Parenting With a Chronic Illness - Part 1

Krystal shares a raw health update: she's become critically unwell, has lost around 40% of her body weight since December, and is now "fighting for my life", as doctors investigate complex conditions alongside lupus and epilepsy, with a feeding tube needed to stop starvation. She explains the podcast will shift to documenting parenting through chronic illness in real time, including the realities of private specialist care, funding strain and gaps in New Zealand's helath system, while holding onto hope, humour and moments of connection with her kids.

Krystal continues her story from where she left off after Harmony's birth, tracing how childhood experiences, family violence, and an abusive relationship shaped her parenting philosophy — and how leaving that relationship let her raise Harmony on her own terms, through hard years of healing, cultural connection, and learning to parent a neurodivergent child. The turning point came with The Incredible Years, a child-centered program that gave language to what she'd always instinctively believed: that connection and relationship are the foundation of healing. She closes with a call to parent — and live — in ways that build the kind of world we want to be part of.

In this episode, host Krystal steps away from the guest chair to share her own story. From a turbulent childhood marked by family violence and years of running from school and home, to the truancy and youth aide officer who showed her what safe boundaries could feel like - Krystal traces the roots of the parenting philosophy she now teaches. She opens up about becoming a mum at 18, the guilt of struggling with postnatal depression and how that journey pushed her into social work and eventually, into helping other whānau build parenting practices rooted in connection, boundaries and healing intergenerational patterns. Honest, vulnerable and grounded in te ao Māori, this is the story behind the podcast.

The invisible challenges of chronic illness don't end when the day begins, and neither does parenting. In Part 2 of this kōrero, Harmony Hanover and Krystal Burrell continue their heartfelt conversation about raising children while living with a chronic illness. They explore the importance of self-compassion, navigating changing expectations, accepting help, and finding ways to stay connected with your tamariki, even on the hardest days. A reassuring kōrero for parents and whānau, reminding us that being a good parent isn't about being perfect, it's about showing up with love, in whatever way you can.

What does a typical day really look like when you're parenting a child with severe disabilities? In the final episode of this three-part kōrero, Krystal Burrell and Harmony Hanover take listeners inside the everyday realities of family life. They share the exhaustion, fear, frustration and constant problem-solving that often goes unseen, while also celebrating the strength, community and unexpected connections that have carried them through. An honest, heartfelt conversation that reminds us of the power of aroha, understanding and standing alongside one another.