Beyond 9–5: How Passive Income Creates Space for Parenting Neurodivergent Kids

2026-03-12

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In this episode, Sarah from the PDA Society is joined by Shirleyann Haig, bestselling author and Passive Income Coach, to explore how creating alternative income streams can offer greater flexibility when parenting neurodivergent children.Shirleyann shares her personal journey as a mother of two boys, one with ADHD and one autistic with a PDA profile. After a 25-year career in the pharmaceutical industry, she found herself struggling to balance the demands of corporate life with the unpredictability of school exclusions, phone calls...

Shirleyann shares her personal journey as a mother of two boys, one with ADHD and one autistic with a PDA profile. After a 25-year career in the pharmaceutical industry, she found herself struggling to balance the demands of corporate life with the unpredictability of school exclusions, phone calls home and the reality of parenting children with complex needs. Despite being a top performer in her company, she was made redundant due to the time she needed to take off to support her children.

The conversation explores the emotional and financial impact of that experience, particularly as a single parent navigating divorce alongside school exclusions and ongoing uncertainty. Shirleyann reflects on how that moment of redundancy forced her to confront how financially fragile many families can be when relying solely on traditional employment structures.

Part 1 focuses on how Shirleyann transitioned away from corporate life and became a Passive Income Coach, helping others to build income streams that do not rely on fixed hours or physical presence. She explains how passive income is not about avoiding work, but about creating systems where work done once can generate income repeatedly. For families living with unpredictability, this flexibility can reduce stress, create stability and offer space to prioritise children’s needs without sacrificing long-term financial security.

*Redundancy due to being a carer is illegal. If you are struggling our support service can direct you to information about your legal rights.

Key Themes

The challenge of balancing corporate work with neurodivergent parenting
School exclusions, unpredictability and employment instability
The emotional impact of redundancy linked to caregiving
Understanding passive income and how it can create flexibility

Deep Diver Subscriber Episode

For those who would like to go further, Part 2, an exclusive “Deep Diver” subscriber episode, is available through our Training Hub.
You can access it here: https://training.pdasociety.org.uk/pda-podcasts/

Disclaimer

The views and opinions expressed by guest speakers in this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the PDA Society. While we aim to provide balanced and inclusive discussions, individual experiences and perspectives may vary. The PDA Society is committed to using language and terminology that reflects the preferences of PDA and autistic people, but sometimes our guests may use language and terminology which differs. Appearance on our podcast is not an endorsement of an individual, and not all of our guests will align with our position on the issues discussed.

Further sources of support and information

PDA Society Training Hub: https://training.pdasociety.org.uk/pda-podcasts/
PDA Society Training: https://www.pdasociety.org.uk/support-and-training/training/
PDA Society Support Service: https://www.pdasociety.org.uk/support-and-training/support/

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