We are creatures of habit, and one of the habits that seems to be part of our human DNA is judgement. Specifically, the judgement of others. We formulate a first impression of someone — i.e., a judgement — in one-tenth of a second. And we do the same to our kids. That’s right, we are judging our children constantly. Yes, there is an element of necessity; I’m not contesting that. What I’m blaring the warning siren about in this episode is the type of judgements we make of our kids, most often cha...
May 13, 2021•19 min•Ep. 127
A child who exhibits challenging or tricky behaviors has a different way of moving through and coping with the world. The key is to understand the neurological reasons for the behaviors and to address behaviors in a habitual way. Clinical psychologist, Andrew Fuller, developed a system called R.E.S.O.L.V.E. to do just that and shares the steps in this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast. While challenging behavior may feel like the norm for your child, you must make it abnormal, and always app...
May 06, 2021•33 min•Ep. 126
Most kids with ADHD and/or autism feel so alone in their struggles. They don’t see themselves in their classmates, the movies they watch, or the books they read. They are underrepresented in the media, a truth that is fortunately changing. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, I’m chatting with children’s book author and founder of ANovelMind.com , a database of books full of neurodiverse characters. Join us for a discussion of how to get kids reading and what books will help neurodiver...
Apr 29, 2021•29 min•Ep. 125
Health is the foundation of everything. The healthier our bodies are, the better they function, and the better medication and supplements may work. ADHD symptoms aren’t just driven by the brain — the entire body is one interconnected system so we need to take a holistic approach to get the very best results with ADHD. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, Dana Kay walks us through the different subsystems of the body that impact ADHD symptoms and some functional testing that could provi...
Apr 22, 2021•35 min•Ep. 124
Whether it’s fueled by anxiety, compassion, or something else, many of us sacrifice our own wants and needs for the good of others. Sometimes we want to. Sometimes we feel we have to. It’s very common for parents and it’s even more common in siblings of neuroatypical kids, like those with ADHD and/or autism. Listen in as Penny explains what it means to “take up space” and encourages you to make sure your kids, especially those siblings, know that they have the right and permission to.
Apr 15, 2021•13 min•Ep. 123
A parent’s protective nature is often at odds with preparing our kids for adulthood and handling any problems that come their way. Our intention is to lovingly protect them from harm and struggle, but not experiencing struggle means they’re not prepared to do for themselves and handle the basic problems of life. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, CEO of EmpoweringParents.com , Kimball Lewis, shares insight into why this generation of teens and young adults don’t seem prepared and str...
Apr 08, 2021•38 min•Ep. 122
One of the top complaints from parents is procrastination. Kids procrastinate on a variety of things, but the most common are schoolwork and chores. The key to resolving procrastination (or letting it go) is to understand the reasons behind it. Does your child wait until the last minute for a reason? Does your teen refuse the tools you suggest for a reason? Yes, there’s always a reason. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, Leslie Josel, an ADHD-academic and parenting coach, explains ho...
Apr 01, 2021•47 min•Ep. 121
Our culture tends to dictate a certain path to success in life. Yet, we are free to choose our path and there is no more liberating message for kids with ADHD, autism, or learning disabilities. In this episode, I’m discussing how to help kids, teens, and young adults find their path with co-founder of the Inventive Labs, Tom Bergeron. At Inventive Labs, they focus on interest, aptitude, and engagement to help their students create a path to success. Listen in and learn how to start empowering ev...
Mar 12, 2021•34 min•Ep. 120
The amount of time our kids spend gaming or want to spend gaming gives a lot of parents heartburn. And yet, Eric Siu was an avid gamer growing up turned wildly successful entrepreneur. He and his parents battled over the amount of time he invested in gaming. But, Eric grew up and recognized that he learned many life skills through gaming. Now he goes through life “Leveling Up” and viewing it as a game of sorts, and he is a true success story, more successful than most of us dare to dream of. Lis...
Mar 05, 2021•29 min•Ep. 119
The college admissions process can be complicated and overwhelming. There’s no much for you and your teen to consider and make decisions on in order to find a good fit, especially when learning challenges also have to be considered. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, I talk with Dr. Pamela Ellis about the five areas of fit to consider and how to find schools that will support your student’s learning challenges.
