S2_Ep-10: We Thought We Had a Plan… Hopeful Plans vs. Hard Reality

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1. 

   S3 · E5 · 15 Jul 2026 · 55 min

   S3_Ep-05: Who Has It Harder in a Special Needs Marriage?

   A few weeks ago we posted a reel about the roles each parent plays in a special needs marriage. It passed 70,000 views and lit up our comments, so this week we're unpacking what we actually meant. Jeff said one of us drew "the short end of the stick," and it ruffled feathers. In this episode we clarify that comment, talk through the roles of breadwinner and caregiver, and get honest about the resentment and burnout that nobody warns you about. After 24 years, here's how we've split the load without losing each other. CHAPTERS 0:00 The viral reel and why context gets lost 1:45 What "the short…

2. 

   S3 · E4 · 9 Jul 2026 · 58 min

   S3_Ep-04: Special Needs Parenting Took Away Our Ability to Plan the Future

   We had plans.That sounds simple, but when you are raising a child with profound special needs, plans come with an asterisk.In this episode, we talk about the part of special needs parenting that is hard to explain to people who have never lived it. It is not just that your child’s future changes. Your future changes too.This conversation started with a reel that hit a nerve because so many parents said the same thing: you can’t really plan when you never know what is coming next.If you are a special needs parent, caregiver, or family member living with the constant unknown, this episode is…

3. 

   S3 · E3 · 2 Jul 2026 · 57 min

   S3_Ep-03: The Pediatric Cliff: What Happens When a Special Needs Child Becomes an Adult?

   When Cason started aging out of pediatric care, we thought the hardest part would be finding new doctors. We were wrong. The harder part was walking into the adult medical world and realizing how different everything felt. For years, pediatric specialists knew Cason, understood his history, and treated him like a whole person. Then suddenly we were in adult offices where the records had not always been read, guardianship was not always understood, and people expected Cason to answer questions he could not understand. In this episode, we talk about the pediatric cliff, the transition from…

4. 

   S3 · E2 · 26 Jun 2026 · 54 min

   S3_Ep-02: Does raising a special needs child really lead to an 87% divorce rate?

   After one of our Instagram reels reached more than 180,000 views, hundreds of parents shared their stories, challenged the statistic, and started one of the most meaningful conversations we've ever had.In this episode, we revisit that viral reel, correct the misinformation, and talk about what the research actually says.More importantly, we talk about what the comments revealed.Special needs parents opened up about marriages that grew stronger, marriages that fell apart, single parenting, caregiver burnout, trauma bonding, financial stress, and the daily realities that most people never…

5. 

   S3 · E1 · 16 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 4 min

   S3_Ep-01: One Phone Call Changed the Next 10 Months of Our Lives

   After nearly a year away, we're back.What was supposed to be a simple three-day getaway turned into one of the hardest seasons we've faced as special needs parents.The day before our trip, our son Cason suffered a devastating ankle injury that required surgery and months of recovery. What followed was nine weeks of around-the-clock caregiving, medication complications, mobility challenges, emotional exhaustion, and the return of struggles we thought were behind us.At the same time, we were fighting another battle: a 30-month journey through the Social Security disability system. After…

6. 

   S2 · E9 · 12 Jun 2025 · 57 min

   S2_Ep-9: We Thought We Had a Plan… Hopeful Plans vs. Hard Reality

   Buckle up—this is the one where everything went sideways.In this raw, emotional, and at times chaotic episode, Kim and Jeff recount a whirlwind 24 hours that took them from hopeful to heartbroken. What started as a routine trip to Houston turned into a spiral of medication issues, ER visits, and total emotional overload.🎙️ They open up about:* How quickly Cason’s behavior escalated* Their experience navigating the hospital system (again)* What it feels like when every plan you made unravels in real timeThis is the reality of parenting a medically complex, special needs child. It’s…

7. 

   S2 · E8 · 6 Jun 2025 · 6 min

   S2_Ep-8.5: Life Interrupted: When Everything Happens at Once

   We’re calling this one Episode 8.5 — a special edition update from Jeff.Life doesn’t always go as planned — especially when you're raising a child with special needs. In this honest solo update, Jeff shares why there was no episode last week and what hit their family all at once:Kim’s melanoma diagnosis and emergency surgeryAnother frustrating Social Security denialA three-hour cardio-pulmonary test for CasonA high school graduation road tripThis isn’t just a delay. It’s a glimpse into the unpredictable, exhausting, and deeply human side of life behind the podcast.💬 New episode next week…

8. 

   S1 · E8 · 20 May 2025 · 48 min

   S2_Ep-8: Mental Health Awareness Month… for Families Like Ours

   "It’s Mental Health Awareness Month… but where is the awareness?"In this powerful episode of Specialness, Kim and Jeff open up about the realities of living with mental illness in the family, especially when your child’s life is shaped by complex diagnoses like bipolar disorder, autism, and schizophrenia spectrum symptoms.💬 In this episode:✔️ Why Mental Health Awareness Month still feels invisible✔️ What people get wrong about depression, hallucinations, and “invisible” struggles✔️ The silent grief of watching life pass you by while you're stuck surviving✔️ The failure of our healthcare…

9. 

   S1 · E7 · 20 May 2025 · 1 hr 4 min

   S2_Ep-7: The Disability System Is Failing Families Like Ours

   "We’ve done everything right. But that still wasn’t enough."For over two years, Kim and Jeff Kribs have been fighting to secure basic SSI benefits for their son, Cason—who is intellectually disabled, legally under guardianship, and cannot live independently.In this explosive episode of Specialness, they read aloud from the denial letters, dissect inaccurate evaluations from government-appointed doctors, and expose the broken system that so many special needs families are forced to navigate.💬 In this episode:✔️ The exhausting maze of paperwork, deadlines, and duplicate forms✔️ False claims…

10. 

    S2 · E6 · 2 May 2025 · 56 min

    S2_Ep-6: Did He Just Say That? Our Response to RFK Jr. and the Autism "Destroyed Families" Comment

    "Autism destroys families."That’s what Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said—and we had to respond.In this powerful and emotional episode, Kim and Jeff unpack their reaction to RFK Jr.’s comments about autism, disability, and the value of people who won’t “pay taxes” or “write a poem.”💬 In this episode:✔️ The truth about what life is like for their family and for Cason✔️ Why “destroy” is a dangerous word✔️ How stigma, lack of services, and government failure impact real families every day✔️ The difference between speaking truth and speaking harm✔️ Why Cason, despite all the challenges, is not a…