Ditching the Milestones: A Mother’s Journey Through Autism and Unexpected Parenting
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Show Notes
In this episode, Rachel sits down with Jenny Briggs, whose daughter Sarah was diagnosed with a rare genetic anomaly and autism. Jenny opens up about the raw, unspoken reality of realizing your child's future will look vastly different from what you imagined. We discuss the heavy burden of parent guilt, the necessity of grieving the expected child, and the profound shift from trying to fix a child to simply joining them in their world.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Your grief is valid: It is completely okay to love your child fiercely while simultaneously grieving the version of motherhood and the future you originally pictured.
Connection over correction: Instead of constantly trying to stop repetitive or atypical behaviors, use them as a doorway. Joining a child in their current world builds trust and leads to a genuine connection.
Throw away the timeline: Standard developmental milestones can become a source of profound stress. Progress is still progress, even if it happens years later than expected. Celebrate the micro-wins.
Comparison is isolating: Looking at neurotypical peers or even other neurodivergent children can quickly lead to feelings of inadequacy and loneliness.
Self-compassion fuels creativity: You cannot parent effectively if you are drowning in guilt. Acknowledging your difficult emotions and forgiving yourself allows you to be more present, creative, and resilient for your child.
BEST MOMENTS
"I'm not a bad person. It's okay. I can love my child and be grieving what I thought I was going to have."
"We were trying to meet her where she was, and we weren't stopping her repetitive behaviors. We were using those as the doorway to connection."
"If you ask her a question, she might take 20 or 30 seconds to answer you. And you might have no acknowledgment from her that she has heard you or is planning on answering... If I don't count, three seconds feels like an eternity of being ignored."
"I had this vision in my head then that I kept telling myself... 'someday we'll look back at this time and laugh because we will be in a different place, and we will say remember when Sarah didn't like to eat?' And that is true."
"It has stretched my being, my soul, my spirit, my heart, my creativity more than anything ever has."
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GUEST LINKS
Website: https://www.watchingsarahrise.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenniferbriggsauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifercelestebriggsauthor
HOST BIO
Rachel Elimelech is the warm, courageous voice behind Unspoken Emotions - a podcast that gives voice to the feelings we so often keep buried. A qualified Solicitor and Higher Court Advocate, Rachel combines professional insight with deeply personal lived experience - from surviving sexual abuse, loss, and single parenthood to rebuilding her life with quiet strength and unwavering resilience.
Her journey from teenage single mum to respected legal professional has shaped her gift for deep connection. With empathy and authenticity, Rachel creates a safe, judgment-free space where guests are invited to speak the unspoken - grief, guilt, shame, anger, fear - and begin to let go of what no longer serves them.
Through honest, unfiltered conversations, Unspoken Emotions explores how real people have turned pain into purpose and silence into healing. Rachel believes that healing begins the moment we speak the truth of our experiences - and that none of us should carry our emotions alone.