath pillows.
Speaker 1:I'd be frightened of that in real life. I'd be scared.
Speaker 3:I was hiding underneath pillows, because I thought it was real for a second, because I was like I was scared.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I nearly cried. I bet what about you? Are you scared of Jurassic Park or any movies?
Speaker 3:He didn't even get scared when the T-Rex started roaring. I do not even know how.
Speaker 1:So what in the world makes Ari scared? What are you scared of?
Speaker 2:Jurassic World, not Camp Cretaceous.
Speaker 3:Camp Cretaceous Chaos Theory. Yes, that's the one. He hates that one.
Speaker 1:You tell me, Ari, what's scary about that one.
Speaker 3:The creepy eyes, oh yeah there's this baryonyx, there's a baryonyx that sounds scary. And it's missing one of its eyes. On one of its eyes, it's missing a pupil Like the entire eye is white. Stop, I'm getting scared?
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's the thing, he. I'm getting scared.
Speaker 3:No, yeah, that's the thing he hates.
Speaker 1:I'd be scared too. Ari, that sounds terrible, and I think there's another part.
Speaker 3:There's this girl that was like there's two versions of it. Brooklyn yeah, brooklyn. She lost her hand, but her friends thought she died.
Speaker 1:You know what you do when you lose your hand, what you have to go to the second hand shop.
Speaker 3:Oh, no, no, no, is that funny. She got a robotic hand. Oh, it was like a machine. Yeah, oh my gosh, but she was able to use it.
Speaker 1:With special powers, was it stronger than the other hand?
Speaker 3:I think so I don't know.
Speaker 1:Would it hurt her head if she scratched her head with a bionic hand? Probably that would be weird, wouldn't it? Yeah, imagine having a bionic hand. Yeah, here's a random question. Think about that. If you had to, would you rather lose an arm or a leg? None of them, I'd lose it.
Speaker 3:None of them I'd lose, I'd rather lose my left arm because I like my right arm.
Speaker 1:You can use your right-handed.
Speaker 3:Yeah, because I'm a right-hander.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what about you? What if you had to? What if you lost one of them? What would be the worst? Your left leg, yeah, you'd have to walk on one leg. That'd be hard, wouldn't it? I'm already limping yeah you've got a bit of a sore ankle at the moment, haven't?
Speaker 3:you. Yeah, I've hurt tendons in the front of my ankle.
Speaker 1:That's not good.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, he has a sprained ankle Sprained ankle.
Speaker 1:That's not good, is it?
Speaker 3:And it's also a tendons nerve that I've hurt. Oh it, okay, and it's been two weeks and one day since that I've had this.
Speaker 1:Okay, you guys are doing very well taking turns about speaking on the podcast, especially for your first time, oscar. You're doing a great job. I'm going to ask you some fun questions in a minute, but I'm going to ask you because last time I saw you you were only two days back into school and I know that you sort of regret what you did with school last time. How's it going Good? Is it getting back on track now? Yep, did you end up seeing your three friends you talked about last time? Are they all back now?
Speaker 2:Yep.
Speaker 1:Ryder, is that right?
Speaker 2:Lachlan Lachlan Levi.
Speaker 1:Levi, and there was a girl too, wasn't there?
Speaker 2:Sienna. Sienna, that's right, and you've seen them again, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, cool, all right, your favourite friend. Do you have a couple of favourite friends at school? Do you want to do a shout out and say hello to them?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I had one, but he's moved schools now.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay.
Speaker 3:Tyler Adams. Okay, but his older brother, liam Adams, is my friend as well. Now.
Speaker 1:Okay, nice.
Speaker 3:And then there's what's the name Amesh.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 3:And then there's Mason I don't really know, because he doesn't really hang out with me anymore.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 3:Zenith, yeah, zenith, definitely Zenith, and also Daxton. Okay, yeah, I can easily make friends anyways, that's good. And now?
