Autistic and ADHD Kids Parenting Strategies: Every Brain is Different

Connect with Samantha: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Join the Neurodivergent Parenting Community: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/membership Get the Guide to Parenting Your Neurodivergent Child: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/   Samantha and Lauren discuss why building a supportive network matters for mental health and how to do it, drawing from Samantha’s postpartum psychosis and br...

Join the Neurodivergent Parenting Community: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/membership Atomic Habits: https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits   Samantha and Lauren discuss how returning home from vacation can be dysregulating for neurodivergent kids due to transitions and delayed stress responses from masking, sensory input, uncertainty, and social demands. They recommend not scheduling extra...

Download the Guide to Raising Your Neurodivergent Child: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Connect with Samantha: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/   Samantha and Lauren discuss how to help vacations go more smoothly for neurodivergent kids by prioritizing safety, predictability, and regulation over nonstop activities. They explain how vacations disrupt routine, sensory input, and expectations (...

Samantha and Lauren welcome dance artist and creative coach Annett Bone to discuss dance as self-care—especially for stressed parents raising neurodivergent kids. Annett shares that returning to dance at 43 after a 20-plus year hiatus helped her heal and that dance can be expression, creativity, processing, release, or a way to get out of your head. She encourages starting with the end in mind, th...

Connect With Samantha: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Join the Neurodivergent Parenting Community: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/membership   Samantha and Lauren introduce a multi-part series on road tripping, focusing in this episode on strategies for smoother car travel, especially for kids with autism. They explain why road trips are hard-loss of routine and predictability, sensory...

Connect with Samantha: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/ Join the Neurodivergent Parent Community: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/membership Samantha and Lauren interview Daniella Feldhausen, a former DC attorney who founded Kids Up Reading Tutors after earning a master’s in special education and focusing on helping children with reading and spelling challenges, including dyslexia and...

Join the Neurodivergent Parenting Community: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/membership Connect with Dr. Linda Silbert: https://stronglearning.com/   Samantha and Lauren interviews Dr. Linda Silbert of Strong Learning Incorporated about supporting neurodivergent learners and reframing bad grades as symptoms rather than reasons for punishment. Dr. Silbert urges parents to stop blaming childre...

Join the Neurodivergent Parenting Community: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/podcast Samantha and Lauren discuss how neurodivergent children may mask at school or other settings: suppressing stims, sensory distress, and authentic behavior to appear “typical” and then have meltdowns at home because home feels safest, a pattern also described as after-school restraint collapse. They emphasize...

Connect with Samantha: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Join the Neurodivergent Parenting Community: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/membership   Samantha and Lauren open by discussing mom guilt and the importance of giving yourself grace when you miss commitments, lose your cool, or have hard parenting moments, emphasizing that apologies and tomorrow-as-a-reset matter. They then explain m...

Connect with Samantha: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Join the Neurodivergent Parenting Community: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/membership   Samantha and Lauren interview Julianne Kohlbrand, an ADHD financial coach who became debt-free after $107,000 in consumer debt and a later-in-life ADHD diagnosis at 42, and now helps neurodivergent families simplify money management. Julianne sha...

Join the Community: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/membership   Samantha and Lauren discuss why many neurodivergent people may interpret language literally and communicate more directly, which neurotypical people can misread as rude. They define literal thinking as interpreting exact words rather than implied meaning, sarcasm, or social context, and share examples such as misunderstandings...

Join the Community: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/membership   Episode 18 with Dr. Tosha Strickland: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/18-dr-tosha-strickland-and-central-auditory/id1697406719?i=1000636604839   Samantha and Lauren discuss how ADHD and Central Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) can look similar, distractibility, not following directions, zoning out, school struggles, but...

Join the Neurodivergent Parenting Community: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/membership   Samantha and Lauren discuss sensory processing disorder (SPD) versus autism spectrum disorder, explaining what SPD is, where it overlaps with autism, and why sensory challenges alone do not mean autism; they note ADHD can also include sensory differences. They define SPD as difficulty detecting, modulat...

