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Hi Pod! I'm Dad.Author: James Guttman
James Guttman, the dad behind "Hi Blog! I'm Dad", on raising a non-verbal teenager with Autism and a neurotypical teenage daughter. A show dedicated to positive special needs parenting and centered around his journey from Autism Awareness to Autism Acceptance to Autism Appreciation. Language: en-us Genres: Health & Fitness, Kids & Family, Mental Health, Parenting Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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My Nonverbal Son Never Pretends
Episode 279
Thursday, 12 March, 2026
This week on Hi Pod! I’m Dad, I talk about something I’ve come to admire about my son Lucas as he’s gotten older: he never pretends.Lucas is a nonverbal teenager with profound autism, and one of the things that stands out to me more and more is how real he is. He can’t fake a smile. He can’t hug someone just to be polite. If he’s happy, you see it. If he’s excited to see you, you know it. Everything about him is genuine.I think about how many people spend time telling the world who they are — funny, generous, authentic — while Lucas simply shows you. There’s no performance, no pretending, and no trying to be the person someone else expects.Years ago, when Lucas was very young, I worried I might never understand him without words. What I didn’t realize then is that I would end up understanding him better than most people I’ve ever met.This episode is about authenticity, parenting, and why sometimes the person who says the least can still teach you the most.It's Here! Get the book – “Hi World, I’m Dad: How Fathers Can Journey to Autism Awareness, Acceptance, and Appreciation” on audio, digital, or print.Follow Us On TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Also, be sure to read the blog that started it all - Hi Blog! I'm Dad.