Speaker 1:you've got some good friends too, hey, yeah, all right, ready. I'm going to ask you boys a question. I'm going to ask Oscar first and then Ari, and the next question is going to go Ari to Oscar. All right, so we're in order, if that's right. So first Oscar. We've got oldest to youngest Ready. Yep, best thing about school.
Speaker 3:My teachers Best my teachers.
Speaker 1:Best thing about school.
Speaker 2:My teachers and my friends.
Speaker 1:Okay, ari, what's the worst thing about school?
Speaker 2:Bullying.
Speaker 1:Bullying. What's the worst thing about school, do you?
Speaker 3:think Oscar Bullying as well. I get a lot of it. I keep getting called Oscar no balls.
Speaker 1:That's terrible, isn't it? Yeah?
Speaker 3:That's not very nice. And then two years ago I was getting called like Oscar. But that kid Toby Gazelle. He left at the end of last year.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 3:Which I'm happy.
Speaker 1:That's because I was playing. Yeah, all right, what about Oscar? It's your turn to go first again.
Speaker 3:The best thing about holidays I don't know how to go to school.
Speaker 1:What's the best thing about holidays Ari?
Speaker 2:That sometimes I get to go to holidays.
Speaker 1:Go away for holidays. Yeah, do you have like a favourite spot? You go to Melbourne now. Yeah, we're going there on September I think it's September this year Holidays.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Do you have like a favourite spot? You go to Melbourne now Melbourne.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we're going there on September. I think it's September this year.
Speaker 1:September.
Speaker 3:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Okay, ready. Here's a tricky one. What's the worst thing about holidays? What are you guys smiling at each other for? What's going on here?
Speaker 2:Is there a bad thing? No, I'm going to school.
Speaker 1:You sort of miss school a little bit with your friends and stuff yeah. Yeah, okay, that's fair. Yeah, what do you think?
Speaker 3:I'm not seeing my school friends.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:I don't have them on my phone.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 3:Like on my messages.
Speaker 1:Yeah, do you know, I hear some crazy things at school and and when kids come back after holidays, I go how was your holiday? And they go it was boring, I'm like, but you don't like school, I know, but at least at school I can see my friends. Is that true? Yeah, is that how you feel? Yeah, all right, all right, you ready for some fun stuff? Oh, first, before we keep going, some more serious stuff. Whose turn is it Oscar? Your turn again.
Speaker 3:Best thing about mum's place she's always on me Like if I haven't done my lunchbox at night. She will not let me go to bed until I've done it.
Speaker 1:So you like that. So she makes you sort of cannibal. Yeah, yeah, that's good, that's a good, mature answer.
Speaker 3:And she also makes me do chores.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there's going to be a lot of people thinking out there, isn't? That a bad thing, but you're saying it's a good thing I love chores.
Speaker 3:Oh, that's good, Because if I do it I'm not going to be lazy later in life.
Speaker 1:Perfect, some good morals. Your mum's teaching there, that's good. What about yourself?
Speaker 2:What's the best? Thing?
Speaker 1:About my mum At mum's place. What's the best thing about mum's place?
Speaker 2:Seeing my kitten and mum. That's all.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:What's the best thing, ari, about being at dad's place that I get to game oh Dobbin At their at our mum's.
Speaker 3:We have a time limit but at our dad's. We don't.
Speaker 1:Oh, this is on the podcast now, so dad watch out, you could be in trouble here you guys are lucky. You've got parents who love you and look after you, aren't you Very good? All right, so we make some fun questions. Now Should we do the same thing, like take turns about yeah, should we get Ari first this time? Yep, you ready for this? You're looking pretty relaxed, so you don't get stressed out there.
Speaker 1:Just here with the hands out ready to go, okay, ready. And Ari, you might have had some of these questions before, but that's okay, we can go over them again. Okay, you've got to answer these as fast as you can. So the first thing that comes to your mind you ready? Yeah, your favourite lolly.
Speaker 2:Snakes.
