Podcast
On The Hard Days
Hosted by Megan Champion · EN
Raising an out-of-the-box kid can feel isolating. You wonder, Am I crazy? What am I doing wrong? The doubt, guilt, and exhaustion are overwhelming—and finding another mom who truly gets it feels impossible. That’s why the On The Hard Days podcast exists. Host Megan Champion knows the struggle firsthand and is on a mission to bring connection and support to moms raising neurodivergent kids. Each week, a brave mom shares her raw, honest story so you can feel seen, heard, and validated. Whether your child has a diagnosis or not, if you feel alone in your motherhood, this podcast is for you. Subscribe now and follow Megan on Instagram @on.the.hard.days for daily encouragement & info about her community resource, Mothers Together —DMs are always open!
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
BONUS: Ep. 214 All Things 'Community' With The Ladies of "Moms Talk Autism"!
Jan 601:03:02Tap to summarizeHi guys! I'm interrupting this hiatus with an exciting bonus episode, when I was recently featured on the "Moms Talk Autism" podcast. Please give it a listen!Happy New Year! We’ve got a special bonus episode to kick off 2026. This is the year to build your support system and create a strong community around you and your family. Let’s go! Mothers Together is a first-of-its-kind global community supporting moms of neurodivergent kids. Their mission is to improve the mental health of moms by fostering deep connections and true friendships in a judgment-free space. Megan Champion, creator of Mothers Together, joins us to talk about the importance of friendship and to answer our questions about how this community might be exactly what you’ve been looking for. Open House enrollment happens quarterly, with the first opportunity of the year on January 7th. This free, virtual event is a chance to meet moms in the community, ask questions, and see what Mothers Together is all about. We hope to see you there! Sign up for the January Open House: https://www.ontheharddays.com/openhouse
Transcribe →Ep. 213 Mom Jen on Becoming Empowered to Learn How to Advocate For Her Gifted Child - How She Fought For Services and Won (the Second Time)
Jun 300:49:10Tap to summarize"It's what we have to do. This is the fight, right now." Mom Jen tells the story of learning how to advocate for her gifted child - it's a powerful, super relatable conversation. If you've ever had to fight for services for your kid, this episode is for you!In this episode, we talk about:Life with her child: Gifted, with ASD, ADHD, and SPDBeing denied an IEP because her child was "smart" (after the school recommended he get tested!)The mental health ripple effect of being denied services - feeling like a failureHow finding her people in Mothers Together helped her learn how to advocate for her kidRecognizing that showing anger and frustration at meetings helped her get the IEP eventuallyThe importance of support for moms, and how it leads to empowermentFind Jen @ makeagoodmess.com!Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts"Wow, listening to this was so validating!" <--- Sound like you? Please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more moms - just like you - who need the support and validation to get through the hardships of parenting ND kids.Click HERE, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with 5 stars, and select "Write a review". And be sure to follow the show so you're notified whenever I publish an episode. Follow Now!Mothers Together *Open House* ...is coming up on JULY 16th! Open House is primarily a validation-based event, where you and I can connect and chat, and I'll support you, along with my Host Mom "tour guides", as we introduce you to the warm and welcoming Mothers Together community. Open House is FREE, VIRTUAL, and NOT time zone-dependent, so you can join from anywhere around the world!Click HERE to join us at Open House NOW and save your spot - the next Open House isn't until OCTOBER! See you there!
