The Village Lantern Podcast

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A podcast for families living with hidden challenges, such as autism and other neurodiverse or hidden conditions...and for anyone else wanting to understand, love and support. Hosted by Anna Oxley-Rintoul, mum of three neurodivergent kids and founder of Takes a Village. With co-hosts Jordan Sandler, CEO of CareNow, and fellow mums Annabel Rattigan and Char Adorjan. We talk to individuals, parents, experts and community leaders to bring light and love to families living with hidden challenges associated with neurodiverse conditions.

Anna Oxley Rintoul and Co-Hosts


    • Dec 14, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 40m AVG DURATION
    • 32 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Village Lantern Podcast

    S4 - Ep 1 Transition to High School

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2024 40:23


    After a loooong break from recording due to life and curveballs (our Villagers will understand), Anna, Bel and Char are back. We talk about our fears, experience and hope as our neurodivergent 12 year olds finish primary school, and head into high school. We also update listeners on our name change, and share that our conversations from now on will also be on YouTube! https://youtu.be/EWjlNoxJoFc The Village Podcast (previously the Village Lantern Podcast)

    S3 Ep 9 - Disordered Eating in ND kids

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2024 39:55


    A conversation with one of our treasured Villagers about navigating eating disorders and neurodiversity. A first hand account and one we know many will relate to. Please note that this episode contains discussion of eating disorders that some people may find distressing.

    S3 Ep 8 - Sleep - The true night terrors

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2024 38:54


    In this ep Char shares her horror story of sleep with her ND kids. We know this is a real thing for many of our Villagers and would love to hear your experiences too. Contact us on Insta @thevillagelanternpodcast

    S3 Ep 7- ChristMESS incoming!

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2023 34:10


    ChristMESS incoming!…as Anna, Bel and Char drag themselves to the 2023 finish line, they chat about the discomfort and joy of navigating the festive season and long summer hols in neurodivergent families. Grab a sherry/Aperol and a fistful of chocolate and come and have a listen… Show notes: Find our script for how to respond to some of the comments we get from family and friends about our ND kids and our parenting. Go to www.takesavillage.com.au, register with your email and go to Village Support.

    S3 Ep 6 - Dr Ross Greene download

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2023 38:00


    Bel interviews Anna on her recent workshop with the incredible Dr Ross Greene. Dr Greene has developed a child-lead, exploratory approach to understanding the root of challenging behaviours and how to address the needs, rather than the behaviours. It's gold. Show notes: https://drrossgreene.com/about-cps.htm https://livesinthebalance.org/

    S3 Ep 5 - ADHD musings

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2023 39:58


    Anna and Bel share their thoughts and discoveries about how ADHD shows up in their families.

    S3 Ep 4 - Fit your oxygen mask first

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2023 41:19


    Mental health for parents and carers of neurodivergent kids is hard to prioritise and maintain. Anna, Bel and Char talk about their own experiences and share some of what they have learned.

    S3 Ep 2 - School Again - Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2023 40:06


    We talk about the gnarly topic of school and its challenges for ND kids. It's only ever a small slice of the reality but it's such a big one for Villagers.

    S3 Ep 3 - School Again - Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2023 24:52


    Second half of Ep 2. There is never enough time to cover this gnarly topic.

    S3 Ep 1 - Lael Stone - Compassion, Connection and Acceptance

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 7, 2023 81:05


    Kicking off Season 3 with the beautiful Lael Stone. Lael Stone is a speaker, educator and author who defines her passion as “supporting parents to understand their children, helping adults process their own childhood trauma and creating education systems that value emotional awareness."  In this conversation we talk about the importance of compassion, connection and acceptance in the context of parenting neurodivergent kids.

    S2 Ep 12 - Working and Burnout

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2023 45:32


    In this conversation, Anna, Bel and Char talk about the many challenges of working while raising neurodivergent kids. All families trying to make this delicate balance work will tell you it's a struggle, but when you add the Additional and complex needs  of ND kids it's a whole new level of challenge. We talk about the daily tribulations, the decisions some families make to step away and the inevitable burnout that effects so many of us.

