Notes Due at Midnight

Cassandra Openshaw
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Entrepreneurship

Notes Due at Midnight is a podcast about showing up; even when life doesn't go according to plan. Join pediatric occupational therapist, business owner, speaker, and mom Casey Openshaw as she shares the real stories behind building a business, raising a child, navigating setbacks, chasing big dreams, and somehow still getting the notes done before midnight. Expect honest conversations, laughter, lessons learned the hard way, occupational therapy insights, and reminders that sometimes the scenic route leads to the best view. If you've ever felt overwhelmed, underestimated, or one step behind, this podcast is for you.

  1. 5d ago

    Episode 20: Why are We Doing Everything for our Kids?

    You want your child to be independent—but you also need them to put on their shoes before next Thursday. In this episode of Notes Due at Midnight, pediatric occupational therapist and mom Casey Openshaw explores why we end up dressing, packing, opening, answering, and doing everything for our kids—and how to give them more opportunities to participate. With humor and practical examples, Casey shares how to teach everyday skills, adjust support to your child’s needs, and make room for slower mornings, spilled water, and imperfectly folded towels. Start with one small question: “What part could they do?”

  2. Oct 16

    Episode 19: When Your Child Says They are Bad at Everything

    “I’m bad at everything.” “I’m stupid.” “I can’t do it.” Hearing your child talk about themselves this way is heartbreaking—and saying “No, you’re amazing!” doesn’t always help. In this episode of Notes Due at Midnight, pediatric occupational therapist and mom Casey Openshaw talks about frustration, confidence, losing games, and wanting to quit when things get hard. With humor and practical examples, she shares ways to respond to negative self-talk, offer support without immediately taking over, and help kids find a manageable next step. Plus, a reminder for parents: one hard afternoon doesn’t mean you’re bad at everything, either.

  3. Oct 9

    Episode 18: ADHD, Big Ideas, and the Following Through

    Big ideas come easily to Casey. Organizing them, following through, and maintaining systems? That takes more work. In this episode of Notes Due at Midnight, Casey opens up about having ADHD while navigating life as an occupational therapist and practice owner. She shares how she’s applying her OT skills to her own challenges—from working with a coach to building staff training, setting clear deadlines, and protecting time in everyone’s schedules to get things done. With humor and honest reflection, Casey explores what it means to take responsibility, ask for support, and become a more consistent leader—one manageable step at a time.

  4. Oct 2

    Episode 17: Picky Eating- Why “Just Take a Bite” Doesn’t Work

    If saying “just take one bite” worked, pediatric feeding therapists would have a lot more free time. In this episode, pediatric occupational therapist Casey Openshaw explains why picky eating is often more complicated than stubbornness. Eating involves smell, texture, taste, chewing, sensory processing, predictability, and sometimes past uncomfortable experiences—which means one tiny piece of broccoli can quickly become the center of a family dinner showdown. Casey shares practical, low-pressure ways to help children become more comfortable with new foods, why interacting with a food can be progress even before tasting it, and when picky eating may warrant an individual feeding evaluation. Because sometimes success isn’t eating the broccoli. Sometimes it’s letting the broccoli remain on the table without filing a formal complaint.

  5. Sep 25

    Episode 16: When the Business You Built Starts to Feel Heavy

    What happens when the business you worked so hard to build starts to feel really heavy? In this honest—and still slightly funny—episode, Casey talks about the side of business ownership that doesn’t fit into the inspirational social media posts: staffing shortages, difficult decisions, three clinic locations, never-ending emails, and printers that seem personally committed to ruining someone’s Tuesday. She reflects on the difference between giving up and making thoughtful changes, why loving your mission doesn’t mean you have to carry everything alone, and the question she’s learning to ask instead of simply pushing through: “What would make this sustainable?” If you’ve ever loved something you built while also wondering how much longer you can carry it, this episode is for you. You can be grateful and exhausted. You can be proud and still need change. And yes—you deserve to eat lunch before 3 p.m.

  6. Sep 18

    Episode 15: Why Does My Child Hold It Together at School and Fall Apart at Home?

    On this episode of Notes Due at Midnight, Casey explains why some children hold it together all day at school....only to completely fall apart when they get home. She discusses masking, sensory overload, accumulated demands, fatigue, hunger, and why the broken granola bar is rarely the real problem. You’ll also learn practical ways to make the transition home easier, including creating time to decompress, reducing immediate demands, connecting before correcting, and using the COPEN™ framework. Because sometimes falling apart at home doesn’t mean home is the problem; it means home is the safe place.

  7. Sep 11

    Episode 14: When Nothing Calms Your Child Down: What Do You Do Next?

    You tried deep breathing, the calm-down corner, sensory tools, counting, choices, and your most patient parenting voice...but your child is still completely overwhelmed. What are you supposed to do when none of the strategies seem to work? In this episode of Notes Due at Midnight, pediatric occupational therapist Casey Openshaw explains why children cannot always access familiar coping skills during a meltdown. She shares practical ways to prioritize safety, reduce stimulation, use fewer words, maintain necessary boundaries, and support recovery without trying to force calm. Sometimes success isn’t stopping the meltdown. Sometimes it’s getting through the moment safely, reconnecting afterward, and trying again tomorrow.

  8. Sep 5

    Episode 13: Meltdown, Tantrum, or Bad Behavior? How Can You Tell?

    Your child is screaming, throwing things, or refusing to move... and you’re wondering: Are they overwhelmed, trying to get their way, or simply misbehaving? In this episode of Notes Due at Midnight, pediatric occupational therapist Casey Openshaw explains the differences between meltdowns, tantrums, and challenging behavior; without labeling children as “bad.” She shares how to look beneath the behavior, recognize possible sensory or emotional overload, maintain boundaries, and teach better responses once everyone is calm. Because behavior is communication... but that doesn’t mean every behavior is acceptable.

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About

Notes Due at Midnight is a podcast about showing up; even when life doesn't go according to plan. Join pediatric occupational therapist, business owner, speaker, and mom Casey Openshaw as she shares the real stories behind building a business, raising a child, navigating setbacks, chasing big dreams, and somehow still getting the notes done before midnight. Expect honest conversations, laughter, lessons learned the hard way, occupational therapy insights, and reminders that sometimes the scenic route leads to the best view. If you've ever felt overwhelmed, underestimated, or one step behind, this podcast is for you.

Information

  • Creator
    Cassandra Openshaw
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Cassandra Openshaw
  • Show Website
    Notes Due at Midnight