Speaker 1:Oh, lolly snakes, Oscars is Tough ones. There were so many good ones.
Speaker 3:I'm going to have to go with the same as Ari. Snakes I love them, even though our nan doesn't buy them anymore.
Speaker 1:Okay, unfortunately, all right. What about if I said your favourite, this is you, oscar. What's your favourite chocolate?
Speaker 3:I'm going to go crunchy.
Speaker 1:Oh, nice yeah, Honey came in it yeah.
Speaker 2:Milk chocolate.
Speaker 1:Milk chocolate, just dairy milk chocolate, plain chocolate. That was quick.
Speaker 2:All right, okay, I got a fright there. Milk chocolate?
Speaker 1:No, you jumped out of my chair. Then, Ari rightio, what about your favourite flavour of milkshake?
Speaker 2:Chocolate.
Speaker 1:Oscar everything's chocolate the same.
Speaker 2:Chocolate.
Speaker 1:Everything's chocolate, the same Chocolate, oh chocolate. Okay, what about Oscar, your favourite ice cream?
Speaker 3:I have two actually.
Speaker 1:Okay, you can allow two. You're allowed two.
Speaker 3:Chocolate, and then cookies and cream.
Speaker 1:Oh yum, all right, ari quick man, what have you got?
Speaker 3:I think it's the same.
Speaker 1:I pulled it, sorry you did. You guys know each other very well. Yeah, very good. Okay again, we've done this before. Ari favourite colour.
Speaker 2:Blue.
Speaker 1:Oscar Red Red. Do you have a favourite number, Oscar?
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 1:What's your favourite lucky number or number you like?
Speaker 2:Seven.
Speaker 1:Seven.
Speaker 2:Nine.
Speaker 1:Nine. My wife's is nine. She likes nine as well. Okay, do you like cats or dogs better? Cats, even, even. Do you like cats or dogs better?
Speaker 2:Cats.
Speaker 3:Even.
Speaker 1:Even Do you like horses? Eh, 50-50? No, no, okay, if you were in the jungle, what would be the scariest animal you would see?
Speaker 3:Snake Tiger. Tiger, I am hiding. I'm going to cut a hole in a tree and just show myself in this, and the tiger can't get itself in.
Speaker 1:Hide, yeah, okay, ready, oscar. This is going to take a bit of thinking, you two here, Although, are you noticing, I think, if I said to you, oscar, on the way home, we're going to put Spotify on yeah, which someone over here knows my code to get into my phone, don't you? Don't tell everyone on the air what it is, oh, no, no, no, no no.
Speaker 1:All right, Oscar, if I said to you we've got Spotify on the car on the way home, you get to play your favourite song on Spotify. What's your favourite song at the moment on Spotify?
Speaker 3:I don't actually have Spotify, but I do have a favourite song. It is Empty Are your Pockets by Juice. Wrld, yeah, it's WRLD, yeah. It only has the one, only one swear word.
Speaker 1:You know what. This is the truth, right? I was looking after a boy this morning and you know what he said.
Speaker 2:What.
Speaker 1:His favourite singer is Juicewold.
Speaker 3:That's ridiculous.
Speaker 1:That's crazy.
Speaker 3:Juicewold died in 2019.
Speaker 1:Oh, was it 2019, was it? Yeah, yeah, I thought it was a bit later. Okay, yeah, yeah, but he was saying the same thing. He was telling the same story. Should we play some Juice WRLD on the way home?
Speaker 2:Yeah, without the swear words.
Speaker 3:Yeah, when the swear word comes up, you just go beep it only does like he's like in the music video you can know like he, which I can see it on Apple Music he's jumping on these balloons and on this balloon that he jumps off of and then he slides across and then he just slides on it.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:That's when he says the he says F but then ED at the end.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay, yeah, okay, yeah. Well, he's one of the rappers or singers who swears a lot of other ones, so it's good. I actually don't mind that in the car because I don't really like much language and stuff in there. All right, a couple of quick questions. You guys are doing too good at this too well. All right, do you like fishing?
Speaker 2:Nah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, what was that. Yeah, yeah, yeah. What was that? Was that yes or no? Yeah?
Speaker 3:When I was younger. No, but yes now, because when I was younger, we were at the Murray River. Okay, I was getting nothing on my kids' bods, so I think it was like my mum or dad. It let me use an adult one. And when I chucked it out into the water I felt this heavy fish, so I reeled it in and it was like the width of this chair.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:Like this long.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:And then it was like this tall and I was just like I'm out.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 3:And I just sprinted to the front of the houseboat and then went in through the front door of the houseboat. Oh, okay, all right and I think I ran into my room. I can't remember.
Speaker 1:Okay, ready. This is the next question. Would you rather summer or winter weather?
Speaker 3:Summer because I can go into the pool. Okay, Summer.
Speaker 1:Okay. Do you like spicy food? No, 100%. No. Do you like Nutri-Grain?
Speaker 3:Yes.
Speaker 1:Nutri-Grain, the cereal with a little.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's cereal.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I like it. Okay, what's your favorite thing to put on toast?
Speaker 2:Butter and cheese. I mean butter and Vegemite.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 3:It's only if I'm in the. This is only if I do eat it. Only if I'm in the. This is only if I do eat it. Lettuce no, it's either chicken lettuce and mayo or egg lettuce and mayo.
Speaker 1:Oh, very good, it's healthy, that's good.
Speaker 3:I love it. My mum is the best at making it. That sounds delicious. All right, Now is there anything else?
Speaker 1:You guys are doing well. It's over 20 minutes already. You guys are speaking Now. Is there anything else you guys are doing well. It's over 20 minutes already. You guys are speaking so well. Is there anything else on the podcast? We haven't spoken about that you want to speak about no.
Speaker 3:There is one thing, my favourite dinner that my mum has cooked and does cook, and I think she and I'm pretty sure that right now that we're in winter, I think, yeah, she's going to make this fried rice.
Speaker 2:Her fried rice is the best.
Speaker 3:And the best thing I love about it is when there's leftovers, I get to have it in my lunchbox.
Speaker 1:I love leftovers. It's so good, yeah, so good. Well, ari, we've done this before. We've gone and fed the turtles and the ducks, and that too.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So we're going to do it again too. We might take one. And then we might go and buy a soccer ball today. So if you ever want to play soccer I know you're a sore foot so maybe not today but at least we'll have one.
Speaker 3:I use my right foot to kick mostly.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay, and that's the one where my tendons, where I hurt my tendons, Okay, and then we might cook up some hot dogs now, yeah, and then after that, if there's time, we can play some little Jenga or some games on the field with a soccer ball. Would you like that? Yep, yep, all right. Well, boys, I just want to thank you for coming on. The show Spoke very well, oscar, your first time, ari, great as usual. Are you going to have a song before you leave or not? Yeah, I nearly forgot. That's terrible. I nearly forgot. That's bad. Sorry, what are we singing today?
Speaker 2:I want to get numb and forget you, where I'm from. Just looking in your eyes and looking at the sun, I feel like you're the moon, I feel like I'm the one. I want to get numb, numb, numb, numb.
Speaker 1:Unbelievable. Have you been practicing that? That sounds really good, doesn't he? That's unbelievable. Oscar, are you going to sing?
Speaker 3:No. I'm not really a singer.
Speaker 1:You're the only one still.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I usually sing if it's like if I'm on my own in my room.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Okay, that's okay. I Seeing if it's like if I'm on my own in my room. Yeah, okay, that's okay, I like doing the shower, because then no one can hear me except for me. Is that weird? Don't tell anybody that it's on the microphone now Everyone can hear, that Is that weird. Do you sing in the shower? No, do you sing in the shower Very rarely. I do feel weird, sorry. Thanks, boys, for coming on the show.