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The Invisible Life of Us
The surprises, challenges and sheer delight of parenting twins with additional needs.
Kate Jones and Mandy Hose have experienced the highs and lows of parenting – and they wouldn’t change a thing. The pair met a decade ago and bonded over their premature twins with additional needs and their remarkable capacity for love, laughter and swearing like a trooper. As the mothers grew closer, however, they confided that they felt ‘on-the-floor lonely’ sometimes because nobody was talking about what it was like for families like theirs. It was time to give their community a voice.
So began Too Peas in a Podcast, a weekly conversation in which they discuss the surprises, the challenges and the joys of parenting twins with additional needs. It was meant to support other multiple-birth mums and mums of kids with disabilities, so they were shocked to discover therapists, doctors, nurses, teachers, even people without kids were also listening.
Now, Kate and Mandy are sharing their story on the page, delving deeper into the issues they care about and offering reassurance for those navigating a child’s disability. They write candidly about what it’s like to receive the initial diagnosis, how they perceive their children’s lives have been impacted by their additional needs, how their own lives have changed, and those of their family and friends. Above all they convey their immense love for their children and the happiness they have brought into their lives.
With their signature empathy, honesty and compassion, the Too Peas invite you into their world to laugh, cry and make a difference.
Kate Jones and Mandy Hose have experienced the highs and lows of parenting – and they wouldn’t change a thing. The pair met a decade ago and bonded over their premature twins with additional needs and their remarkable capacity for love, laughter and swearing like a trooper. As the mothers grew closer, however, they confided that they felt ‘on-the-floor lonely’ sometimes because nobody was talking about what it was like for families like theirs. It was time to give their community a voice.
So began Too Peas in a Podcast, a weekly conversation in which they discuss the surprises, the challenges and the joys of parenting twins with additional needs. It was meant to support other multiple-birth mums and mums of kids with disabilities, so they were shocked to discover therapists, doctors, nurses, teachers, even people without kids were also listening.
Now, Kate and Mandy are sharing their story on the page, delving deeper into the issues they care about and offering reassurance for those navigating a child’s disability. They write candidly about what it’s like to receive the initial diagnosis, how they perceive their children’s lives have been impacted by their additional needs, how their own lives have changed, and those of their family and friends. Above all they convey their immense love for their children and the happiness they have brought into their lives.
With their signature empathy, honesty and compassion, the Too Peas invite you into their world to laugh, cry and make a difference.
320 pages, Paperback
Published July 2, 2021
8 people are currently reading
148 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
September 15, 2021
I am a long time fan of this podcast ( a chatterpea), and have learned so much from these two women. The book is just as approachable, funny, sad and enlightening. The world would be a better place if everyone read this and took on board a little of the kindness, respect and acknowledgment of the world for disabled kids. Well done to two women , who say they are ordinary, but they most certainly are not!!
February 10, 2024
This book is a must read for parents of children with additional needs!
I found my tribe in these pages! So many times I felt like I was reading about myself!
Paediatricians - recommend to the parents who walk through your doors!
I found my tribe in these pages! So many times I felt like I was reading about myself!
Paediatricians - recommend to the parents who walk through your doors!
September 10, 2021
What an incredible piece of art. I laughed, cried and felt seen. This beautiful book allowed me to see that I, along with many others fit into this amazing tribe. With a late learning disability diagnosis for Miss 13 and suffering with food allergies, I have found a place of safety, a home. Kate and Mandy thank-you for making kids with food allergies and their families seen. Looking forward to buying the audiobook now and listening to these lovely ladies sharing their stories.
August 29, 2021
This book is a must read for any parents of children with disabilities or additional needs, or anyone who knows and loves one of these parents.
As a parent, Kate and Mandy’s shared experiences will make you feel understood and seen, part of a community rather than alone. As a pea-friend or even a “rectum”, this book will increase your empathy and help you treat people with kindness and inclusiveness.
If you love the book (and you will!) be sure to listen to their wonderful podcast, where you will delight in Kate and Mandy’s humour and warmth as they share their and other’s experiences parenting children with disabilities.
