When Grandparents Shift Their Expectations: Supporting Your Neurodivergent Grandchild

JOIN CHRISTMAS IN JULY- a place to connect, receive free gifts, and have a little fun! If you've ever wished the people around you just got it — this episode is for you. Greer sits down with Jennifer Kaufman, school principal, author, and grandmother to a grandson with autism, to talk about what it actually looks like when extended family shows up well — and what gets in the way. Jennifer brings a rare perspective. She's spent her career in autism education, but when her own grandchild was diagnosed, she had to learn something different: how to set aside the expert hat and just be grandma. That shift wasn't automatic. It was intentional. Together, Greer and Jennifer get honest about the expectation piece (the holiday table you imagined vs. the one that's actually yours), the advice trap that even well-meaning grandparents fall into, and what it really means to be a safe space — not just a safe person. Plus: the small gestures that land hardest, why an offer feels so different from a request when you're already stretched thin, and a reminder worth holding onto — neurodiverse people aren't giving us a hard time. They're having a hard time. 📖 Jennifer's book is linked below.  Also mentioned: The Blue Envelope Program — a simple tool to help keep neurodivergent people safer during police encounters. Search "Blue Envelope Program" to find it in your area. The Wonder Project: Subscriber support makes more great content like I Gotta Ask with Annie F. Downs possible. The Wonder Project subscription on Prime Video is available in the U.S. for $8.99/month or $89.99/year after a 7-day free trial.Visit IGottaAsk.com to learn more! GUEST LINKS: Check out Jennifer's book GET THE LINKS ⁠⁠⁠The Unfinished Idea Website Join the Unfinished Community Exhausted to Empowered Course Follow me on socials: ⁠⁠⁠INSTAGRAM⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠FACEBOOK⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices