Ep. 144: Raising Differently Wired Kids with Joy and Confidence with Debbie Reber

If you have a child who thinks, learns, or experiences the world differently than others, this episode is for you. Parents of differently wired kids may face a negative stigma, uncertainty, and may make decisions from a place of fear, especially in regards to education. But today’s guest shares her experience and encourages parents to change their mindset and make decisions from a place of possibility. I am thrilled to welcome Debbie Reber as today’s guest on the Diverse Thinking Different Learning Podcast. Debbie inspired me to begin this podcast journey and as a parent of a differently wired child herself, she comes to the podcast today with personal stories, many years of experience, and open arms to welcome other parents on the same journey. Debbie is a parenting activist, author, keynote speaker, and founder of TiLT Parenting. The resources and community she offers through TiLT Parenting are helping parents around the world connect and support each other in raising differently wired children. We could talk for hours, but on today’s episode with Debbie we focus on what it means to be “differently wired,” how Debbie grew from making decisions from fear to making decisions from love and possibility, and how parents can use their voices to make positive change in the education of their children.   Show Notes: [1:35] - Debbie really leans in to embracing the fact that your child may be differently wired. [3:26] - Debbie never intended to walk this path, but as her son received diagnoses, it made things more challenging. [5:01] - Sharing the challenge in finding the right environment for her son, Debbie explains that they bounced around to different schools and then homeschooled for 6 years. [6:00] - This experience was the catalyst for her to start her own podcast and help other parents in similar situations. [7:58] - As she observed her son learning at home, Debbie made the realization of why traditional schooling had not been a success. [9:16] - There needs to be a shift in how we educate children. [11:00] - Debbie demonstrates that the traditional school model does not teach kids to be critical thinkers. [15:57] - Learning loss is of course a concern, but Dr. Wilson believes that social, emotional, and mental health support is more important. [18:49] - Debbie talks about her book Differently Wired: Raising an Exceptional Child in a Conventional World.  [20:04] - There is no clear path for parents, especially when raising a differently wired child.  [21:07] - Debbie provides some reflection questions to ask yourself as a parent to find out more about choosing love and possibility. [22:23] - If we, as parents, have a negative idea of what a child with a diagnosis looks like, we will not make decisions that are best for the child. [24:38] - The idea behind Debbie’s podcast and the community she has built is to help support parents. [28:21] - Dr. Wilson and Debbie talk about the IEP process and the changes that need to be made to the educational system. [30:10] - Debbie references a book that she recommends called The End of Average by Todd Rose and how there really isn’t any such thing as “average.” [31:23] - Karen highly recommends Debbie’s book and her TEDtalk.   About Our Guest: Debbie Reber is a parenting activist, New York Times bestselling author, keynote speaker, and the founder of TiLT Parenting, a top podcast, community, and educational resource for parents raising differently wired children. Her book, Differently Wired: Raising an Exceptional Child in a Conventional World, came out in June 2018. After living abroad in the Netherlands for five years, Debbie, her husband, and 16-year-old son relocated to Brooklyn, NY in 2019.   Connect with Debbie Reber: TiLT Parenting Home Page TiLT Parenting Podcast   Links and Related Resources: Get on our Email List Book a Consultation Get Support and Connect with a ChildNEXUS Provider Check out some amazing schools for incredible students Join our email list so that you can receive information about upcoming webinars - ChildNEXUS.com