Get the Book: https://a.co/d/0fOrLF7d Connect with Dr. Gilly Kahn: https://www.drgillykahn.com/   Samantha welcomes back psychologist, mom, and writer Dr. Gilly Khan to discuss her book Allow Me to Interrupt, which focuses on emotional dysregulation and rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD) in females with ADHD. Dr. Kahn explains how she approaches families seeking or newly receiving an ADHD diagn...

Join the Neurodivergent Parenting Community: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/membership   Samantha and Lauren explain key differences between 504 accommodation plans and IEPs to help parents know what to request when a child struggles at school. They describe how unsupported neurodivergent kids may be mislabeled as misbehaving, defiant, lazy, or unmotivated, and emphasize that children need...

Get the Parenting Guide: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/   Samantha and Lauren continue their discussion on why autistic and ADHD kids may seem like rigid thinkers, focusing on their need for clear rules and consistent expectations to feel regulated and safe. They explain how inconsistent enforcement or differing rules across households can create confusion, dysregulation, and even meltdowns, a...

Get the Summit Replay: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/summit Connect with Samantha: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/   Samantha and Lauren begin a two-part discussion on why autistic people are often labeled “rigid.” They argue the label frequently reflects a neurotypical expectation that others should do things “the correct way,” while autistic people may rely on predictability for clari...

In this episode, Samantha and Lauren talk about one of the most common and controversial questions parents ask when raising neurodivergent kids: whether children with ADHD, anxiety, or executive functioning challenges should take medication. They discuss why medication decisions can feel so heavy for parents and emphasize that every brain is different, so what works for one child may not work for...

Samantha and Lauren share Samantha’s experience competing for Mrs. Idaho to encourage parents, especially those raising neurodivergent kids, not to feel guilty for doing something for themselves with the right support. They then discuss choosing “real connection” with a child over society’s idea of “right connection,” emphasizing that behavior improves when children feel connected, safe, and under...

Samantha and Lauren welcome certified grief educator and coach Suzanne Jabour to the podcast to discuss grief beyond bereavement, particularly the grief parents may feel after a child’s diagnosis. They explore how grieving the loss of an imagined future does not reflect a lack of love for a child, and how acknowledging emotions can help parents more fully accept and support their kids. Suzanne sha...

In this episode, Samantha and Lauren discuss strategies for parenting neurodivergent children, particularly focusing on issues related to clothing. They share personal anecdotes and emphasize the importance of giving children autonomy over their clothing choices. This can help build their identity, confidence, and ability to navigate the world more successfully. Samantha and Lauren provide practic...

In this episode, Samantha and Lauren talk about the patterns of clothing preferences in children with autism and ADHD. They discuss common scenarios where children suddenly favor previously ignored clothes and share insights from an occupational therapist on managing these behaviors. The conversation encompasses practical strategies from other parents, the importance of sensory safety, and the imp...

Samantha and Lauren talk with Ryan Miele, the creator of the Tubrbobo Relief. Ryan describes how Turbobo features five clinically-proven elements to reduce anxiety by targeting physiological symptoms, including a weighted body, fidget tail, tactile ear patches, and customizable sensory inserts. The conversation highlights the product's success in over 400 schools across the US and positive testimo...

Jessica Frew is back with her book, 'Shove Your Shoulds,' focusing on the unique challenges faced by neurodivergent parents. Samantha, Lauren, and Jessica discuss the emotional struggles of navigating family dynamics and the societal expectations of parenting. Jessica introduces the concept of 'mini grief' and the importance of acknowledging and processing these emotions without guilt. Emphasizing...

Dr. Temple Grandin is a renowned animal behaviorist, autism advocate, and professor of animal science at Colorado State University. Diagnosed with autism at a young age, she has used her unique perspective to revolutionize livestock handling systems, designing humane facilities that are used worldwide. Dr. Grandin is also a best-selling author and a leading voice in the neurodiversity movement, ad...