    S2 Ep 11 - Siblings

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2023 44:43


    Anna, Bel and Char talk about the extra, extra challenges of parenting more than one child with neurodivergent conditions. The fighting, the despair, and even the good bits!

    S2 Ep 10 - Education

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2023 45:44


    Anna, Bel and Char scratch the surface of educating kids with hidden challenges.  We talk about the complex, ongoing struggle of supporting our kids through the school years.

    S2 Ep 9 - Jordan is back and HoopNow

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2023 39:39


    We welcome back Jordan and talk to Scott McCarney, COO of HoopNow, a basketball program for kids with additional needs.

    S2 Ep 8 - Quick update and introducing Takes A Village

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2023 3:28


    Quick update on some updates to the podcast and introducing Takes A Village, an organisation supporting families living with kids with hidden challenges.

    S2 Ep 7 - Just diagnosed...what does it all mean?

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2022 34:55


    In this episode Anna, Char and Bel talk about what it's like going through the process of getting a diagnosis of a neurodiverse condition for your child.

    S2 Ep 6 - Introducing Bel and Char

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2022 34:33


    Meet Bel Rattigan and Char Adorjan, our new co-hosts joining the Village Lantern Podcast. In this episode we get to know Bel and Char, talk about how we met, our shared joy and struggles parenting neurodiverse kids, and our hopes to change the world around them.

    S2 Ep 5 - Breaking News

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2022 5:58


    A short episode to share some exciting news about bringing on two additional co-hosts to the Village Lantern family - Annabel Rattigan and Char Adorjan join Jordan and Anna.

    S2 Ep 4 - Community leaders - Saint Kilda Football Club - Kate Shierlaw

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2022 39:35


    Kate Shierlaw is the Community Engagement Support Officer and an AFLW athlete at the St Kilda Football Club. In this conversation, we talk to Kate about the SaintsPlay program at the Club, which provides the opportunity for kids with intellectual and development disorders to learn footy skills, and be a part of the Saints community. We also talk about Kate's passions for the other inclusion programs offered by the club, for AFLW, and playing her part in making footy accessible for all.

    S2 EP3 - Personal Insight - Living in a neurotypical world as a neurodivergent teenager - Lola

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2022 42:16


    Meet Lola. A brilliant, funny and articulate teenager living with ASD and ADHD. In this conversation, we talk about the experience of being diagnosed, identity, friendship, gender and living in a neurotypical world.

    S2 Ep 2 - Youth community changing lives one camp at a time. Flying Fox Dean Cohen

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2022 53:02


    We talk to the inspiring and brilliant Dean Cohen, CEO of Flying Fox and AOM. Since 2014, Flying Fox has connected kids with special needs with the wider community through exciting youth organised camps. The network is comprised of volunteer buddies and campers to create positive social interactions in a fun and safe environment. Flying Fox is dedicated to building an inclusive community. In this conversation we talk about the campers, camp leaders and parents, who all love this brilliant and vital service.

    S2 Ep 1 - Anna and Jordan are back!

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 19, 2022 63:37


    Season 2 finally launched. Anna and Jordan talk about what's been going on and what's ahead for the Village Lantern Podcast.

    S1 Ep 10 - Insight with the lot - personal experience, parenting, teaching and advocacy. Tal Spinrad. Part 2.

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2020 37:44


    Tal Spinrad is a career Jewish educator and advocate for change with over three decades of experience working within all aspects of the Jewish community. Combining the passion of Ezekiel, with the humour of Mel Brooks, Tal uses both modern and traditional narratives to engage and reveal insights.In this episode, Tal shares his personal experiences of growing up with autism, as well as parenting two autistic kids. He uses his gift for story telling to paint a colourful and insightful picture to which we we can all relate.

