Beautifully Complex

Get curious and support your child in the struggles they have without judgement. With the knowledge we have about brain development and structure, we can better understand our kid's behaviors and the way they learn. We can also better understand their strengths and, in turn, lift their self -esteem. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, I'm talking with online reading strategist, Jean Har...

As moms, we think of self-care as selfish and frivolous. But self-care is so much more than a spa massage or a weekend away with your girlfriends. Self-care includes all eight dimensions of wellness: physical, spiritual, emotional, social, environmental, financial, intellectual, and career. That's true wellness, and it takes mindful awareness and some work. Remember, self-care isn't selfish... you...

  Many individuals with ADHD struggle with anxiety as well, wether it be an additional condition or the result of the challenges that come with ADHD. Anxiety is often misunderstood by parents and other adults in a child's life, and can feel like it should be easily rationalized away. But, those with anxiety know no amount of rationalizing can just "turn off" an anxiety attack. In this episode of t...

There’s a Buddhist saying: “What you focus on grows.” Has there ever been a truer statement? Yes, this is common sense when you think about it. But have you ever thought of this in terms of parenting and ADHD and/or autism? It’s easy to focus on something painful or uncomfortable. It’s difficult to let that discomfort be and focus on something else, something you’d much rather have grow. Let’s thi...

When you don't have ADHD yourself, it's really how to know how your child with ADHD thinks and feels. Even if you do have ADHD too, the experience is different for each individual with ADHD, meaning it's different for your child than it was and is for you. Yet, it's important for parents to know what life is like for your kids so we can help them thrive. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podca...

  I just finished the Finding Fred podcast, all about Fred Rogers, or Mr. Rogers as most of us know him. And I'm inspired! He was always telling children and his television audience, "I like you just the way you are." Remembering what that felt like when watching his show and diving deep into what that means and how we can apply it to our lives and our parenting, I realized that we and others in o...

There are three main elements to setting a foundation for success: (1) accepting and understanding that behavior is communication; (2) getting your mind right for raising a kid with ADHD, autism and/or other challenges; and (3) adopting a self-care regimen, including effective stress management. Listen in to learn more about each of these pillars of your success plan and how to create them for you...

Many parents struggle with wether or not to share their child's diagnosis with them. And even the decision to fill them in leaves many wondering what to say and when to have that conversation. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, I'm talking with psychologist, Emily King, PhD, about why having this conversation is important, when to have it, and what to say. This is your guide to telling...

The sex talk with your kids doesn't have to be nearly as painful as you imagine it. In this episode, Dr. Ari Tuckman walks us through the when, why, and how of this important conversation. We discuss starting the conversation about romantic relationships when our kids are young, how to talk about sex and sexuality with our teens, keeping our kids safe when they're prone to impulsivity and risky be...

What parents of kids with ADHD (and/or autism) want more than anything is for our kids to succeed. And, yet, success can be elusive with the many challenges and hurdles a neurodevelopmental disorder like ADHD adds. That's why providing opportunities for successes and wins for kids with ADHD must be a crucial part of your parenting plan. In this episode, pediatric neurologist, Dr. Sarah Cheyette, a...

Holidays are challenging for kids with ADHD, and for their parents. Schedules are different, excitement is high, big gatherings are routine, and that's the only thing that's routine. Yikes! This frenzy guarantees some struggle. It's really easy to get tangled up in the fallout of a lot of new things and people, a ton of sensory overwhelm (hello, Uncle Buck's loud voice and Aunt Mildred's heavily p...

There are few times more chaotic and stressful for families of kids with ADHD than mornings, especially school mornings. Kids with ADHD struggle with staying on task, time management, working memory, and many other executive functioning deficits that make mornings difficult — difficult to get out the door on time, difficult to get everything done, difficult to not lose your sanity. In this episode...

When you have a child with ADHD, almost all of your attention and energy naturally goes to that child — they're more intense and they're struggling. And yet, that child's siblings are likely struggling too. The experience of being the sibling to a child with ADHD, autism, or other special needs is hard, at the very minimum, but traumatic to many. On this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, I'm...

Our culture says that parents should be authoritarian and have control over their children. I call BS.  Authoritarian parenting and trying to control behavior with punishment and fear is bad parenting. I explain why that's bad parenting, and outline a better way in this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast. We should be parenting individuals and celebrating individuality, not pushing for conformi...

Many kids with ADHD are brilliant in one way or another, but still struggle. You can be smart, and struggle — and that doesn't mean you're lazy. In this episode, I'm talking to child psychologist and author of the book Raising Will: Surviving the Brilliance and Blues of ADHD, Katherine Quie, PhD,  about the inconsistencies that are the very nature of ADHD. Katherine talks about her experience rais...

Most students with ADHD go through what I call a school honeymoon at the beginning of each new school year. The newness is stimulating and the demands are less starting out and our kids do pretty well. But the honeymoon ends and reality sets in — kids with ADHD struggle in school. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, I'm talking with educational advocate, Brandie Rosen, about what parent...

Executive functioning skills — including organization, planning and time management — are almost always impacted in kids and teens with ADHD. There are a myriad of strategies and tools to assist with disorganization and poor time management. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, I'm talking with coaches Natalie Borrell and Alison Grant of Life Success for Teens about how to help your diso...

Never meeting expectations means our kids with ADHD and/or autism feel like they never succeed. That is a heavy burden that can take a monumental toll on any individual. In this episode, I outline all the repercussions possible when a child feels like they never succeed and what you can do to keep the worst of the consequences from happening to your child.  Become a supporter of this podcast: http...

Parents are expected to be authoritarian and parent through a system of crime and punishment. We're raised to believe this is what defines a "good parent." I argue that we need to flip this idea on its head — that crime and punishment parenting is actually making you a "bad parent." It does more harm than good for our kids, especially kids with ADHD and/or autism. There is a much, much better way...

"There needs to be a desire to go to college. Just sending somebody because that's what's expected is not going to be good for that student." Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support . You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com.  It's not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.

Our culture defines expectations of our parenting priorities. When we become parents, we latch onto those expectations and adopt them as our own. The problem is, those priorities were created for neurotypical kids and we are raising kids with differences. If our child is different, our parenting should be different too. That means that not everything that matters to our culture really matters for...

There's no disputing that — especially team sports — can be a difficult environment for individuals with ADHD to naturally succeed in. It's not just developmental delays and social differences with peers that can make it tough. Things like emotional sensitivity and dysregulation, poor working memory, anxiety, and lagging executive functioning skills can also make it hard to meet peer and coach exp...

In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, I'm diving into stress management for parents of kids with ADHD and/or "high-functioning" autism. I used to think I'd have to change the characteristics of my life and family — like give away my kids — to reduce my stress. Turns out, I just didn't know what real stress management was and how to apply it to a life that is inherently more chaotic, deman...

Parents can create an environment that empowers kids with ADHD and helps them thrive. It's about the relationships, perspectives, understanding, and compassion we have with our kids and how that affects behavior and grit. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beautifully-complex--6137613/support . You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com.  It's...

In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, I'm filling you in on the upcoming FREE Parenting ADHD Summit. It's a free online conference with 28 experts on ADHD and parenting sharing a little of their wisdom with you to empower you to empower your child. In this podcast episode, I'm sharing clips from five of the sessions, including Dr. Edward Hallowell, Julie F. Skolnick MA, JD, Ross Greene, P...