Beautifully Complex

We are in a crisis when it comes to children’s mental health and the healthcare needed to address it. We’re seeing a spike in anxiety and depression in kids and almost zero availability of mental health professionals. In this episode, I’m talking with Dr. Jason Kahn of Boston Children’s Medical Center about what parents can do when counseling or therapy isn’t yet available for your child. Tune in to learn about community and at-home supports.

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You can find additional resources at parentingadhdandautism.com. It's not just about the struggles, it’s about progress, one step at a time.

I am excited to announce that the Parenting ADHD podcast is now the Beautifully Complex podcast.  I’ll still be sharing the same content on neurodiversity, ADHD, autism, anxiety, learning challenges, and this complex parenting journey. But now I’ll be doing it under this broader name so parents raising neurodivergent kids who don’t have ADHD will join our community also.  The entire premise of everything I share and teach is that when we feel good we can do good.  So how do we help our kids (and ourselves) feel good? Through acceptance, understanding, seeing behavior as communication, and being the calm anchor in the storm for our kids.  The Beautifully Complex podcast will help parents, caregivers, and educators harness the realization that we are all beautifully complex and marvelously imperfect. Each week I’ll offer insights and actionable strategies on parenting neurodivergent kids — those with ADHD, autism, anxiety, learning disabilities... My approach to decoding behavior while honoring neurodiversity, and parenting the individual child you have will provide you with the tools to help you understand and transform behavior, reduce your own stress, increase parenting confidence, and create the joyful family life you crave.  It’s the same mission I’ve always had for the podcast… I’m just opening my arms wider to invite more parents, caregivers, and educators in.  I hope you’ll continue to join me on the journey of learning to help our neurodivergent kids find their versions of success and joy, while stressing less and enjoying parenting more.

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.

One of the most challenging aspects of raising a neurodivergent child is school and learning. In the U.S., our schools are built on a compliance and conformity model, which is a huge barrier to success for kids who learn differently and are behind their peers in skills and development. That’s why it’s crucial that parents understand their child’s learning needs and the accommodations and services they are entitled to.  In this episode, I’m talking with former special education teacher and advocate, Liz Capone, about IEPs, 504 plans, and how to work with your child’s school to ensure that your child has what they need at school to learn and show mastery.

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.

The one thing all of us want for children is for them to feel loved, important, and special. As much as we want that, we don’t always succeed at it — life gets busy, and even the most well-meaning adults get frustrated and have bad days. Since neurodivergent kids get exponentially more negative messaging each and every day because of their differences, it’s crucial that caregivers make a conscious effort to ensure that these kids feel loved and lovable.  In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, I’m talking with the author of the “All the Time” children’s book series, Deborah Farmer Kris, about the steps parents can take to ensure that kids feel truly loved and loveable. Deborah provides quick, simple ideas you can take action on right away.

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.

Sensory challenges are common with both ADHD and autism. Often, the way sensory input is processed by an individual can explain behavior. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, I’m talking with Carol Stock Kranowitz about the changes in her latest edition of her groundbreaking book, The Out-of-Sync Child, the importance of movement in working with sensory challenges, and what to do if your child struggles with sensory processing.

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.

The concept of self-regulation is well-known among parents of kids with ADHD or autism. Especially since our kids often struggle to self-regulate. But there’s a lot more to talk about in the world of regulation. Our autonomic nervous systems drive behavior. And that nervous system is always either in a state of regulation or a state of dysregulation. This is crucial understanding for parents, caregivers, and teachers of neurodivergent kids. When one is regulated, they are calm and connected and feeling good. But when one is dysregulated, they’re feeling out-of-whack and that drives behavior. Join Sarah Wayland and I as we discuss how to recognize if your child is regulated or dysregulated and how that information informs your responses.

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.

Success with ADHD is absolutely possible, though that can be hard to hope for while watching your child struggle in school. That’s why I love to share ADHD success stories with you. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, I talk with successful ADHD entrepreneur, Isaac Eaves, about how he attained success by creating habits and routines that helped him focus, reframing struggles and making them his superpowers, and taking one step at a time toward his goal.

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.

Many neurodivergent kids love video games. They’re stimulating, rewarding, and often a less intimidating social environment. However, parents worry about how much time their kids are spending on screens. FInding balance is key, but you can also use your child’s interest in digital play to build skills, like executive functions. Kids are practicing planning, organization, time management, problem solving and more in their video games. You can use that to help them apply those skills in their everyday, offline life. And that’s exactly what my guest, Randy Kulman, Ph.D., founder of Learningworks for Kids, discusses in this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast. Join us to learn how to use his Detect-Reflect-Connect model to help your kids relate the skills they use in their favorite games to real life tasks and activities.

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.

Everybody lies to some degree (remember when you told your friend she looked beautiful when wearing a dress you hated?). Lying is part of growing up. And kids want to do well — they want to meet your expectations and please you. When your child tells you a lie, it isn’t because they “disrespect” you. It’s so much more than that, and isn’t really about you at all.  In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, Dr. Norrine Russell is back to explain why kids lie, what it’s really about, and what you can, and should, do about it. One key strategy is to ask yourself how much is fact and how much is wishful thinking. This conversation is not what you would assume and that’s what makes it so powerful.

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.

Did you know that meltdowns are different from tantrums? While a tantrum can devolve into a meltdown, a meltdown is very different. A child is not in control of themselves during a meltdown. Their brain has sort of been hijacked. In this episode of the Parenting ADHD Podcast, my partner in the Behavior Revolution, Sarah Wayland, Ph.D., and I take a deep dive on meltdowns. We’re talking about what a meltdown is and how it’s different from a tantrum, and we’re outlining the five steps you need to take when your child is having a meltdown — and some of these steps may surprise you. If you want to reduce the intensity and duration of meltdowns, and help your child when they’re having a hard time, this episode is a must-listen. 

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.