Beyond the Label Podcast

For years, we’ve described Milo as being “stuck in a loop.” These days, that loop involves repeated questions about Llama Llama toys and birthday parties. In this episode, we reflect on how looping has evolved from something that trapped our family in cycles of anger and anxiety to something that’s become part of Milo’s daily rhythm—and often, how he communicates. 
Topics discussed: autism parenting, repetitive behaviors, scripting, anxiety in autism, ABA therapy, speech therapy, emotional regulation, autism and medication.
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Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify.

Thank you for being here!

What happens when a simple carnival game becomes an impossible challenge for your family? We're sharing two stories about navigating arcades and fair games with our son Milo, who is autistic—and how those decisions impact our neurotypical daughters, Nora and June.
From a yellow Baby Shark prize at the Geauga County Fair to an unfortunate claw machine incident at a birthday party, we open up about sensory overload, managing public meltdowns, and navigating frank conversations with our daughters about our own limitations as parents.
We discuss why we now avoid the Midway, how setting expectations ahead of time helps, and what it means to "play the long game" when teaching siblings with different needs to navigate the world together.
Follow us on Instagram @beyondthelabel440.

Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify.

Thank you for being here!

We’re sharing the full story behind Milo’s January surgery — including a tonsillectomy and turbinate reduction — and how we navigated it as parents of an autistic child who thrives on routine, predictability, and trust.  We rewind to early speech concerns, chronic congestion, adenoid removal, allergy testing, and the long road to understanding Milo’s needs. 
We also share practical takeaways for families navigating surgery and recovery with autistic kids:
 • how we prepared Milo using social stories and visual supports
 • what actually helped during recovery (and what didn’t)
 • medication routines, food struggles, and safe-food surprises
 • advocating across providers before surgery
Follow us on Instagram @beyondthelabel440.

Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify.

Thank you for being here!

When Ty takes the girls to swim lessons, Lisa is home alone with Milo — something that once felt impossible. We're giving you a glimpse into the rhythms of our home and what it can feel like to parent an autistic child when you’re not the preferred parent. 
Follow us on Instagram @beyondthelabel440.

Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify.

Thank you for being here!

For Milo's 7th birthday, we're reflecting on some of the highs and lows and lessons learned in the last year. 
We reference this episode about Milo's 6th birthday: E3: Cake
Follow us on Instagram @beyondthelabel440.

Email us at [email protected]

Thank you to our friend Tom Evanchuck for the use of his song, "Sunshine," as our theme music. Follow Tom on Spotify.

Thank you for being here!