Complex Kids, Simple Solutions

In this conversation, Michelle sits down with Cyndi Abundabar Ting—special education teacher, longtime instructional aide, and special needs mom—to unpack one of the most misunderstood eligibility categories in special education: ED, or Emotional Disability.

Cyndi shares:
Why ED is often misunderstood. Many parents hear “emotional disability” and immediately think of extreme psychiatric diagnoses, but ED can also describe students whose daily emotional dysregulation, trauma responses, anxiety, or behavioral outbursts are significantly affecting their ability to access school.

What the signs can look like in real life. Frequent verbal or physical outbursts, shutting down, leaving class, refusing work, social overwhelm, unsafe reactions, or being unable to regulate in a classroom setting can all be clues that something deeper is going on.

Why schools don’t jump to this eligibility overnight. ED is not a label teams hand out casually. It requires observation, documentation, assessment, staff collaboration, parent input, and careful consideration of whether the child’s needs are being met in the current setting.

What placement can actually look like. From general education with supports, to pull-outs, to SDC classrooms, to highly supported therapeutic environments, Cyndi explains how placement depends on the individual child—and why the goal is always the least restrictive environment that still works.

The importance of thinking outside the box. For some complex kids, the usual eligibility boxes do not fully fit. Cyndi emphasizes the need for teams to stay open-minded, look holistically at the child, and consider what will actually help them succeed academically, emotionally, and socially.

Quote to tape on the fridge:
“You are enough. You are doing the best you can with the resources you have.”

Whether your child is struggling with behaviors, emotional regulation, trauma, or an eligibility that just doesn’t seem to fit, Cyndi’s message is clear: you are not alone, and sometimes the right support starts with asking different questions.

👤 About Cyndi Abundabar Ting
Cyndi Abundabar Ting brings over 20 years of experience in special education as both an instructional aide and teacher. She has worked in emotionally focused programs, non-public school settings, and with students across a wide range of needs. She is also a parent of a child with special needs, which gives her both professional and personal insight into the IEP journey.

🔗 Connect with Cyndi
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neurodiversenanay/

#ComplexKidsSimpleSolutions #SpecialEducation #EmotionalDisability #IEPHelp #ParentAdvocacy #ComplexKids #NeurodiverseKids #SpecialNeedsParenting #MichelleChoairy #CyndiAbundabarTing

In this conversation, Michelle sits down with Pennie Wilson, mental fitness coach and founder of Kokoro Creators, to unpack one of the hardest truths parents of complex kids face: sometimes the chaos doesn’t go away—but we can learn how to find calm inside it.

Pennie shares:
From survival mode to mental fitness. After 17 years in a controlling marriage, Pennie found herself completely disconnected from her own sense of power. Her journey through healing, meditation, and personal growth eventually led her to create a framework that helps parents reclaim control of their thoughts and emotional responses.

Why calm parents create calmer kids. When parents operate from anxiety, overwhelm, and constant urgency, kids absorb that energy. But when a parent slows down and becomes grounded—even for a few minutes—it changes the emotional climate of the entire home.

The storm and the sun mindset. Pennie teaches parents to notice where their attention lives: the storm (everything going wrong) or the sun (the direction they want their life to move). Shifting attention—even slightly—changes the way the brain processes stress.

The 4R framework for resetting your mind.
Recognize what feels heavy.
Remove the belief that’s keeping you stuck.
Replace it with a new perspective.
Reimagine the outcome you want to create.

The ripple effect of self-awareness. Instead of trying to fix kids or control every behavior, Pennie focuses on helping parents strengthen their own emotional awareness first—because that inner change naturally influences the whole family.

Quote to tape on the fridge:
“When the world feels like a hurricane, your breath can become the calm in the center.”
Whether you're juggling therapies, school meetings, meltdowns, or the never-ending mental load of parenting a complex kid, Pennie’s message is simple: when you learn to regulate your own mind, you give your child a calmer place to land.

👤 About Pennie Wilson

Pennie Wilson is a mental fitness coach and the founder of Kokoro Creators, a program designed to help parents reconnect with their purpose, regulate their emotions, and build resilience through meditation, mindset tools, and community support.

🔗 Connect with Pennie Wilson & Kokoro Creators
Website: https://kokorocreators.com/

#ComplexKidsSimpleSolutions #MentalFitness #ParentingComplexKids #MomCalm #EmotionalRegulation #KokoroCreators #ParentSelfCare

In this conversation, Michelle sits down with Dara Wax, founder of SAM+LEO, to unpack the missing market no one was really talking about: clean, teen-friendly supplements that support energy, sleep, stress, immunity, and eye health, without the junk, the shame, or the “what’s wrong with me?” messaging.

Dara shares:
A global-health career that turned into a kitchen-table mission. After years working in vaccine advocacy and global health—including at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation—Dara stepped back from international travel as her own sons’ needs became more complex, and started building the product she wished existed for her own family.
Why “supporting” beats “fixing.” As a mom of two teen boys navigating anxiety, OCD, ADHD, and learning challenges, Dara realized the language matters. Kids do not need to feel broken—they need tools, support, and reminders that they are already amazing.

The missing shelf between kids’ gummies and adult supplements. Dara saw that tweens and teens were either ignored altogether or pushed toward energy drinks, adult products, and unhealthy coping tools. SAM+LEO was created to fill that gap with clean gummies teens will actually take.

