The Juggle Is Real: Working While Raising Kids Like Ours with Michelle Yu

The Juggle Is Real: Working While Raising Kids Like Ours with Michelle Yu

Bridgette and Molly welcome their first guest, Michelle Yu, founder of Josie, a company helping organizations better support working parents and caregivers through coaching, community, and resources designed for the realities families face. Together they talk about what parents are carrying behind the scenes, why so many caregivers feel stretched to their limits, and how workplaces can create cultures where people can actually thrive. They also explore the added layers that come with parenting neurodivergent kids, the power of finding people who get it, and why support often matters more than solutions. Connect with Michelle Josie [https://myjosie.com] Coaching, content, and community designed to help working parents and caregivers navigate transitions and feel supported both at home and at work. Michelle Yu on LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-m-yu/] Follow Michelle’s work and insights on workplace culture, caregiving, and supporting working parents. Michelle’s parenting season song pick: ⁠The Strokes - The End Has No End⁠ [https://open.spotify.com/track/0dy6iXYIF0piirySAzCBwF] Additional Resources Mentioned Spring Health [https://www.springhealth.com] A workplace mental health platform that connects employees and families with therapy, coaching, care navigation, and personalized mental health support through employer-sponsored benefits. Family First [https://www.family-first.com] Caregiver support that helps families navigate healthcare needs, care coordination, and family logistics. Cariloop [https://cariloop.com] Employer-sponsored caregiving support offering guidance, planning tools, and care coaches for families managing caregiving responsibilities. Homethrive [https://homethrive.com] Personalized caregiving support that helps families manage everything from aging parents to complex care needs. Deborah Porter "The Mom Coach" [https://deborahporter.net] Parent coach and speaker who supports moms navigating the challenges of parenting and family life. Michelle referenced Deborah’s perspective that parenting doesn’t necessarily get easier—it changes.

Our School Experience, So Far

In this episode, Bridgette and Molly open up about their school journeys — from early concerns to IEPs, starting over at new schools, trialing medication, and everything in between. They share the emotional reality of advocating for kids who are often misunderstood and what it’s taken to find the right support. Resources Mentioned ⁠The Explosive Child⁠ [https://www.amazon.com/Explosive-Child-Sixth-Understanding-Chronically/dp/0063092468/ref=sr_1_1?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.4469jFltXb9iLK61JyrGcyy5YS7CLTURZSOEtZyf0hBXQWPajZluwJMKsWB__xhsSfOPucqfT9jG1Iw3BVzdAnQ7nU5DeD_9U1bs84Srnb_0EvNHfeYGt0LVdMpr1Ibf7jqV9stk758MoLq_vgOoOEV72L4lsmIuGRBWaxb2K0bsYSHufoUiptT6qpDa5BacVf0VECh7hIOGfc9KqHarO35DdFNJlwwEtcBCanaaxzY.j_rbHRhDWPk756ujFlDaJQkbtQZycTbZP9Diy2dLIMg&dib_tag=se&hvadid=693848296488&hvdev=c&hvexpln=67&hvlocphy=9014913&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=2313120110057141021--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=2313120110057141021&hvtargid=kwd-375288400782&hydadcr=22560_13531255&keywords=the+explosive+child%27&mcid=d52be1e0b8bd330db238e0f76656ef72&qid=1778721188&s=books&sr=1-1] by: Dr. Ross W. Greene Introduces collaborative problem solving and the idea that “kids do well if they can.” ⁠Raising Kids with Big Baffling Behaviors⁠ [https://www.amazon.com/Raising-Kids-Baffling-Behaviors-Brain-body-sensory/dp/1839974281/ref=sr_1_1?crid=9MC1RNJQSREH&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.zL0Hl0aq1IwXRXNS1ScruAwVoYrR6rzkxJBwe05GxT5uYSc45t9D-tdRszezYVuM4QVyV1KvdlVha678hxk7j3WPXHXZay7zF8by24U8C9M.iNzZXrJqCXiI7g7INVzBCnnyJqNlb8jabwpzIbMm3KA&dib_tag=se&keywords=big+baffling+behaviors.+robyn+gobbel&qid=1778721508&sprefix=big+baff%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-1] by: Robyn Gobbel Discusses behavior through a nervous-system lens and asks what children need to feel safe, regulated, and supported. Terms Mentioned ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) A neurodevelopmental condition that affects attention, impulsivity, emotional regulation, and executive functioning. ADHD impacts much more than focus and activity levels. ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) A pattern of intense irritability, emotional reactivity, and resistance to demands that goes beyond typical childhood behavior. IEP (Individualized Education Program) A school plan that provides individualized supports and accommodations for students with identified needs. 504 Plan A school accommodation plan that provides supports to help students access learning but typically offers fewer specialized services than an IEP. RSD (Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria) An intense emotional reaction to real or perceived rejection, criticism, or disappointment. Trauma Emotional responses that can develop after difficult or overwhelming experiences. Trauma-Informed Approach A way of supporting children that recognizes behavior may be connected to stress, difficult experiences, or nervous-system overwhelm. Unsafe Behaviors A term schools often use for actions that create risk to the child or others, including aggression, property destruction, or behaviors that require additional intervention. Occupational Therapy (OT) A therapy approach that helps children build everyday skills related to regulation, sensory needs, and independence. Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) A specialist who supports communication skills, including speech, language, social communication, and sometimes emotional or behavioral needs that impact interactions. Behavior Specialist A professional who helps identify patterns behind challenging behaviors and develops strategies and supports to help children succeed across settings. Emotional Regulation The ability to recognize, process, and manage emotions. Many children struggle with regulation when overwhelmed or stressed. Dysregulation A state where a child becomes overwhelmed and loses access to coping or self-regulation skills. We are not experts — just parents sharing what we're learning in real time. If any of these terms are new to you, you're not alone. We're learning too.