Transcribe →Ep. 212 Mom Lisa on Finding Time to *Care* About Herself Through a Very Unique Journey to Motherhood
May 20, 202500:51:15Tap to summarize"I just wanted to be a mom. I always wanted to be a mom." Mom Lisa's journey to motherhood was definitely an interesting one! Be sure to tune in!In this episode, we talk about:Life with 3 kids with various diagnoses & needs: Down Syndrome, ODD, ASDAfter infertility, the gift of motherhood in fostering and adoptionHow she helped others in her church community with fostering and adoptionHow she got her "Post-It Note Baby" - yes, really.Why Lisa believes in keeping the biological family involved if possibleThe importance of therapy and true "self-care"Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts"Wow, listening to this was so validating!" <--- Sound like you? Please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more moms - just like you - who need the support and validation to get through the hardships of parenting ND kids.Click HERE, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with 5 stars, and select "Write a review". And be sure to follow the show so you're notified whenever I publish an episode. Follow Now!Mothers Together *Open House* ...is coming up on JULY 16th! Open House is primarily a validation-based event, where you and I can connect and chat, and I'll support you, along with my Host Mom "tour guides", as we introduce you to the warm and welcoming Mothers Together community. Open House is FREE, VIRTUAL, and NOT time zone-dependent, so you can join from anywhere around the world!Click HERE to join us at Open House NOW and save your spot - the next Open House isn't until OCTOBER! See you there!
Transcribe →Ep. 211 Mom Emily on Implementing the "Spoon Theory" Into Her Child's Day, and How Curiosity & Research Has Helped Her Grief & Acceptance
May 13, 202500:58:36Tap to summarize"I'm loving the information I'm gathering, even though it's really hard." Today's episode is with Emily, and I just LOVE her insight and vulnerability! Ever heard of the "Spoon Theory"? Be sure to listen in on this one!In this episode, we talk about:The anxiety of *not knowing* when the other shoe will dropThe stress of continuous medical issues: Asthma, pneumonia, cleftWhen the medical issues turned into behavioral challengesGetting the diagnosis: Level 1 ASD with PDA profileHow she plans out her son's day using the "Spoon Theory"How she uses curiosity and her desire to learn to help herself get through hard timesThe grief component to not being able to take your kid to do certain thingsCo-regulation - exhausting. Worthwhile, but exhausting.How she uses her background as a pediatric OT to understand her childRate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts"Wow, listening to this was so validating!" <--- Sound like you? Please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more moms - just like you - who need the support and validation to get through the hardships of parenting ND kids.Click HERE, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with 5 stars, and select "Write a review". And be sure to follow the show so you're notified whenever I publish an episode. Follow Now!Mothers Together *Open House* ...is coming up on JULY 16th! Open House is primarily a validation-based event, where you and I can connect and chat, and I'll support you, along with my Host Mom "tour guides", as we introduce you to the warm and welcoming Mothers Together community. Open House is FREE, VIRTUAL, and NOT time zone-dependent, so you can join from anywhere around the world!Click HERE to join us at Open House NOW and save your spot - the next Open House isn't until OCTOBER! See you there!
Transcribe →Ep. 210 Mom Sarah on Re-Imagining & Re-Shaping Her Life to Understand How to Support Her ND Kids
May 6, 202501:00:55Tap to summarize"I was providing for my family, and I was dead inside." Today's episode is with Sarah, whose motherhood journey will sound VERY relatable to many of you! Don't miss this one!In this episode, we talk about:What it's like being the "breadwinner" AND the co-regulator.When your kids have overlapping, opposite needs.Raising ND kids who go to 3 different types of schoolsHer kids' various challenges - anxiety, giftedness, PDA, etc.The family dynamics of a stay-at-home Dad!Coming to the realization that there is no perfect school - and coming to terms with that.Autism in girls - and how different it is than in boys.Unlearning a "Type A" personality through burnout.How she embraced a unique form of exercise to help her mental healthRate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts"Wow, listening to this was so validating!" <--- Sound like you? Please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more moms - just like you - who need the support and validation to get through the hardships of parenting ND kids.Click HERE, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with 5 stars, and select "Write a review". And be sure to follow the show so you're notified whenever I publish an episode. Follow Now!Mothers Together *Open House* ...is coming up on JULY 16th! Open House is primarily a validation-based event, where you and I can connect and chat, and I'll support you, along with my Host Mom "tour guides", as we introduce you to the warm and welcoming Mothers Together community. Open House is FREE, VIRTUAL, and NOT time zone-dependent, so you can join from anywhere around the world!Click HERE to join us at Open House NOW and save your spot - the next Open House isn't until OCTOBER! See you there!
