Episodes

103
Aug. 7, 2026

The Tragedy of Parker Wells | Episode 103

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy. There are some episodes that are harder to record than others, and this is one of them. Today I'm talking about a story that hit incredibly close to home as the father of an 11-year-old non-speaking autistic son. The heartbreaking loss of Parker Wells reminded me that one of the greatest fears in autism parenting is that a child who elopes could disappear in a matter of moments. I hope this conversation encourages special needs parenting communities, first responders...
102
July 31, 2026

Bedtime Battles and Autism: Practical Tips That Helped Our Family

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy. If you're living through sleepless nights with your autistic child, I want you to know something right away. You're not alone, and there is hope. In this episode, Kailee and I open up about one of the hardest seasons we've ever faced as parents. For years, sleep felt impossible. We dealt with endless nighttime wakeups, anxiety, exhaustion, bedtime battles, and wondering if life would ever feel normal again. Now that Wyatt is 11 years old, we can finally look back a...
101
July 24, 2026

Dad Talk with Evan Rosenblum | From TMZ to Full-Time Dad, Finding Purpose Through Special Needs Parenting

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy. Today I had the privilege of sitting down with fellow special needs dad, Evan Rosenblum. You may recognize Evan from his years as an executive producer at TMZ, but behind that successful career is a father whose life changed forever when his daughter Sydney was born at just 25 weeks. She lives with severe cerebral palsy and is nonverbal, yet her life is filled with joy, determination, and purpose. This conversation is about so much more than diagnoses. It's about fat...
100
July 17, 2026

Episode 100! Hope, Healing, and Forward Motion

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy. I honestly can't believe we're celebrating 100 episodes of Spectrum in Camouflage. What started as a simple idea has become something much bigger than I ever imagined. Looking back over these past two years, I'm incredibly thankful for everyone who has listened, shared an episode, or reached out with your own story. In this special episode, Kailee and I reflect on how this podcast began, what we've learned along the way, and why hope continues to be the foundation o...
99
July 10, 2026

With Kailee: The Busiest Weekend of the Year

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy. I hope you're having a great week! This episode is a little different because Kailee joins me to look back on one of the busiest and most emotional weekends of our year. We talk about our hometown festival, our annual 5K for Autism, raising a child with profound autism, and learning to let go of unrealistic expectations. If you've ever felt like your family's life doesn't look like everyone else's, this conversation is for you. We share what we've learned about find...
98
July 3, 2026

Independence Day Reflections, Family, and Finding Hope

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy. Happy Independence Day! I hope you and your family have an incredible Fourth of July weekend. This week, I'm sharing a little bit of what's happening in our world as our hometown Fireman's Festival kicks off. Serving our community has always filled me with purpose, and it's a reminder that investing in the next generation matters. More importantly, I want to share some exciting progress we're seeing with Wyatt. For years, sleep has been one of our biggest challeng...
97
June 26, 2026

The Hidden Power of Gratitude

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy. Happy Friday! I hope you've had an incredible week. Around here, summer is flying by. Between getting ready for our hometown Fireman's Festival, planning our Autism 5K, and spending time with family, life has been full. It reminded me how important community really is and how much serving others fills our hearts. This week, I watched a video by Dr. Johnny Miles that shared 10 fascinating facts about the human body and brain. Some of the points challenged the way I t...
96
June 18, 2026

The Power of WHY?