A smarter swap for the real-world stuff teens reach for. Energy gummies instead of energy drinks. Relax support instead of turning toward vaping or other risky coping habits. Eye-health gummies for the screen-heavy generation. Sleep, immunity, and stress support that meets kids where they already are.

From zero stores to Whole Foods. In a huge leap, SAM+LEO went from no retail presence to launching in 50 Whole Foods stores, after Dara was selected as one of only 10 brands out of 1,600 applicants in the store’s accelerator program.

Quote to tape on the fridge:
“We’re not fixing our kids—we’re supporting them.”
Whether your child is anxious, exhausted, screen-tired, gluten-sensitive, overbooked, or just trying to survive adolescence, Dara’s message is simple: small, thoughtful supports can make a big difference—and our kids deserve tools that honor who they are.
👤 About Dara Wax
Dara Wax is a seasoned global health strategist and the founder of SAM+LEO, a clean gummy vitamin brand designed to support teen mental wellness and everyday health. A mom of two teen boys with their own mental health and learning needs, Dara combines personal experience with public-health expertise to help families find practical, supportive tools for real life.

🔗 Connect with Dara & SAM+LEO
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darawax/
Instagram: @shopsamandleo

In this conversation, Michelle sits down with Dr. Theresa Lyons—international autism educator, Ivy League scientist, and autism parent—to make autism research finally feel usable in real life. Through her platform Navigating AWEtism, Dr. Lyons breaks down overwhelming science into clear, actionable steps that help parents move from confusion to confidence.

Dr. Lyons shares:
Why parents feel stuck (and it’s not your fault). Autism information is everywhere, but it’s often contradictory, jargon-heavy, and impossible to apply when you’re already juggling therapies, school, and daily life.
Science you can actually use. With her Yale-trained lens, Dr. Lyons teaches parents how to translate research into practical choices—what matters, what doesn’t, and what to try next.
A roadmap, not random advice. Instead of bouncing between tips, trends, and “miracle fixes,” she explains how families can follow a structured plan that supports real progress over time.
Evidence-based strategies across the globe. Dr. Lyons has worked with parents in 21+ countries, showing that clarity and consistent strategy can change outcomes—regardless of where you live.
Clarity + confidence = momentum. When parents understand the “why” behind interventions, they stop second-guessing, communicate better with providers, and feel more empowered in every decision.
Quote to tape on the fridge:
“Parents don’t need more information—they need a clear, actionable roadmap they can actually follow.”
Whether you’re new to a diagnosis or years into the journey, this episode helps you replace overwhelm with direction—and take the next step with confidence.
👤 About Dr. Theresa Lyons
Dr. Theresa Lyons is an international autism educator, Ivy League scientist (PhD from Yale), and autism parent. She is the founder and CEO of Navigating AWEtism, a platform dedicated to transforming complex autism science into clear, step-by-step guidance for families—so parents can make evidence-based decisions with clarity and confidence.
🔗 Connect with Dr. Theresa Lyons & Navigating AWEtism
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NavigatingAWEtism
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/navigating_awetism/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NavigatingAWEtism
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/theresamlyonsphd/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@navigatingawetism
Website: https://navigatingawetism.com/
More: https://awetism.net/

#ComplexKidsSimpleSolutions #NavigatingAWEtism #AutismSupport #AutismParenting #NeurodivergentKids #EvidenceBasedParenting #SpecialNeedsParenting #AutismEducation #ParentAdvocacy

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In this powerful episode of Complex Kids, Simple Solutions, Michelle sits down with parenting coach and BCBA Melissa Schulz to unpack what actually helps when parenting strong-willed, highly sensitive, and neurodivergent kids.
With 20 years of professional experience—and lived experience as a mom of neurodiverse kids—Melissa shares why so many behavior plans fail families, how guilt keeps parents stuck, and what it looks like to meet kids (and parents) where they truly are.
This conversation is honest, grounding, and deeply validating for parents who are exhausted from “doing everything right” and still struggling.
Melissa shares:
Why Behavior Isn’t the Problem: How focusing only on stopping behaviors misses the real needs kids are trying to communicate.
The Limits of Traditional ABA: Why handouts, “just ignore it,” and perfect plans fall apart in real family life.
The Power of Baby Steps: How unrealistic expectations set kids—and parents—up to fail, and why slow progress is real progress.
Regulating the Parent First: Why nervous system work for parents is the missing piece in behavior change.
Dropping the “Should”: How letting go of comparison and timelines can restore joy and connection.
Skills Over Control: Why kids do well when they can, not when they’re forced to comply.
Quote to Tape on the Fridge:
“It’s not your child’s job to learn the way you teach. It’s your job to teach the way they learn.”
👤 About Melissa Schulz
Melissa Schulz is a parenting coach, board-certified behavior analyst, and counselor who supports families raising complex kids. After building and running a large ABA company, Melissa shifted her work to focus on parents—bridging the gap between clinical knowledge and real-life parenting. Her work centers on compassion, regulation, and practical strategies that actually fit into daily life.
🔗 Connect with Melissa Schulz
Facebook: www.facebook.com/confidentlymommin
Instagram: www.instagram.com/confidentlymommin