Introducing Kids Like Ours

In their very first episode, Bridgette and Molly share who they are, how they met, and the moments they realized parenting wasn’t going to look the way they thought it would. From early observations to formal diagnoses, school struggles, and everything in between, they open up about what it really means to raise kids like theirs. Resource Mentioned ⁠In a February episode of the Full-Tilt Parenting podcast titled:  A Conversation with Dr. Ross Greene About the Kids Who Aren’t Okay⁠ [https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DIiRK31v_5cw&ved=2ahUKEwj83qO6zLeUAxUUnysGHTjnI_MQkPEHegQIFRAB&usg=AOvVaw3LWfRY2-2dCFKGcREVae9s], Ross Greene discussed the idea of “the unlucky kids.” The idea resonated deeply with us: some children show pain quietly and receive comfort, while others show it through behaviors like yelling, hitting, running, or exploding and are often met with correction first. Terms Mentioned ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) A neurodevelopmental condition that affects attention, impulsivity, emotional regulation, and executive functioning. ADHD impacts much more than focus and activity levels. ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) A pattern of intense irritability, emotional reactivity, and resistance to demands that goes beyond typical childhood behavior. IEP (Individualized Education Program) A school plan that provides individualized supports and accommodations for students with identified needs. Sensory Processing Disorder Difficulty processing sensory information, which can lead children to seek or avoid certain sensory experiences. Neurodivergent / Neurodivergence A term describing brains that work differently from what is considered neurologically typical. RSD (Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria) An intense emotional reaction to real or perceived rejection, criticism, or disappointment. (Incorrectly referred to as Rejection Sensitivity Disorder in this episode) PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance / Persistent Drive for Autonomy) A profile involving extreme avoidance of demands, often connected to anxiety and a strong need for autonomy. Anxiety Persistent fear, worry, or nervous-system activation that can affect behavior and daily life. Trauma Emotional responses that can develop after difficult or overwhelming experiences. Occupational Therapy (OT) A therapy approach that helps children build everyday skills related to regulation, sensory needs, and independence. Invisible Disability Challenges that may not be visible to others, even though they significantly affect daily life. Dysregulation A state where a child becomes overwhelmed and loses access to coping or self-regulation skills. Fight, Flight, Freeze Automatic stress responses that can show up as aggression, avoidance, shutting down, or explosive behavior. Proprioception / Proprioceptive Input The body's sense of where it is in space. Some children seek movement, crashing, pressure, or rough play to help regulate. (Referred to as the "P" word in this episode.) Strong Sense of Justice Some neurodivergent children may be highly aware of fairness and rules, even while struggling with their own regulation. Anger Iceberg A framework showing that anger often sits on top of deeper emotions like sadness, fear, shame, or overwhelm. We are not experts — just parents sharing what we're learning in real time. If any of these terms are new to you, you're not alone. We're learning too.