Show Notes
Need a smile today? This episode is your dose of joy.
Aria—my 9-year-old stepdaughter and fan favorite—is back on the podcast and taking over the mic. From overcoming her fear of water to her growing love for Stranger Things and Taylor Swift, Aria is full of heart, humor, and surprises. Stick around to the end for her incredible rendition of “NeverEnding Story.” You don’t want to miss it.
Aria shares her world in a way only a neurodivergent kid can. Whether you’re a parent of autistic children or just need a boost of hope, this episode is a reminder that progress comes in many forms—and joy is often found in the little things.
Link to Aria's Minecraft Movie Review: https://pod.fo/e/2c91bc
What we talk about in this episode:
Aria’s 9th birthday update and summer highlights
Overcoming fear of water through swim lessons
Her experience at bike camp and learning to ride
Confidence-building moments and milestones
Music class, school talent shows, and performing on stage
What it was like to take a photo with the mayor
Her love for Stranger Things (with a disclaimer for younger kids)
A behind-the-scenes look at our dog Kacie and birthday plans
Aria’s live performance of “NeverEnding Story” from Stranger Things
Support our amazing sponsors:
🧠 Mama Bird – Brain-focused multivitamins for kids, created by a neurologist mom. Get 20% off your first order:
lovemamabird.com/theautismdad
🎮 Mightier – Help your child learn emotional regulation through video games backed by science. Mightier has been a game-changer for my family.
Try it free for 30 days: mightier.com/theautismdad
Love what you hear?
Subscribe to The Autism Dad Podcast on your favorite app.
Check out past episodes and resources at listen.theautismdad.com.
Join the conversation on Instagram: @theautismdad
Want to support the show or be a guest? Visit theautismdad.com
About Rob Gorski:
Rob Gorski is an autism advocate, content creator, and father of three autistic sons. He’s the founder of The Autism Dad platform and host of The Autism Dad Podcast. Rob’s mission is to support and empower families raising neurodivergent kids through honest conversations, lived experience, and practical advice.
theautismdad.com
About Aria:
Aria is a vibrant 9-year-old who loves music, dogs, Stranger Things, and making people laugh. She’s been featured in multiple episodes of the podcast and brings her unique perspective and big heart to everything she does.
Let me know if you’d like a short social post or YouTube short setup for this episode.
More from The Autism Dad
This episode is presented by Mightier.
Stephanie Kerns was a teacher before she was an autism mom, and the only autism she had seen up close was in boys. So when her daughter started putting sponges in her mouth and echoing every question back in the exact tone it was asked, the first read was a speech delay.
This episode is presented by Mightier.
This episode is sponsored by PESI. Nicole Carbone's son Luca is almost four, nonspeaking, and diagnosed with Level 2 autism. When he can't tell her what he needs, he bangs his head on whatever is closest. His pain tolerance is high enough that the thing strangers always say, that he'll stop before he really hurts himself, is just not true. In this Seen and Heard conversation, Nicole talks about the communication barrier underneath the self injury, the AAC device she hopes will ease it, and what it was like to separate her twins into different preschools so Luca could get what he needed. She also talks about the best 40 seconds of her life so far, the day he looked right at her and said "hi mommy" for the first time, and she got it on video. Then there's the part aimed at the rest of us. A stranger at the park watched Luca hum and asked her if he ever shuts that motor off. And inside the autism community, Nicole says the hardest thing about a Level 2 diagnosis is not the diagnosis. It's the comparing. Her advice is blunt and it applies to every level: don't compare your kid to any other kid. Nicole is the founder and president of The NEST Project, a nonprofit serving families in Pennsylvania and Ohio that buys what insurance won't cover for kids with special needs. Find them at nestcares.org. SPONSORThis episode is sponsored by PESI. Their 2026 Kids and Teens Autism Symposium runs November 18 and 19, online, and it is neuro-affirming the whole way through. There is a full session on demand avoidance, for every kid who got called defiant when it was really their nervous system, and another on kids who mask so well they get treated for anxiety instead of what is actually going on. Two hundred dollars for both days, up to 18 CE hours, and a 30 day replay if you cannot be there live. Built for clinicians, and parents can register too. pesi.com/theautismdad Rob's book, So Your Child Was Just Diagnosed with Autism, comes out December 29, 2026. Preorder at theautismdad.com/book.
Melvin Lopez is autistic. So is his five year old son, Mateo. And the first thing Melvin does in this conversation is take apart the assumption that those two facts give them something in common.