Is bedtime one of the hardest parts of your day?

For many children with ADHD, autism, or other forms of neurodivergence, sleep struggles are not simply behavioral. Brain biology, sensory sensitivities, anxiety, delayed circadian rhythms, and difficulty transitioning can all make it harder to fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake feeling rested.

In this episode of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast, Kate Brownfield, ACC, ADHD Parent Coach, speaks with pediatric sleep expert Dr. Melisa Moore about why traditional sleep advice may not work for neurodivergent children and what parents can do instead.

Dr. Moore is a clinical psychologist, board-certified specialist in behavioral sleep medicine, and author of The Good Sleep Guide for Neurodivergent Kids. Drawing from her clinical expertise and her experience raising a neurodivergent child, she explains why persistent sleep challenges are not necessarily defiance or a sign that parents are doing something wrong.

Kate and Dr. Moore discuss:

• Why ADHD and autism can affect sleep

This conversation offers practical ADHD sleep strategies, a more individualized approach to bedtime, and reassurance for exhausted parents who feel as though they have already tried everything.

Learn More About Dr. Melisa Moore

The Good Sleep Guide for Neurodivergent Kids

ADHD Parent Support

Anchor Your ADHD Family

Private ADHD Parent Coaching

For more ADHD parenting resources and podcast episodes, visit:

What if your child with ADHD is not the first person who needs to change?

When mornings, homework, screens, and bedtime become repeating battles, it is easy to believe your child simply needs more motivation, better behavior, or stronger consequences.

But what might change if the parent changed the environment, expectation, or response first?

In this episode of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast, Kate Brownfield, ACC, ADHD Parent Coach, explores what can happen when parents stop waiting for their child with ADHD to be the first one to change.

Kate explains how challenges with executive functioning, emotional regulation, transitions, time awareness, motivation, and follow-through can turn ordinary family moments into ongoing power struggles. She shares why adding more reminders, pressure, lectures, or consequences does not necessarily build the skills a child is struggling to access—and may sometimes create more resistance, anxiety, shutdown, or shame.

Kate also discusses why ADHD parent training and parent support can be so valuable. It is not because parents are doing something wrong. Raising a child with ADHD often requires a different understanding of behavior and a different set of tools.

This episode explores co-regulation, the role of the parent nervous system, and what it means to become the more grounded, anchored adult in the room while still holding boundaries and expectations.

Parents are invited to consider a different question when their child is struggling. Instead of asking, “Why won’t my child change?” ask:

“What can I change in the environment, expectation, or response that could help my child succeed?”

ADHD Parent Support

Anchor Your ADHD Family

Private ADHD Parent Coaching

ADHD Kids Can Thrive

For more ADHD parenting resources, podcast episodes, and support, visit ADHDKidsCanThrive.com.

What does the science really say about ADHD? In this episode of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast, Kate Brownfield talks with Dr. Stephen Faraone, one of the world’s leading ADHD researchers and founder of the ADHD Evidence Project, about ADHD medication, misinformation, co-occurring conditions, and evidence-based treatment. This conversation helps parents better understand what’s supported by research, what gets overstated online, and how to think more clearly about treatment decisions for kids and teens with ADHD.

In this episode:

ADHD myths vs. evidence

stimulant vs. non-stimulant medication

ADHD medication and addiction concerns

anxiety, depression, and other co-occurring conditions

behavior therapy, CBT, and skill-building support

Resources mentioned:

Enjoyed this episode? Follow, rate, and share with a parent who wants a more grounded, research-based understanding of ADHD treatment, medication, and support.

If your child looks “fine” at school but falls apart at home, melts down over everyday expectations (homework, transitions, getting out the door), or is sliding into school refusal, this episode will help you make sense of what might be going on, especially when autism, AuDHD, and anxiety are part of the picture.

On this episode of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast, host Kate Brownfield sits down with Diane Gould, founder of PDA North America and co-author of Navigating PDA in America, for a grounded, parent-friendly conversation about Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) (often reframed as a Pervasive Drive for Autonomy). Diane explains why PDA is best understood through a nervous system lens (not “defiance”), why many traditional behavior plans can backfire, and what actually helps kids who experience everyday demands as a threat response.

This episode is especially helpful if you’ve heard “PDA” mentioned in an evaluation, therapy, or online, and you’re trying to understand what’s real, what’s misunderstood, and what supports are most effective at home and at school.

What PDA is and how the definition has evolved (and why there’s still debate)

Why PDA often overlaps with autism and/or ADHD and why it’s frequently missed or mislabeled

PDA vs. ODD: how “oppositional” behavior can look similar on the surface but be driven by something very different underneath

The common pattern of masking at school and meltdowns or shutdowns at home, and why parents are often told, “They’re an angel here.”

