For parents, the happiest time of the year can also be the most stressful. 

Busy parties. Strange foods served to picky eaters. The dread of worrying how your child will respond if they don’t like the sweater grandma gave them. 

On this episode of Parenting Behavior, host Dr. Andy Kahn and guest Dr. Karen Wilson share five key tips to prepare your family for the holiday season. 

Karen is a clinical neuropsychologist and, like Andy, a parent. So, get ready for tips that come from a mix of professional expertise and real-life parenting. 

Related resources

• How to make the holidays more fun for your child  
• 16 holiday survival tips for kids with ADHD
• Understood Assistant 

Timestamps

(00:55) What makes the holidays so hard?  

(02:45) Tip #1: Prepare yourself for stress

(03:59) Tip #2: Set up your child for success

(06:35) Tip #3: Create a schedule that works for you

(09:04) Tip #4: How to teach your child to accept gifts

(11:31) Tip #5: Plan ahead for picky eaters

We’d love to hear from you. You can email us at [email protected].

A transcript for this episode is available on Understood.org.  

Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

The concept of self-esteem can seem abstract.  

And when it comes to improving your child’s self-esteem, it can be an uphill battle for parents.  

But host Dr. Andy Kahn has some practical strategies for boosting your child’s self-esteem that he’ll share on this episode of “Parenting Behavior.”

Related resources

• The importance of positive self-esteem for kids
• ADHD and self-esteem: What to say to your child
• Why kids say negative things about themselves

Timestamps

(00:47) What is self-esteem?

(02:15) Practical strategies

(07:37) Social media and self-esteem

(10:41) The importance of love and care

We’d love to hear from you. You can email us at [email protected].

A transcript for this episode is available on Understood.org.  

Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

Bullying can be one of the most difficult parts of being a kid and being a parent. 

And for neurodivergent kids with learning and thinking differences like ADHD and dyslexia, it can be an additional challenge.

On this episode of Parenting Behavior, host Dr. Andy Kahn talks about handling those challenges — whether your child is being bullied, or is engaging in bullying behavior themselves.

Related resources

• 8 steps to take if your child is being bullied at school
• Bullying and being bullied: Why it happens and what families can do
• Bullying, learning differences, and how to help

Timestamps

(00:49) What is bullying? 

(02:49) How to talk to your child about bullying

(04:13) Bullying and neurodivergent kids

We’d love to hear from you. You can email us at [email protected].

A transcript for this episode is available on Understood.org.  

Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

Your child might come home from school and say some troubling things about their teacher. “My teacher hates me. I can’t do anything right!” “I’m so messy, and she tells me that I just can’t get my space cleaned up.”

If you’re hearing things like this, it’s usually a sign that there’s some challenge between your child and their teacher.

These can be difficult issues to navigate, but there are strategies to manage teacher troubles. Tune in to this episode of Parenting Behavior with Dr. Andy Kahn for ways to help.

Related resources

• 9 steps to take if the teacher hurts your child’s feelings
• My child’s teacher is mean to her. What can I do?
• 8 steps to advocating for your child at school 

Timestamps

(00:44) Figuring out your child’s perceptions  

(01:51) Validating your child’s feelings

(05:29) Validating the teacher’s experience  

(07:03) How to find solutions

(09:13) How challenges can help kids grow and thrive  

(10:42) What to do if the situation is really bad

We’d love to hear from you. You can email us at [email protected].

A transcript for this episode is available on Understood.org.  

Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

Parent-teacher conferences can seem like high-pressure events. 

There are only 10 or 15 minutes, at most, for you and the teacher to discuss many important things. Plus you want to keep things positive and the teacher engaged. It’s a lot to consider.

On this episode of Parenting Behavior, host Dr. Andy Kahn will talk about some things you can do to make the conference as successful as possible. 

Related resources

• 3 ways I engage my child in parent-teacher conferences 
• Teachers weigh in: What I wish parents asked at parent-teacher conferences
• Listen: How to make the most of parent-teacher conferences
• Download: Parent-teacher conference worksheet

Timestamps

(00:54) Basic ways to prepare before the conference

(02:29) Advance communication

(04:44) How to prepare emotionally

(08:16) Special considerations for neurodivergent kids

We’d love to hear from you. You can email us at [email protected].