As a parent, Kate and Mandy’s shared experiences will make you feel understood and seen, part of a community rather than alone. As a pea-friend or even a “rectum”, this book will increase your empathy and help you treat people with kindness and inclusiveness.
If you love the book (and you will!) be sure to listen to their wonderful podcast, where you will delight in Kate and Mandy’s humour and warmth as they share their and other’s experiences parenting children with disabilities.
August 1, 2021
This book is a must read. Debut authors Kate Jones and Mandy Hose are warm, funny, acutely observant, and have a deft way of writing which is both easy to read and eye-opening. They have a story to tell that the community needs to hear, from very important people that for too long have not had a voice - mothers of kids born prematurely and/or who are multiples (twins or more) and/or who have disabilities or special needs. Their book makes you laugh out loud in places and shed a tear in others. It makes your heart swell in places, and your eyes widen in disbelief and outrage on behalf of these great kids and their Mums in others. Above all this heart-warming book is a celebration of love and humanity. It makes an undeniable case for inclusivity. You will not be able to put it down.
August 2, 2021
What a beautiful book! You do not need to be a pea to read this - in fact the more people who read this in general, the better for our world. ‘The Invisible Life of Us’ not only brings to light the unseen complexities of those living with or parenting someone with additional needs, but it exposes the invisible (to many) inequalities and barriers in the society we each take part in daily. It’s a must-read that will make you cry, laugh and think really hard. Thank you Mandy and Kate for sharing your world with us.
August 3, 2021
Kate & Mandy really know how to take you on a journey of what it's like when parenting throws you a curve ball! They make me feel seen and understood. I'm so grateful for the amazing work they do! Bravo ladies, you should be so proud! Don't forget to listen to their amazing podcast!!
September 23, 2021
Every now and then I read a book that I think everyone should read. I have listened to a few episodes of Mandy and Kate’s podcast, and thought this book may be interesting. It was beyond interesting and had me laughing and crying and gaining a whole new level of understanding disability and inclusion.
July 28, 2021
Read via audio book as felt connected to the voices of these two amazing women from their podcast. Most wonderful book, tears too many times to count, inclusion is so important and I felt so connected to the stories. Proud to be a Pea.
September 20, 2021
If you have listened to their podcast you know the least I can do for you Kate and Mandy is to ‘rate and review’!
This is a wonderful, heart-felt book that cuts through … well, everything … and tells the truth we need to hear. We all have our own issues but what you need to hear is these amazing ladies as they make you laugh and cry in equal measure. I guarantee you will learn something (actually you will learn a lot!) and you will be a better person, friend, parent, teacher, professional, (or whatever) for it.
And when you’ve finished the book, pass it on to someone else - this is a revolution as well as a revelation - and the world will be a better place when everyone (yes everyone) has heard their story.
This is a wonderful, heart-felt book that cuts through … well, everything … and tells the truth we need to hear. We all have our own issues but what you need to hear is these amazing ladies as they make you laugh and cry in equal measure. I guarantee you will learn something (actually you will learn a lot!) and you will be a better person, friend, parent, teacher, professional, (or whatever) for it.
And when you’ve finished the book, pass it on to someone else - this is a revolution as well as a revelation - and the world will be a better place when everyone (yes everyone) has heard their story.
November 5, 2024
Really enjoyed this. Their friendship shines so brightly and I was impressed how Kate and Mandy walked the line of exploring with depth and meaning what it is like to be a parent of a child with additional needs and/or a disability as they go from babies to teens, without ever revealing much information about their ownchildren at all -- including basic things like names and diagnoses. Husbands are hardly even mentioned! It was surprising but actually great to have an intense focus on the specific female experience.
It is helpful if you've already listened to the first few episodes of their podcast (just to get the silly lingo understood, like peashoots and rectums), but not necessary to enjoy.
It is helpful if you've already listened to the first few episodes of their podcast (just to get the silly lingo understood, like peashoots and rectums), but not necessary to enjoy.