Why school refusal is so common for PDA kids (and what Diane is seeing in families today)

Why rewards, consequences, sticker charts, strict routines, and compliance-based strategies often don’t work and what to try instead

The role of relationship, trust, and co-regulation, especially as kids get older and school support gets more fragmented

Practical ways parents can reduce stress, protect the nervous system, and support learning without crushing autonomy

What PDA can look like in adulthood and why support systems and interdependence matter

Book: Navigating PDA in America (Diane Gould & Ruth Fidler): Amazon Link

Enjoyed this episode? Follow, rate, and share with a parent who needs a clearer, calmer framework for PDA, demand avoidance, school refusal, autonomy needs, and nervous system support.

If you’re noticing sports betting, fantasy leagues, or “just for fun” gambling creeping into your teen or young adult’s world, especially with ADHD in the mix, this episode is an important listen. Modern betting is fast, private, and built for dopamine… and for some ADHD brains, that combination can become a slippery slope.

Host Kate Brownfield sits down with Saul Malek, an emerging voice on the modern gambling landscape, for a candid conversation about how gambling addiction can escalate quickly, why kids with ADHD may be more vulnerable, and what parents can do to support their child without enabling. Saul shares his personal story: diagnosed with ADHD at age four, pulled in through fantasy sports, and how the shift to digital betting and easy credit accelerated everything, costing him sleep, money, relationships, and nearly his life. Today, he’s been abstinent for more than 5 years and on a mission to educate families and communities.

In this episode, we cover:

Why ADHD can increase risk for addiction (impulsivity, stimulation-seeking, time blindness)

How sports betting evolves from “fun” to compulsion, especially when it’s accessible 24/7

The role of secrecy, shame, and chasing losses (and what it can look like at home)

What helped Saul recover: structure, community, accountability, and ongoing support

How parents can set boundaries, offer support, and avoid enabling, especially with older teens/young adults

Where to start if you’re concerned: meetings, specialized therapy, and reputable resources

Connect to Saul Malek: https://www.saulmalek.com/

Resources mentioned: Gamblers Anonymous (in-person + virtual), gamblersinrecovery.com, and the National Council on Problem Gambling

Enjoyed this episode? Follow, rate, and share with a parent who needs practical, protective guidance for today’s digital world.

If reading turns into tears, avoidance, or exhaustion in your home, this episode offers a fresh, practical angle: instead of forcing the brain to adjust to the text, what if the text adjusted to your child?

Host Kate Brownfield sits down with Diane Gutierrez (co-founder of Cognition Labs and a mom in a neurodiverse family) for a two-part conversation on reducing reading strain for dyslexia/visual-perceptual differences, and on real-life parenting strategies for ADHD families. Diane shares how adjustable text tools can lower cognitive load and improve comprehension, plus the lived wisdom that helped her family navigate school, stress, mental health, and the long haul of raising kids with ADHD and dyslexia.

In this episode, we cover:

Why “the text should adjust to us” (and how that supports comprehension + reduces fatigue)

How Cognition Labs transforms books, PDFs, notes, and scanned images with 15+ adjustable settings

Tools families use most: syllabication support, confusable-letter fixes (b/d/p/q), and visual settings that reduce strain

Why these supports may help kids with ADHD, by reducing cognitive load during reading

Parenting wisdom from a home where ADHD affects nearly everyone: meaning over pressure, consistency over perfection, rest as a requirement

When to consider therapy/coaching support and why it’s okay to switch if it’s not the right fit

Advocacy and testing: how understanding a child’s brain can change the path forward

Resources mentioned: Cognition Labs: https://www.cognitionlabs.com/

Enjoyed this episode? Follow, rate, and share with a parent who could use practical, hopeful tools.

If you’ve ever wondered whether there are nutrition-based supports to consider when ADHD brings big swings in mood, sleep, cravings, irritability, or focus, especially when medication isn’t preferred, isn’t available, or you’re looking for complementary tools, this episode offers a practical, hopeful starting point.

In this episode, we cover:

Why foundational nutrition (especially steady fuel + breakfast) can matter for mood, attention, and regulation

How Julia’s work in addiction recovery led her toward nutrient therapy and “brain chemistry” support

The amino acids discussed in The Mood Cure and how they’re framed as potential supports for stress, sleep, cravings, and focus (with a strong emphasis on going slowly and listening to the body)

Why blood sugar dips (hypoglycemia) can show up as irritability, anxiety, “hangry” meltdowns, and intense sugar cravings, especially after school

How to think about trialing changes cautiously, including the importance of collaborating with a licensed clinician (especially for kids and anyone on medication)

Why parents deserve support too, because caregiver stress and sleep matter in the whole family system

Important note: This episode is educational and is not medical advice. Always consult a licensed clinician before starting supplements or making medication changes, especially for children.

Enjoyed this episode? Follow, rate, and share with a parent who could use practical, hopeful tools.