Transcribe →Ep. 209 Mom Dalynn on Putting in the Work on *Herself* to Lead Her Family With Love & Understanding, Instead of Yelling & Anxiety
Apr 22, 202500:48:07Tap to summarizeToday's episode is with Dalynn, who shared some really vulnerable, tough stuff in this conversation. It's a powerful episode not to be missed.**Trigger Warning: Talk of hitting/physical abuse at the 21:00 mark**In this episode, we talk about:What it's like raising 5 teens/young adultsWhen you're raising an ND kid with grandparentsRaising a kid with severe sleep challengesHow her prior cancer journey helped her handle the challenges in parentingHow lack of sleep and severe anxiety led to her lashing outHow she learned how to "gentle parent" in therapyHow she's coming to terms with the load she carriesRate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts"Wow, listening to this was so validating!" <--- Sound like you? Please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more moms - just like you - who need the support and validation to get through the hardships of parenting ND kids.Click HERE, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with 5 stars, and select "Write a review". And be sure to follow the show so you're notified whenever I publish an episode. Follow Now!Mothers Together *Open House* ...is coming up on JULY 16th! Open House is primarily a validation-based event, where you and I can connect and chat, and I'll support you, along with my Host Mom "tour guides", as we introduce you to the warm and welcoming Mothers Together community. Open House is FREE, VIRTUAL, and NOT time zone-dependent, so you can join from anywhere around the world!Click HERE to join us at Open House NOW and save your spot - the next Open House isn't until OCTOBER! See you there!
Transcribe →Ep. 208 Mom Stephanie on the "Survival of Self" While Getting Divorced & Helping a Struggling Teenager Who Doesn't Want Help
Apr 15, 202501:01:07Tap to summarize"I've had a whole parenting life of doing it all by myself." Today's episode is with my good friend Stephanie, who has been with me in Mothers Together since (almost) Day 1! Don't miss it!**Trigger Warning: Talk of suicidal ideations at the 45:00 mark**In this episode, we talk about:When giftedness shows itself in preschoolWhy it's frustrating when educators can't share if they feel a diagnosis is presentWhen your partner doesn't think there's anything wrongWhat the motherhood load looks like when a marriage is breakingThe challenges of finding the right school for a gifted child with ADHDWhere ADHD, OCD, and depression overlapWhen your ND kid is old enough to refuse medicationWhen your child's baseline for what's okay doesn't match yoursWhen you're the one who picks up all the pieces, all the time.Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts"Wow, listening to this was so validating!" <--- Sound like you? Please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more moms - just like you - who need the support and validation to get through the hardships of parenting ND kids.Click HERE, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with 5 stars, and select "Write a review". And be sure to follow the show so you're notified whenever I publish an episode. Follow Now!Mothers Together *Open House* ...is coming up on JULY 16th! Open House is primarily a validation-based event, where you and I can connect and chat, and I'll support you, along with my Host Mom "tour guides", as we introduce you to the warm and welcoming Mothers Together community. Open House is FREE, VIRTUAL, and NOT time zone-dependent, so you can join from anywhere around the world!Click HERE to join us at Open House NOW and save your spot - the next Open House isn't until OCTOBER! See you there!
