The Reality Check Special Needs Parents Need | Yasmeen Hamed

Three years after her first appearance, Yasmeen Hamed returns to Not From Here for an honest conversation about raising her son Ibrahim, who has special needs, and learning to let go of what “normal” was supposed to look like. She shares why accepting a different parenting journey doesn’t mean giving up on your child—and why moving from denial to advocacy matters. Behind the videos people love are challenges Yasmeen doesn’t always share online. We talk about the demands of lifelong caregiving, the importance of real support, and the question weighing on her most: What will happen to her son when she’s gone? In this episode: • Accepting the parenting journey you didn’t expect. • When parents need compassion and when they need tough love. • What social media doesn’t show about caregiving. • How friends, family, and community can offer meaningful support. • Yasmeen’s journey with faith, hijab, and Hajj. • Loving your child completely while being honest about how hard the journey can be. A conversation for parents, caregivers, and anyone who wants to better understand and support the families around them. Sponsors: 🛏️ Detroit Furniture: https://detfurniture.com/ ⚖️ Hall Makled: https://www.hallmakled.com/ +1 (313) 788-8888 🏠Venture Title Agency: https://vtclosings.com/ Connect with Yasmeen: Instagram: ibrahimo_hamed Connect with Jaafar: Instagram: podnotfromhere Twitter: JaafarrIssa LinkedIn: v 00:00 Intro 01:35 Yasmeen Returns After Three Years 03:36 Choosing to Wear Hijab Later in Life 15:54 Ad Break 17:33 Family Support and Special Needs Children Connection to Faith 21:29 Getting to Know Ibrahim 23:41 Facing the Diagnosis and Moving Past Denial 32:08 What Social Media Doesn’t Show About Caregiving 34:47 Why Parents Sometimes Need Tough Love 36:52 ABA Therapy 42:58 Why Ibrahim Saying “No” Is a Win 47:55 Who Will Care for Ibrahim When She’s Gone? 49:56 Ad Break 50:44 Preparing His Family for the Future 1:02:10 Why Every Child’s Progress Looks Different 1:05:15 Safety, Emergencies and the Fear of Wandering 1:13:30 Awareness, Stigma and Blaming Parents 1:16:28 Caregiver Stress, Isolation and Finding Your People 1:21:32 Imagining the Life Ibrahim Might Have Had 1:23:41 How Ibrahim Has Shaped His Siblings 1:27:54 Accepting the Journey Doesn’t Make It Easy 1:32:14 Learning to Be Proud of How Far You’ve Come