Meltdowns are one of the hardest parts of ADHD parenting and also one of the areas where understanding makes the biggest difference. In this episode I walk through what is actually happening in the brain during a meltdown, how meltdowns are different from tantrums, and what the full cycle looks like from buildup to tipping point to recovery.

I share a story about my youngest daughter at an archery range that I think is going to make a lot of this click. I also cover the traffic light model, how to identify rumblings before they escalate, the know-plan-intervene framework for prevention, what to do mid-meltdown, and how to take care of yourself and your child after.

If you want to go deeper on meltdowns, check out my Meltdowns Mastery audio course, available on a pay-what-you-can basis.

Connect with me: 

Instagram: @behaviourcoach 

Newsletter: https://masterclass.neilsonmahoneycoaching.com/behaviourcoachpodcast

Your child threw a snowball when they knew the rule. They punched a kid on the soccer field and couldn't explain why. They blurt out in class even though they have been reminded a hundred times. Adults read this as disrespect or aggression, but in most cases the action happened before the thinking brain had time to weigh in. In this episode I talk about what impulsivity actually is, why it happens in the ADHD brain, and how to build plans that actually work. I cover hazards and triggers, why generic "stop and think" advice fails without a concrete plan underneath it, and three targeted approaches for physical impulsivity, verbal impulsivity, and impulsive decision-making. There is also a section for adults with ADHD who recognize themselves in every example.

Connect with me:

Instagram: @behaviourcoach

Newsletter: https://masterclass.neilsonmahoneycoaching.com/behaviourcoachpodcast

Your child wants to do the thing. They are excited about it. They have ideas. And they still can't start. In this episode I talk about the intention-action gap, why the ADHD brain runs on different fuel than the world expects, and what actually turns on motivation when importance alone doesn't work.

I share a client story about a 12-year-old who couldn't start a large school project, a personal story about my daughter and a sewing project, and the five motivators that I come back to again and again in my coaching practice. If the word "lazy" has ever been used about your ADHD child, this one is going to reframe a lot.

Mentioned in this episode: 

Dr. William Dodson (the interest-based nervous system)

Dr. Ross Greene (kids do well if they can)

Connect with me: 

Instagram: @behaviourcoach 

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Overwhelm is one of the biggest parts of the ADHD experience and it doesn't always look the way we expect. In this episode I talk about what's actually driving overwhelm, why your child falls apart at the end of the day, and how to start reducing the load so they have more capacity for the hard stuff.

In this episode: 

• The ladder analogy 

• why your child loses it over "nothing" 

• What contributes to overwhelm in ADHD 

• The difference between escaping and regulating 

• Identifying triggers and hazards with your child  

• Simplifying as an overwhelm support tool

Mentioned in this episode: 

Dr. Russell Barkley on the 30% rule and stress response research, https://www.russellbarkley.org/

Connect with me: 

Instagram: @behaviourcoach 

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This one is for you, not your child. Your nervous system matters just as much as theirs and your child is co-regulating off of you whether you realize it or not. I share what co-regulation actually looks like, why you don't need to be perfectly calm, and what to do when you're the one who's activated.

In this episode:

• Why your child's regulation starts with yours 

• The parent stress cycle and how we get caught in it

•  What co-regulation looks like in real life 

• Simple tools to interrupt your own stress response

Connect with me: 

Instagram: @behaviourcoach  

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What is actually going on inside your child's ADHD brain and why understanding it changes everything about how we support them. This is the starting point for everything that comes next in this podcast.

In this episode: 

• How ADHD is a neurological difference, not a behaviour problem
• Why dopamine matters and what dopamine seeking looks like in daily life
• The interest-based nervous system and why importance doesn't drive the ADHD brain
• Why ADHD and intelligence are not linked
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Instagram: @behaviourcoach 

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Mentioned in this episode: 

Dr. William Dodson on the Interest Based Nervous System

If your child is melting down, shutting down, refusing, or falling apart,  that behaviour is telling you something. In this episode I talk about why behaviour is a message to understand, not a problem to fix, and how to start reading what your child's behaviour is actually communicating.

In this episode: 

• Why behaviour in ADHD is almost always a nervous system response 
• The difference between a tantrum and a meltdown 
• Common ADHD behaviours and what they might be communicating 
• How to pause and observe before reacting

Mentioned in this episode: 

Dr. Ross Greene on "Kids do well if they can"

Connect with me: 

Instagram: @behaviourcoach 

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