Host & Guest: Kate Brownfield, Certified Whole Person & ADHD Parent Coach

Episode Description

Hi, it’s Kate Brownfield from ADHDKidsCanThrive.com. In this solo episode, I’m talking directly to you, the parent who wants the holidays to feel a little less chaotic and a lot more grounded for your ADHD child and your family.

The holidays can be gorgeous and fun… and they can also be really hard. Extra noise, broken routines, travel, sugar, relatives, expectations, it all adds up, especially for a sensitive ADHD nervous system (yours and your child’s). In this conversation, I walk you through simple, doable ways to lower the volume on holiday overwhelm and build a plan that actually protects everyone’s capacity.

My hope is that this episode feels like a steady hand on your shoulder and gives you a few concrete, compassionate tools you can start using right away.

Why holidays feel “louder” for ADHD families

Three daily anchors to protect regulation

Getting extended family on the same page (without drama)

Making the day visible for your ADHD child

The 60-second spike reset for you and your child

Planning for expected fidgeting and big feelings

If you’re heading into a hard season or you want a clearer plan, you can always find me at ADHDKidsCanThrive.com for education, coaching, and tools to support your ADHD child and your family.

If this episode is helpful, please share it with another parent who might need a little steadiness and support this holiday season.

Wishing you and your ADHD kiddo a warm, gentle, and truly happy holiday.

Host: Kate Brownfield, Certified Whole Person & ADHD Parent Coach

Episode Overview

In this empowering “Kate + Kate” episode, Kate talks with Dr. Kate Lund about what resilient parenting really looks like when you’re raising kids with ADHD, big emotions, or health challenges. Drawing from her own medical journey (hydrocephalus as a child), 20+ years as a psychologist, and parenting 18-year-old twins, Dr. Lund explains resilience not as “pushing through,” but as a lifestyle: managing your stress response daily so you can ride the waves of homework battles, morning chaos, and dysregulated kids. She teaches a simple, science-backed tool, the Relaxation Response, that parents can practice for 5 minutes in the morning and at night to lower reactivity, model calmness, and create a more regulated home.

Suppose your baseline feels higher than that of other parents because your child is more intense or more dysregulated. In that case, this episode will help you stop comparing, honor your unique context, and build steadiness that you can actually sustain.

What We Talk About (Highlights)

Resources & Links

About Your Host, Kate

I’m Kate Brownfield, Certified Whole Person & ADHD Parent Coach, author of How We Roll: A Parent’s Journey Raising a Child with ADHD, and host of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast. I help parents understand ADHD through a whole-person lens—because every child is unique, and so is every family.

🌐 Find me: ADHDKidsCanThrive.com

Enjoyed this episode?

Host: Kate Brownfield, Certified Whole Person & ADHD Parent Coach

Episode Overview

In this empowering “Kate + Kate” episode, Kate talks with Dr. Kate Lund about what resilient parenting really looks like when you’re raising kids with ADHD, big emotions, or health challenges. Drawing from her own medical journey (hydrocephalus as a child), 20+ years as a psychologist, and parenting 18-year-old twins, Dr. Lund explains resilience not as “pushing through,” but as a lifestyle: managing your stress response daily so you can ride the waves of homework battles, morning chaos, and dysregulated kids. She teaches a simple, science-backed tool—the Relaxation Response—that parents can practice for 5 minutes morning and night to lower reactivity, model calm, and create a more regulated home.

If your baseline feels higher than other parents’ because your child is more intense or more dysregulated, this episode will help you stop comparing, honor your real context, and build steadiness you can actually sustain.

What We Talk About (Highlights)

Resilience as a lifestyle: Why it’s daily stress modulation, not one heroic moment.

Managing your stress response: If we start “high,” every challenge spikes us to shutdown.

The Relaxation Response (Herbert Benson): Choose a soothing word/phrase + breathe → practice 5 minutes a.m./p.m.

Modeling regulation: Regulated parent → calmer energy in the house → kids see what’s possible.

Avoiding the comparison trap: Your life, your child, your bandwidth—design for your context.

“Step away” moments: Why parents sometimes need a 5-minute reset before re-engaging.

Ripple effect for ADHD families: Calm first, then coach skills (homework, mornings, transitions).

Resources & Links

Guest: Dr. Kate Lund

Book: Step Away: The Keys to Resilient Parenting

Technique discussed: The Relaxation Response (Herbert Benson)

About Your Host, Kate

I’m Kate Brownfield, Certified Whole Person & ADHD Parent Coach, author of How We Roll: A Parent’s Journey Raising a Child with ADHD, and host of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast. I help parents understand ADHD through a whole-person lens—because every child is unique, and so is every family.

🌐 Find me: ADHDKidsCanThrive.com

Enjoyed this episode?

Subscribe to The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast

Share this with a parent who’s parenting from a high baseline and needs a 5-minute tool today