Welcome back to Chaos & Caffeine, where we toss the parenting rule-book and embrace the beautiful, messy reality of raising kids when our brains (and theirs) don’t do “normal.” In this episode, I’m so excited to bring on the brilliant Emry Kettle — a child-behavior specialist, trauma-informed coach, and neuro-affirming badass who works deep with ADHD brains (kid and parent alike).

If you’ve ever felt stuck in a loop of meltdowns, shame spirals, or “but why won’t they just listen?” ruminations—this one’s for you. We dive into:

• Why traditional discipline tactics kill connection (and what actually works)
• How to tailor behavior strategies when your kid’s wired differently (hello ADHD, autism, sensory overload)
• The communication scripts and mindset shifts that save your sanity instead of eroding it
• And the radical truth: you, your kid, and your family aren’t broken — you’re doing the hardest job there is with zero manual.

Emry brings over 20 years in the trenches as nanny, educator, and coach who knows the fatigue, the guilt, the overwhelm. But also the hope, the connection, the real tools that don’t require perfection.

Grab your coffee, lean in, and let’s rewrite the parenting playbook — for our brains, for our kids, for the chaos.

Connect with Emry 👉 emrykettle.com or on IG: @emrykettle

This Month’s Sponsors:

👩🏼‍⚕️ Dr. Lorian Phillips 

Dr. Phillips helps families ditch the chaos and build calm through emotional regulation and practical tools that actually work in real life (you know, the life with homework battles, missing shoes, and bedtime meltdowns). Learn more about her ADHD Parenting Course and how she helps families thrive! 

🧮 Pop Sugar Cafe 

The printable shop saving ADHD parents everywhere from pure morning meltdown chaos. Their visual schedules, routine charts, and emotion trackers are actually cute and neurodivergent-friendly. Head to Pop Sugar Cafe and grab the tools your kid will actually use — because structure shouldn’t suck. 

🪀 Play Therapy Supply 

A longtime favorite of parents, teachers, and therapists who want kids to have the tools they need to regulate, focus, and thrive. From fidgets and sensory tools to calming corner essentials, therapeutic games, and classic sand play, they’ve got everything to support kids both at home and in the classroom. 

💊 NeuroNeeds

A science-backed supplement line created by Dr. Richard Boles, a geneticist and ADHD dad who walked this exact road. These all-natural formulas were developed to support focus, mood, and brain health—and they helped his own son transition off stimulants and thrive in college. So if you’ve ever wished you had a scientist in your back pocket, this is it. 

Resources:

Join Our Newsletter and Find All of Our Faves! 

📧 Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected].

Support the show