Feb 19, 2021•38 min•Ep. 118
Siblings fight. It’s true. It’s something most parents have come to expect, but still find it impossible to accept. And you really should only expect that it happens on occasion, not all the time. What I found so intriguing from my conversation with Kirk Martin of Celebrate Calm for this episode is that the fighting is more often about boredom and low confidence than anything else. It circles back to one of my favorite life tenants — when you feel good, you do good. Kirk shares how to help your ...
Feb 05, 2021•44 min•Ep. 117
Many families of kids with learning challenges — like ADHD and autism — consider homeschooling at one time or another. It can be an overwhelming process to transition from school that happens outside the home to school at home, not to mention adding the role of teaching your child to your role as parent. Yet, many find homeschooling freeing. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, homeschooling advocate and 2e expert, Colleen Kessler shares the process of transitioning to homeschooling, a...
Jan 29, 2021•42 min•Ep. 116
It’s no secret that families dealing with ADHD and/or autism have an extra dose of challenges. And all those challenges can create chaos and really weigh you down. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, Liza Blas shares how to shift your focus to the positive to discover and celebrate the everyday wins, including creating a family constitution highlighting what’s really important in your family.
Jan 22, 2021•38 min•Ep. 115
Emotions play a much bigger role in our lives and behavior than we often realize. Emotional intelligence, communication, and regulation are often delayed in kids with ADHD (and/or autism), which can cause dysregulation, anger, frustration, and unwanted behavior. Join Lauren Spigelmyer, M.Ed. and I as we discuss how the emotional brain works, how to determine what’s causing emotional outbursts and other unwanted behavior, and how to help your child develop these skills and strategies to calm....
Jan 15, 2021•35 min•Ep. 114
Stress is contagious, and so is calm. The world is full of stress right now, including events that are piling more stress onto kids with ADHD who already stress more than they should have to about school. When parents are stressed about school as well, it's contagious to the entire family. But, parents have the power to reduce the stress and bring the calm. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD podcast, Rebecca Branstetter, Ph.D. offers a 10-step plan to help your child press the reset button wh...
Jan 08, 2021•45 min•Ep. 113
Harmony in the home can be really tough to attain when you have a child with ADHD or other neuro-atypical diagnoses. Emotions are high and day-to-day life can be harder. But, peace and harmony are absolutely attainable. Join me and Dr. Lynyetta Willis to learn how to recognize stable misery and how to get unstuck and foster positive, meaningful relationships throughout your family. We talk about co-regulation, intention, recognizing our own triggers, and Dr. Willis’ PATHS framework to guide help...
Dec 04, 2020•46 min•Ep. 112
Children with ADHD and/or autism have developmental delays in many areas, which often include social skills and emotional intelligence and regulation. These lagging skills can lead to challenges with social interactions and relationships, listening, communication, appropriate communication of feelings, transitions, flexibility, willingness to try new things, behavior, and so much more. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, Speech and Language Pathologist, Elizabeth Sautter, CCC, and I d...
Nov 20, 2020•37 min•Ep. 111
This current era in American education is a challenging time for families. Virtual learning is a challenge for many kids, especially for those students with learning challenges and/or ADHD. The home environment is more distracting, often filled with things kids would rather be doing instead of school, not to mention the boredom factor that comes with learning on the computer, at home, alone. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, school psychologist and inventor of the reVibe, Richard Br...
Nov 12, 2020•48 min•Ep. 110
Life is full of chaos and uncertainty, especially when you have a child with ADHD, and especially when you’re also living through a pandemic. Join me and Meditation Coach, Josephine Atluri, to learn the techniques to shift your mindset, calm your mind and body, manage your stress, and move through life and parenting with purpose. The techniques and practices Josephine teaches us during this episode will help you create the life you want for yourself, and for your entire family....
Nov 06, 2020•38 min•Ep. 109
We live in a culture and a time of more — the more you do, the more you have; the more you have, the more successful you are. And yet, that pressure and constant fear of failure is damaging, especially to our neuro-atypical children with ADHD and/or autism. One thing that can help tremendously in all aspects of school and home life is following the adage that less is more, as Executive Function & 2e Coach, Seth Perler, discusses in this episode. When kids with ADHD have less visual and mental cl...