September 20, 2021
A must read, for all parents, teachers, doctors, nurses, therapy workers... everyone really! I've been a huge fan of Kate and Mandy for years (chatterpea/rectum here) and I think the work they do is so important. This book is so genuinely them, with their voices coming across wonderfully unfiltered just like they do on the podcast. None of their charm and warmth is lost in this format and I'm so proud to see it. So much of their stories, and the stories of the pea tribe, are important for the broader community to understand. I'm sure their work has made me a better and more empathetic parent, friend and member of my community. I can't recommend Kate and Mandy highly enough.
March 16, 2022
This book made me think about some of the prejudices I’ve had, some that I didn’t even know about.
This is a 5 star book for fans of Too Peas in a Podcast. 4 stars for families of kids with special needs. For those who’ve been lucky enough to get through life so far without the extra emotions, costs, therapies and scrutiny that disability and neurodiversity bring, read this book for a bit more understanding. Better still, listen to it so you can hear the catch in the throat of the authors as they describe their fierce love and admiration for their children and the people who are on their side.
This is a 5 star book for fans of Too Peas in a Podcast. 4 stars for families of kids with special needs. For those who’ve been lucky enough to get through life so far without the extra emotions, costs, therapies and scrutiny that disability and neurodiversity bring, read this book for a bit more understanding. Better still, listen to it so you can hear the catch in the throat of the authors as they describe their fierce love and admiration for their children and the people who are on their side.
May 3, 2022
As with any book read aloud by the author/s themselves, it was really enjoyable to be “read to” by Kate and Mandy. Their personalities really shine through and the emotional connection they have with what they’ve written is so evident.
There’s lots to relate to in Kate and Mandy’s experiences, as a neurodiverse person myself. For those with lived experience of disability and/or neurodiversity the book is really relatable, and for others it’s gently educational.
The chapters are put together cleverly, each beginning with a definition of the title term, a general response to the topic and then sections relating to Kate’s experiences and perspective and Mandy’s.
I highly recommend it!
There’s lots to relate to in Kate and Mandy’s experiences, as a neurodiverse person myself. For those with lived experience of disability and/or neurodiversity the book is really relatable, and for others it’s gently educational.
The chapters are put together cleverly, each beginning with a definition of the title term, a general response to the topic and then sections relating to Kate’s experiences and perspective and Mandy’s.
I highly recommend it!
October 9, 2021
I’m a pea friend or maybe a outer rectum. This book taught me about a road or a journey that I personally have never travelled on. It’s told with voices reaching out to everybody and for the wisdom and knowledge but the authors never talk down to you. Their stories are happy, sad and full of laughter and tears and they feel true and real. This is the book that I’m going to recommend to all of my people and pea-ple. Thank you Mandy and Kate for the gift of this book into the world and for opening my eyes so that I can try to be a more empathetic, patients & KIND with everybody in this world
November 4, 2022
I wish everyone could/would read this book and I wish I could give it SIX STARS. Kate and Mandy have said ALL the thins out loud that need to be said about raising kids with disabilities and support needs and wrapped them up in laughter, fury, hugs, inspiration, kindness and hope. It's like a huge warm hug, a cup of tea, a hot meal, a big old cry and a thousand moments of 'yes, me too!' and 'yes, I'm not alone!' For those of us working in the fields of therapies and in education for kids, this book should be in our universities' curriculum.
February 16, 2022
Love the podcast. Love this book. If you don’t have kids, multiples or children with additional needs reading this book will make you a better friend and a better person. If you can relate to the lives of these mums then you have found your tribe…your peaple.
January 11, 2024
An essential book for all parents navigating an unexpected life. It would also be the perfect book for families and professionals supporting those parents and children. I laughed and cried throughout.
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November 4, 2021This made me feel so seen!
January 12, 2022
My absolute favourite podcast. These two ladies are full of so much hard earned, and generously shared, wisdom. I delight in their company, and value their insights.
June 11, 2022
Great read. Eye opening insights into raising kids with special needs, along with the usual challenges of parenting.
August 14, 2022
Full of love & honesty.
August 24, 2022
Great book really resonates
November 25, 2022
After attending a workshop with these hilarious carers, I was eager to listen to their podcast. I was even happier to find they had this book too! My Peas and I thank you.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews