Chad and Malinda Cook are special needs parents you may have already heard of"¦ They create the podcast called
Sans the Sugarcoat, Our Autism Journey. Their experience parenting their daughter with autism has shaped their passions and advocacy avenues, especially when it comes to their podcast.
Diagnosis can't define your kiddo
As it so often does, it all began with a diagnosis. Chad and Malinda's daughter, Paige, was diagnosed with autism at 2 years old. noticed"¦she did not answer to her name, play with toys, she toe-walked, wouldn't make eye contact, didn't sleep well," said Malinda. Paige's behaviors led to her diagnosis.
Diagnosis can't change a child"¦it's simply the roadmap to adapting their world to fit the needs of your kiddos. Accordingly, Chad and Malinda were able to develop a plan for their daughter. With therapies, they were able to attain her the accommodations she needed, so that by her third birthday she was eligible for pre-school services.
"At age 10 we found a perfect school placement for Paige. She is now starting her 7th year there and is thriving, reaching goals and making friends," says Malinda. Paige's school has proven to be a fantastic daily environment for her to flourish, alongside her extracurricular athletic activities.
Parenting is already tough, and parenting a child with special needs can present its own set of unique challenges. "It's a daily battle of ups and downs," says Malinda. "Just when you think you have overcome one challenge, something else appears or something you thought was mastered, comes back around. We call it the "˜roller coaster' of autism."
Encouraging acceptance
The path to ensuring her daughter was thriving in her environment was not an easy one. For the Cooks, the most vital piece of the puzzle to their daughter's success was their acceptance of her different abilities. "Accepting that Paige will need a caregiver for the rest of her life," Malinda said, safeguarded that Paige would able to move at her own pace. "We want her to live her best life and have it filled with love, understanding, and joy."
Overcoming the challenge of acceptance is a big influence on the "Sans the Sugarcoat" podcast. Helping special needs parents and caregivers find the acceptance, resources, understand, and awareness is vital to the Cooks. "Sans the Sugarcoat" gives the two a place to share the information that they learned through experience in a conversational manner.
The secret to maintaining the functionality of the Cook family is this: "Take a day off and enjoy family time. Don't get trapped into the "˜hurry up' and do it all before this or that age." Enjoying their family in the present moment has proved to be an avenue for acceptance and mindfulness.
Maintaining family time
One piece of advice for special needs parents? Malinda says: "You know your child better than anyone. Be their greatest advocate. Ask many questions to doctors, therapists, and teachers." Advocacy for a non-verbal or pre-verbal child requires a parent to speak up, ask good questions, and graciously work with professionals to attain the care and resources their child might need.
Furthermore, Malinda emphasizes how important it is to build a village. "Find your community or your "˜tribe,' locally or even online." For Malinda, it's important to feel less alone. Finding a community of parents who are going through something similar means that there are opportunities for learning as well as comfort, which is part of the motivation behind their podcast.
You can stream "Sans the Sugarcoat" on
Apple Podcasts or
Spotify, and follow the Cooks on
Facebook and
Instagram.
Share your story!
In the coming weeks on our blog, we will be sharing the stories of the special needs community. If you have a story to tell, please
email us.
