The Myth of "Normal": A Neurodivergent Mom Championing Neurodivergent Kids

In this episode of *Now I've Heard Everything*, host Bill Thompson sits down with author, law professor, and creative writing instructor **Katie Rose Pryal** to discuss her book, *Your Kid Belongs Here: An Insider's Guide to Parenting Neurodiverse Children* (Johns Hopkins University Press). Drawing from her personal journey of growing up with undiagnosed ADHD and autism, as well as her experiences raising two neurodivergent children, Pryal examines the systematic exclusion of neurodivergent youth from public life—and how we can rebuild environments where every child thrives. Together, they explore the nuance between identity-first and person-first language, why neurodivergence shouldn't be reduced to a "superpower" or a deficit, and practical guidelines for parenting publicly without compromising a child's dignity or privacy.Get your copy of Your Kid Belongs Here by Katie Rose PryalAs an Amazon Associate, Now I've Heard Everything may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.Chapters:00:35 Who Is the Book For? 00:55 Personal Experience with Neurodivergence 03:11 Origins of the Book: Essays and Society 04:35 Systematic Exclusion of Neurodivergent Kids 06:12 The Evolution of Neurodiversity in Public Discourse 08:10 Language: Autist vs. Person with Autism 09:42 The Strengths and Struggles of Neurodivergence 11:43 Neurodivergence and Creativity 13:09 Diagnosis Challenges for Adults 15:03 Supporting Strengths and Acknowledging Struggles 16:43 Identity-First vs. Person-First Language 20:00 Parenting Rules and Social Media 22:45 Supporting Neurodivergent Children in Society 24:39 Reflections on Parenting and SocietyGuest InformationKatie Rose PryalWebsiteSocial:YouTube Facebook Instagram1995 Barack Obama interviewFor more intriguing and engaging interviews each week, subscribe now on:Spotify Apple Podcasts YouTube