Beautifully Complex

The COVID pandemic has been hard on almost everyone in one way or another. It has changed us, and it has certainly changed our kids. Understood.org conducted a survey to get a clearer picture of how the pandemic has impacted kids who are different learners and different thinkers, like kids with ADHD. On this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, I welcome back Amanda Morin to share some results o...

Neurodivergent kids can often be picky eaters. And parents of picky eaters worry about their child’s health and wellness when their list of approved foods is very narrow and limited. However, there are things you can do to help picky eaters broaden their food horizon that don’t include bartering and threats (which don’t work anyway). In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, I’m talking with...

Middle school is hard. There’s lots of development during that time, and lots of insecurity. All kids are struggling, but kids with ADHD have an additional level of difficulty when it comes to the social and emotional challenges of being a tween. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, certified professional school counselor, Phyllis Fagell, shares her strategies on helping kids navigate th...

Teaching self-regulation can be tricky, especially with impulsive kids with ADHD who are often lagging in skills like social and emotional intelligence and self-awareness. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, I’m talking with Elizabeth Sautter about the Zones of Regulation, a tool and curriculum designed to teach kids of all ages to reflect on how their body is feeling and then use strat...

Sensory processing is how we react to the world through our eight senses (yes, 8!). If you have a child with ADHD and/or autism, your child has some sensory challenges. I am thrilled to have the author of THE sensory guidebook, “The Out-of-Sync Child,” Carol Stock Kanowitz share a primer on sensory processing and how it affects our kids’ behavior. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, you...

Positive parenting is the foundation of the parenting approach I teach neurodiverse families. It is, by far, the most effective approach for kids with ADHD and/or autism. And yet, too much positivity can actually send the wrong message to our kids, and ourselves. Acting like things are all sunshine and roses when they’re clearly not, makes kids think we don’t see them and see their struggle. In th...

Slow processing speed is common among individuals with ADHD. It can affect everything from responding when someone talks to you, to not getting classwork finished, to struggling in social interactions. A child can struggle with visual, motor or verbal processing, or any combination of the bunch. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD podcast, Dr. Ellen Braaten shares how to identify slow processing...

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 t...

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 c...

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...

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 dif...

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 su...

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...

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 ep...

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 engage...

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...

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 stud...

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...

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, homeschoo...

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 f...

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...

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 po...

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 c...

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 ep...

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 th...