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy. This week, Kailee joins me again for a conversation about one of the hardest questions parents ask themselves: "Why?" Why our child? Why our family? Why does life sometimes feel so unfair? As parents raising a child with profound needs, we know firsthand how easy it is to get stuck in the endless cycle of asking questions that may never have answers. We also know how damaging those questions can become when they pull us toward frustration, resentment, and hopelessn...
95
June 12, 2026

With Kailee: ... And The Real Cause Was Stress

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy. Today, Kailee is back on the podcast, and we're catching up on everything that's been happening in our lives over the past several weeks. From birthdays and family time to health journeys, stress management, journaling, and raising a child on the autism spectrum, this conversation is honest, relatable, and packed with lessons we've been learning in real time. One thing we've both realized is that sometimes the biggest challenges aren't physical. Sometimes the hardes...
94
June 5, 2026

5 Things I Would Tell Myself 10 Years Ago

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy. Thank you for spending a little time with me today. This episode is a personal reflection on parenting, mental health, autism, faith, and the lessons I've learned over the last 11 years raising my son Wyatt. When I started Spectrum in Camouflage, my goal was simple. I wanted to spread autism awareness and support families who were walking a similar path. I never imagined the podcast would continue growing into a place where parents, caregivers, and families could fi...
93
May 29, 2026

Dad Talk with Zack Ponder: There is No Normal Life, It's Just Life

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy. Life can feel overwhelming when you're raising a child with autism, caring for a loved one through illness, or simply trying to make it through another difficult day. In this episode, I sit down with my friend Zach Ponder for a deeply personal conversation about mindset, faith, anxiety, gratitude, and the challenges that come with caregiving. We talk openly about profound autism, cancer, fear, healing, burnout, parenting, and what it means to keep showing up when li...
92
May 22, 2026

With Josh Stively from 1st Phorm: Purpose, Mindset, and Community

Hey, What’s Up! It’s Tommy. I sat down with Josh Stively from 1st Phorm, and what started as a conversation about health and mindset quickly turned into a deep discussion about purpose, burnout, fatherhood, anxiety, faith, community, and the reality caregivers face every single day. If you are raising a child with autism or profound needs, this episode is for you. If you feel exhausted, isolated, overwhelmed, or like your own health has fallen to the bottom of the list, this episode is for yo...
91
May 14, 2026

With Coach Steve Krebs: Action Alleviates Anxiety, Simple Mental Health Habits That Actually Work

Hey, What’s Up! It’s Tommy. I sat down with Coach Steve Krebs to talk honestly about anxiety, mental health, stress, and what it actually looks like to take care of yourself when life feels overwhelming. If you’re raising a child with autism, caring for someone with special needs, or simply carrying more pressure than people realize, this conversation is for you. We talked about the fear of the unknown and how anxiety pulls us out of reality and into future scenarios that may never happen. Ste...
90
May 7, 2026

With Kailee: Exhaustion, Aging, Exercise, and Laundry

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy. This episode of Spectrum in Camouflage is one of the most honest and emotional conversations we’ve had in a while. Kailee joins me as we talk about the reality of parenting a profoundly autistic child, the emotions that can sneak up on you, and how easy it is to get pulled into fear about the future. What started as a simple conversation about laundry piles, marriage communication, and everyday life turned into a much deeper discussion about what it feels like to ca...
89
April 30, 2026

Mental Health Awareness Month, Real Strategies That Actually Help

Hey, What’s Up! It’s Tommy. I wanted to jump on and kick off something really important this month. We’re heading into Mental Health Awareness Month, and this has become a core part of my life. Not just because of what I’ve gone through, but because of what so many of you are going through right now. This episode is real. It’s raw. It’s a check-in. I talk about grief, loss, guilt, and what it actually looks like to move forward when life doesn’t go the way you planned. I share my experience l...
88
April 23, 2026

Dad Talk with Tyler Hudson: Autism, Grief, and Why Society Is Stuck in Denial

Hey, What’s Up! It’s Tommy. This episode hit deep. I sat down with Tyler Hudson, and what started as a conversation turned into something much bigger. This is dad talk in its rawest form. We talked about grief, fear, faith, purpose, and what it really looks like to raise a profoundly autistic child. Tyler shares his story as a father, a musician, and now a voice that’s reaching thousands of families. He lives in Tasmania, far removed from the noise, but what he’s saying is cutting through loud...
87
April 16, 2026

With Kailee: Why “Being Weird” Might Be the Best Thing for Your Autistic Child

Hey, What’s Up! It’s Tommy. This episode is one of those late-night, real conversations. Kailee and I sat down tired, a little punchy, and just talked through life as parents raising a child with autism. It’s Autism Awareness Month, and instead of overthinking it, we just shared what’s actually going on in our world right now. We talked about Wyatt, the progress he’s been making, and one of the biggest wins we’ve had recently, him learning to swim on his own. That moment meant more than we can ...
April 9, 2026

Dad Talk: Chris from AutismDad_Memes, Autism Isn’t Always What You Think

Hey, What’s Up! It’s Tommy. Man, this episode hit deep. I sat down with my good friend Chris from AutismDad_Memes, and we got real about what’s actually going on with our kids, what we’ve gotten wrong, and what we’re learning along the way. There’s a lot of stuff out there that people just label as autism. But the truth is, not everything we’re seeing is autism itself. There can be underlying issues like gut health, inflammation, neurological challenges, or even misdiagnosed conditions that ar...
April 2, 2026

Autism Awareness Month, Growing Old Together, You're not Alone

Hey, What’s Up! It’s Tommy. This episode hit deep. Kailee and I sat down and just talked, no script, no plan, just real life. And what came out was one of those conversations that reminds you what this journey is really about. We talked about Autism Awareness Month, but more than that, we talked about love, fear, the future, and what it means to truly care for your child, no matter what life looks like. Kailee shared a moment from a podcast she listened to that completely stopped her in her t...
84
March 26, 2026

Thy Will Be Done

Hey, What’s Up! It’s Tommy. This episode is real. It’s raw. It’s one of those moments where I’m just working through what’s been sitting heavy on my heart. Lately, I’ve been feeling the weight of it all. The ups and downs with Wyatt, the stress of work, the pressure of trying to be everything for both of my kids. There are moments when I just want to hear my son say, “I love you,” or ask me how my day was. And when that doesn’t happen, it can hit hard. I found myself slipping into that place ...
83
March 19, 2026

Why Simple Family Moments Matter More Than Ever in Autism Parenting

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy. This week, my wife and I had a real conversation about slowing down, staying present, and not missing the good things right in front of us. We talked about how easy it is to get overwhelmed by social media, news, comparison, parenting pressure, and just the nonstop pace of life. When you are raising kids, especially in a home impacted by profound autism, it can feel like the world is always pulling at your attention. We shared how going back to simple things has hel...
82
March 12, 2026

With Kailee: Autism Parenting Burnout - How We Stay Calm on the Hard Days

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy. In this episode, Kailee and I have a real, honest conversation about what life looks like when parenting feels heavy. We talk about the hard days with our son Wyatt, who is almost 11, nonspeaking, and living with profound autism. Some days feel calm and steady. Other days can turn fast, especially when sleep is off, routines get disrupted, or he is clearly dysregulated and cannot tell us what hurts, what he needs, or what is going on inside. We open up about how muc...
81
March 5, 2026

What We Focus On Grows: A Mental Health Lesson for Autism Parents

Hey, What's Up! It's Tommy. Today I’m sharing a very personal update after one of the most intense weeks I’ve had in a long time. Between the loss of our fire chief, travel to a national convention, and presenting a seminar on mental health in business, life threw a lot at me all at once. A year ago, situations like this would have sent my anxiety through the roof. Even six months ago, I probably would have canceled something important because I couldn’t handle the pressure. But this time was ...
80
Feb. 26, 2026

Is It a Pivot or Is It a Change of Plans? A Better Way to Handle Parenting Stress

Hey, What’s Up! It’s Tommy. We are wrapping up February, which feels crazy to even say. Winter always feels endless after Christmas, but here we are, staring down spring. And I want to talk about two things today that have been heavy on my heart. First, what we can start preparing for as spring comes. Second, the difference between a full change of plans and simply making a pivot. If you’re new here, welcome. I’m a dad to an almost 11-year-old non-speaking autistic son. We are not trying to “...