A transcript for this episode is available on Understood.org.  

Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

Learning challenges in kids can be really tricky to spot.

It can be hard to tell whether your child can’t do something, or if they just won’t. And sometimes it’s not clear what’s an in-the-moment challenge and what’s a pattern. 

On this episode of Parenting Behavior, host Dr. Andy Kahn will explain how to spot what might be a learning difference in your child. 

We’d love to hear from you. You can email us at [email protected].

A transcript for this episode is available on Understood.org.  

Related resources

• What are learning and thinking differences?
• The difference between learning disorder and learning disability
• Learning disabilities: What they are and aren’t
• Kids with multiple learning and thinking differences: What you need to know

Timestamps

(0:53) How to gather good data

(1:57) Looking for patterns

(3:09) Using homework to find clues

(5:37) How to spot motor or physical difficulties

(7:29) Why frustration can be a good thing

Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

Let’s face it. Embarrassment is a big part of growing up. And it can impact kids in many ways.

They may worry that trying a new outfit will embarrass them in front of their peers, or feel ashamed when a classmate comments on their appearance. Embarrassment and the emotions that come with it can be tough to navigate, for both kids and parents.

On this episode of Parenting Behavior, host Dr. Andy Kahn explains how to help young children deal with embarrassment and strategies for getting ahead of it. 

Related resources

• Social and emotional skills at different ages
• Managing emotions
• I’m letting go of the shame I felt about my ADHD and learning disabilities

Timestamps

(01:04) Embarrassment vs. shame
(02:06) How to help kids prepare for anxiety-provoking situations
(02:58) How learning or thinking differences can affect embarrassment  
(04:28) Making yourself ‘in’ on the joke

We’d love to hear from you. You can email us at [email protected].

A transcript for this episode is available on Understood.org.  

Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

One of the most frustrating parts of parenting is when your child won’t listen to you. It can be difficult to tell the difference between when your child is ignoring you and when they can’t pay attention to you.

If reading this is already stressing you out, take a deep breath — this episode is here to help. 

On this episode of Parenting Behavior, Dr. Andy Kahn will explain the many possible reasons why your child may have difficulties with listening or understanding. And he’ll go over some ways you can help.

Timestamps

(0:52) Anxiety, fear, and emotional distractions

(4:29) Focus and attention issues 

(5:48) What does “developmental” really mean? 

(7:51) Understanding your child’s comprehension challenges

(9:50) When to use consequences and punishments

We’d love to hear from you. You can email us at [email protected].

A transcript for this episode is available on Understood.org.  

Related resources

• Why some kids don’t listen
• How I got my child to listen (without yelling)
• Trouble with receptive language: What you’re seeing
• Understanding why kids have trouble with focus

Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

If you have a young child, bedtime can be one of the hardest parts of your daily routine.

Kids often have a lot on their mind at night. There’s Roblox, Netflix, and 100 other things competing for their attention as they try to go to sleep. Plus, they have a full day of school ahead. 

But as a parent, you need some time for yourself at night, too. It’s your “me” time to relax, get tasks done, or spend time with a partner. This can create tension between you and your child at bedtime.

On this episode of Parenting Behavior, Dr. Andy Kahn shares tips for how to handle the communication issues that come up at bedtime. Plus, how to create a healthy bedtime routine and more. 

Related resources

• Download: Bedtime checklists for kids
• Child can’t wind down at night? Why some kids struggle to go to sleep
• My child with ADHD can’t fall asleep. But I’m so tired. What can I do?

Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give

Many things we do as parents can make us feel awful afterward. Whether it’s raising our voice in frustration or setting a firm limit and watching our child cry in response.

On this episode of Parenting Behavior, Dr. Andy Kahn shares tips for handling things in the moment when your child acts out. He also talks about striking a balance between giving yourself grace for your actions and taking time for self-reflection. 

Plus, he shares tips for picking your battles and preparing a default response when emotions are high. 

Related resources

• How to manage behavior problems in young kids
• Listen: How to tell the difference between tantrums and meltdowns
• 5 tips for taking a mutual time-out with your child

Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give