Oct 30, 2020•55 min•Ep. 108
In everything we do or say, we have a choice. Even when your child is intensely emotional or explosive — you have a choice in how you respond. You can react in kind and prolong the battle, or you can respond calmly and purposefully to help your child and protect your relationship with them. I’m talking with Deborah Ann Davis, author of “How to Keep Your Daughter from Slamming the Door,” about the superpower of choice all parents possess. Learn how the choices you make in interactions with your c...
Oct 15, 2020•40 min•Ep. 107
Each year, my friend and colleague, Sarah Wayland, PhD and I gather experts in ADHD, autism, and parenting to share their top insights and strategies on raising kids with ADHD and/or autism in our parenting summits. In this episode, we are sharing the best insights we learned from this year's 35 experts, as well as an overview of the Summits and how you can participate in them free. We're covering diagnosis, emotions, behavior, creating calm, school, life during a pandemic and so much more....
Oct 08, 2020•50 min•Ep. 106
This is an episode you should listen to with your neuro-atypical kids! I have been trying to get my son to do an episode of the podcast with me for a couple years, and he finally agreed. In this episode, you'll meet my son, Luke, a nearly 18-year-old with ADHD, ASD, LDs, and a gifted IQ. We jumped on the microphone and found out he has a lot to say about growing up with differences and learning challenges. I posed this question to him: What are some things parents and teachers did for you that r...
Oct 01, 2020•41 min•Ep. 105
Many children and teens struggle with confidence, social anxiety, and bullying, but kids with ADHD often struggle even more with this challenges. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, Dr. Jeffrey Kranzler talks about his new book, "The Crimson Protector," and the themes that are woven into the story to help kids build confidence, manage social anxiety, and deal with bullying. You'll learn that managing all of these situations boils down to building a sense of control, and how to help yo...
Sep 24, 2020•38 min•Ep. 104
Society has always thought of lying as a character flaw. While willful lying to deceive is not acceptable and could be an indicator that someone lacks integrity, it's not that simple when talking about kids with ADHD and/or autism. There are many reasons that individuals lie. To avoid negative consequences and to impress others are the top two. When the child is neuro-atypical though, lying just isn’t always that simple. In this episode, I outline the five main reasons your child may be lying to...
Sep 10, 2020•34 min•Ep. 103
We're in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic and filled with uncertainty and a lot of intense feelings. That's true for most of us as adults, and it's doubly true for our kids. There's a lot of helplessness during uncertain times like these and that lack of feeling in control of life can be extra tough for kids to navigate. In this episode, I'm talking with Dr. Shelli Dry about how we can help our kids navigate their big emotions and care for their mental health in the midst of uncertainty. Dr...
Sep 03, 2020•32 min•Ep. 102
Our sensory systems are how the brain processes all the information that’s around us. When one or more of the sensory systems is off kilter, it creates challenges in moving through the world from day to day. And these sensory challenges can often trigger anxiety and/or negative behavior. In this episode, I’m talking with occupational therapist, Nikki Perez, about all things sensory — from the different sensory systems, what behaviors may be caused by sensory avoidance or sensory seeking, and wha...
Aug 27, 2020•43 min•Ep. 101
When we talk with parents about the struggles they experience raising kids with ADHD and/or autism, all of the various challenges boil down to one thing — behavior. In this special 100th episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, my colleague, Sarah Wayland and I hosted a Q&A session with parents all about behavior. We discuss what causes challenging or intense behavior, aggression, kids who only have inappropriate behavior at home, strategies and tools for calming, and so much more....
Aug 21, 2020•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 100
I talk a lot about motherhood on this podcast, because that’s the world I know. On this episode, we get a father’s perspective. Larry Hagner, founder of the Good Dad Project, joins me to discuss growing up with ADHD, raising a child with ADHD, and being an intentional man and dad to better connect with your kids and support their journey to success. Connection is the key — "without connection you have no influence."
Aug 07, 2020•50 min•Ep. 99
Anxiety affects more and more kids and adults every day. It’s taking over lives and eroding the confidence of our kids (and ourselves). But, as therapist Jodi Aman outlines in her new book and explains in this episode, anxiety can be dramatically improved and brains can be hardwired for happiness. Join us in this episode to learn about the inner critic, how the “monkey mind” feeds and grows anxiety, and what parents can do to help teens and themselves reduce anxiety and be more confident. Happin...
Jul 31, 2020•39 min•Ep. 98