Transcribe →Ep. 207 Mom Sandi on Helping Her PDA Child Come Out the Other Side of Severe Burnout (and What She Learned About Herself Along the Way)
Apr 1, 202501:06:05Tap to summarize"PDA kids don't bend...they break. And I'm not breaking my kid again." Today's episode with mom guest, Sandy, is REALLY, really good. Don't skip this one!In this episode, we talk about:How the professionals *missed* the signs early onHow girls' neurodivergence often goes under the radarWhat PDA looked like in her young sonWhat school refusal looked like with a supportive schoolThe lack of professional support about PDA, especially in emergenciesHow she became a PDA leader in Mothers TogetherRate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts"Wow, listening to this was so validating!" <--- Sound like you? Please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more moms - just like you - who need the support and validation to get through the hardships of parenting ND kids.Click HERE, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with 5 stars, and select "Write a review". And be sure to follow the show so you're notified whenever I publish an episode. Follow Now!Mothers Together *Open House* ...is coming up on April 2nd! Open House is primarily a validation-based event, where you and I can connect and chat, and I'll support you, along with my Host Mom "tour guides", as we introduce you to the warm and welcoming Mothers Together community. Open House is FREE, VIRTUAL, and NOT time zone-dependent, so you can join from anywhere around the world!Sign up for Open House NOW and save your spot - the next Open House isn't until JULY! See you there!
Transcribe →Ep. 206 Mom Becky on Learning to Understand Her Neurodivergent Kids Through the Joy of Support
Mar 25, 202500:34:45Tap to summarize"All the things I knew to do weren't working...I was perpetually annoyed." Today's episode with mom guest, Becky, is a powerful one! Don't miss it!In this episode, we talk about:Her family: One adult child and 3 elementary age - 2 adopted from foster care, and all with a wide range of needs and challenges: ADHD, Autism, 2E, Anxiety, OCD, and more.How she felt crazy when all the strategies didn't workHow she reclaimed joy in the Mothers Together communityA virtual community vs. in-personFinding support in MT first about her children, but then about *her*.How she utilized the resources provided in MTRate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts"Wow, listening to this was so validating!" <--- Sound like you? Please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more moms - just like you - who need the support and validation to get through the hardships of parenting ND kids.Click HERE, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with 5 stars, and select "Write a review". And be sure to follow the show so you're notified whenever I publish an episode. Follow Now!Mothers Together *Open House* ...is coming up on April 2nd! Open House is primarily a validation-based event, where you and I can connect and chat, and I'll support you, along with my Host Mom "tour guides", as we introduce you to the warm and welcoming Mothers Together community. Open House is FREE, VIRTUAL, and NOT time zone-dependent, so you can join from anywhere around the world!Sign up for Open House NOW and save your spot - the next Open House isn't until JULY! See you there!
Transcribe →Ep. 205 Mom Dorothy on Accepting Your *Lack* of Control, Being Realistic About Hope, and Using Your Master Negotiation Skills To Get Help
Mar 18, 202501:00:02Tap to summarize"Even though my son is 18, he will forever be 8 to 10 years old." Today's episode with mom guest, Dorothy, is a powerful one! Don't miss it!In this episode, we talk about:Her child's life with Tourette Syndrome, Autism, intellectual disabilities, hearing loss, and a gene mutation affecting medicationWhat tics were like at the beginning of a Tourette journeyThe challenge of adoption without knowing the genetics of the birth parentsHow her child cannot tolerate medications for more than a short timeEven after having been to the top specialists and clinics, life is still unpredictableRate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts"Wow, listening to this was so validating!" <--- Sound like you? Please consider rating and reviewing my show! This helps me support more moms - just like you - who need the support and validation to get through the hardships of parenting ND kids.Click HERE, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with 5 stars, and select "Write a review". And be sure to follow the show so you're notified whenever I publish an episode. Follow Now!Mothers Together *Open House* ...is coming up on April 2nd! Open House is primarily a validation-based event, where you and I can connect and chat, and I'll support you, along with my Host Mom "tour guides", as we introduce you to the warm and welcoming Mothers Together community. Open House is FREE, VIRTUAL, and NOT time zone-dependent, so you can join from anywhere around the world!Sign up for Open House NOW and save your spot - the next Open House isn't until JULY! See you there!
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