    S1 Ep 9 - Expert Insight: Education, communication and understanding with deep care and love - Sarah Wright

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 14, 2020 47:15


    Sarah Wright started her career as a high school English teacher, and went on to become an educational psychologist. Sarah spent 16 years at a special school for children with intellectual disability and co-morbid disabilities, a place she calls her "true love". Sarah then qualified as a clinical psychologist, and continues to work with special needs kids, as well as with parents and young adults with 'extra zing'. Sarah is kind, funny and thoughtful and is deretmined to see the whole person, beyond any label or diagnosis. She has a beautiful gift for connecting with love, generosity and a palpable commitment to helping humans be understood, cared for and loved.

    S1 Ep 8 - Parenting : With love, protection and comedy - Rodney Marks

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2020 45:48


    Rodney has been a comedian since 1991 using 'hoaxes and jokeses' to bring light and joy to private and public events and corporate sessions. Rodney is hilarious as well as deeply kind and caring and has a beautiful knack for exploring the human experience with both lightness and depth. In this conversation, Rodney shares the inspiring, unique and ultimately awe-inspiring journey of one of his boys, who is (though never formally diagnosed) most likely somewhere on the autism spectrum.

    S1 Ep 7 - Rethinking Autism: Positivity, a mother's love and changing lives - Chris Varney - Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 28, 2020 38:42


    Chris Varney is the founder and CEO of the first-of-its-kind I CAN Network. Chris's vision of a 'Rethink on Autism' is a shift from a deficits-focussed approach to a strengths-based one, and one that has touched and benefitted the lives of thousands of Autistics. In this episode we hear about how Chris made his dream of changing lives come true.

    S1 Ep 6 - Expert insight : How awareness and understanding of ASD has changed in psychology and education: Deirdre Brandner

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2020 47:14


    Deirdre started as a primary school teacher, and was driven to become a psychologist after seeing kids in the classroom struggling, and who were not receiving the support they needed. Deirdre has been a fully registered child psychologist (AHPRA) for over 20 years and with her interest in Autism Spectrum Disorder. We talk to Deirdre about kids, the education system, families, and the gifts and joys our extra 'zing' kids bring to the world.

    S1 Ep 5 - Insight with the lot - personal experience, parenting, teaching and advocacy. Tal Spinrad. Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2020 40:33


    Tal Spinrad is a career Jewish educator and advocate for change with over three decades of experience working within all aspects of the Jewish community. Combining the passion of Ezekiel, with the humour of Mel Brooks, Tal uses both modern and traditional narratives to engage and reveal insights.In this episode, Tal shares his personal experiences of growing up with autism, as well as parenting two autistic kids. He uses his gift for story telling to paint a colourful and insightful picture to which we we can all relate

    S1 Ep 4 - Expert insight : Developmental paediatrician explains autism from a medical view point - Dr Annie Moulden

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2020 46:55


    How is ASD diagnosed in the medical world and how does it impact individuals?

    S1 Ep 3 - Rethinking Autism: Positivity, a mother's love and advocacy - Chris Varney - Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2020 40:29


    Chris Varney is the founder and CEO of the first-of-its-kind I CAN Network. Chris has a mind-blowing CV, including graduating law, being recognised as the Australian Youth Representative to the UN, the World Vision Australia's Manager of Youth in 2009, and the recipient of the 2017 Supreme Court of Victoria's Best Achievement in Human Rights Award. Chris also serves as National Patron of the Australian Association for Special Education and is on the Advisory Board of Learning Creates Australia.

    S1 Ep 1 - Meet Anna and Jordan

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2020 32:26


    Anna and Jordan are a full generation apart (they think...). In this intro episode, they share their story of how they came together to bring light and love to the community living with hidden challenges. They chat about how they met, how they landed in this community, and what they want to achieve with this podcast and their lives!

    S1 Ep 2 - Community Leaders Lighting the Way - Hawthorn Football Club and Justin Reeves

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2020 41:26


    The Hawthorn Football has social inclusion as a key pillar of their community strategy. CEO Justin Reeves and General Manager of Foundation and Community, Kerrie Brewer join us to talk about their role as community leaders, and the responsibility that comes with having the influence over a significant proponent of Victoria and broader Australia, and their admirable and innovative social inclusion initiatives.

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