00:00:00Welcome & connections - Gill introduces Benedicte, sharing how they met at Yvonne Newbold’s wedding and their instant connection
00:03:52Jumping in with both feet - Benedicte explains her rapid connection to Whose Shoes, her work supporting families, and the importance of seeing every perspective
00:06:49A family story begins - we hear how Benedicte’s journey unfolded - an “easy” start to life, then parenting three children with very different and complex needs
00:09:07A sudden health crisis - the emotional account of B's youngest son’s sudden hospital admission and the traumatic early years navigating serious illness
00:11:2311:23 – From France to the NHS - navigating two health systems, rare diagnoses, and the beginning of a lifelong rollercoaster of care
00:13:29How “Little” survived beyond all predictions - now living a life full of unexpected milestones
00:15:14When autism meets despair: a brutally honest account of her eldest son’s suicidal ideation at six years old and the reality of raising a bright, misunderstood child
00:17:33Benedicte introduces her daughter, Kez - the 'delicate hand grenade' - fierce, funny, and navigating mental health, ME/CFS, autism, ADHD, and early motherhood
00:21:27Kez’s journey to living independently, becoming a mother, and navigating adult life with strength and spirit
00:25:47When systems stop - the gaps in adult services and how families must find creative, community-based solutions to survive
00:27:44Personal trainers vs. physiotherapy - flipping the system - how Benedicte reframed health support using personal training when formal services fell short
00:30:08Brutal questions, deep love - the ethics, reality, and heartbreak of parenting disabled children, including the unspoken questions around prenatal testing and quality of life
00:34:55Honest conversations save relationships: a deeply personal story about marriage under pressure and the need to say the hard thing before silence takes over
00:36:14You’re amazing? Really? Benedicte challenges the 'hero parent' narrative - what happens when people say you’re amazing, but you’re just surviving
00:40:08Privilege, grit & gaps - a reflection on how education, income, and time make a difference—and why some families are left behind
00:43:06Sex, TikTok & real Talk - opening conversations others avoid - about sex, parenting, and saying “suicide” out loud
00:45:20Floofy dresses & fierce honesty - how being unexpected - small, quirky, outspoken - can be a powerful tool for truth-telling and changing minds.
00:49:03ADHD as a learning disability? Benedicte describes the challenges of navigating maternity care for women with neurodiversity, and the stigma that still exists
00:52:53Tugboat: Helping people help themselves - a teaser for Episode 2! Benedicte introduces Tugboat, her work helping families navigate systems and reclaim power
00:55:11Final reflections & lemon lightbulbs - kindness, curiosity, and valuing every person - Gill and Benedicte reflect on the deep messages from this conversation
00:56:41Invitations and next steps - Gill invites Benedicte to the Kindness Conversations - and the beginning of many more connections
