Full-Tilt Parenting: Strategies, Insights, and Connection for Parents Raising Neurodivergent Children

Author Melissa Wardy shares her personal story of discovering her children's anxiety disorder and adapting her life to support who they are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’ve talked a lot about advocating for our children on the show, but today, we are adding the additional consideration of race to the conversation, because we know that families raising differently-wired kids of color experience additional roadblocks when it comes to getting support in all kinds of environments, fostering empowering neurodivergent identities and much more. My guests for this rich conversation are Jaya Ramesh and Priya Saaral, authors of the brand new book Parenting at the Intersections: Raising Neurodivergent Children of Color. They came to this big through their lived experience as neurodivergent moms raising neurodivergent kids in this intersection of race, identity, and disability. Jaya is a psychotherapist in private practice specializing in supporting BIPOC neurodivergent individuals and couples in having more authentic relationships. And Priya is a play therapist and a parenting coach specializing in the emotional well-being of neurodivergent children and parents. Parenting at the Intersections is a wonderful book, and I did my best to explore some of the concepts they thoughtfully write about, including how parenting at the intersections involves navigating multiple marginalized identities and systems of oppression, why identity development is a complex process for children at the intersections, how parents can create conditions for their kids to be seen and respected, and the ways in which advocating for kids in the education system requires awareness of rights, documentation, and support from organizations and advocates. About Jaya Ramesh Jaya Ramesh, MA LMHC, is a psychotherapist in private practice in the greater Seattle area, specializing in supporting BIPOC neurodivergent individuals and couples in having more authentic relationships. She also supports organizations in creating an anti-racist culture in the workplace. About Priya Saaral Priya Saaral, MSW, LICSW, RPT-S is a neurodivergent mama, a play therapist, and a parenting coach in the Greater Seattle area, specializing in the emotional well-being of neurodivergent children and parents by helping them reconnect to their playful spirit amidst personal and structural adversity Things you'll learn: How parenting at the intersections involves navigating multiple marginalized identities and systems of oppression Why identity development is a complex process for children at the intersections, and how parents can create conditions for their kids to be seen and respected The ways in which advocating for kids in the education system requires awareness of rights, documentation, and support from organizations and advocates. How unschooling can be a form of resistance in the context of raising neurodivergent children of color. How parents who aren't raising children of color can still benefit from learning about the experiences and challenges faced by these families. Why community support is crucial in mitigating the loneliness and providing understanding for parents raising neurodivergent children of color. Resources mentioned: Parenting at the Intersections: Raising Neurodivergent Children of Color by Jaya Ramesh and Priya Saaral Website for Parenting at the Intersections Parenting at the Intersections on Instagram Jaya on Instagram Priya on Instagram Jaya on Linkedin Cheryl Poe and Advocating 4Kids Akilah Richards on Unschooling and Raising Free People (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Raising Free People: Unschooling as Liberation and Healing Work by Akilah Richards Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Debbie talks with Julie Neale talks about her journey as mother to two differently wired boys and how she's supporting mothers in living an E.P.I.C. life through Mother's Quest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Many of our kids spend a LOT of time engaging on screens and with technology, and I don’t know about you, but for me it feels like this is an ever-changing, and fast-changing landscape, and one that can be hard to stay on top of. Whether we’re talking about assistive technology, videos, games, or social media, these forms of media continue to offer new ways of interacting, developing relationships, and even exploring identity, and this has added to the complexity of raising neurodivergent kiddos. So I invited Dr. Meryl Alper, a researcher on the social and cultural implications of communication technologies with a focus on disability, digital media, and children and families’ tech use to join me to talk about how we should be thinking about our kids’ relationship with screens and tech. I reached out to Meryl after reading her new book, Kids Across the Spectrums: Growing Up Autistic in the Digital Age, which explores the often-misunderstood technology practices of young autistic people, as well as what it means to be “social” in a hypermediated society. So that’s what we get into: the factors that influence a child’s relation to media, how digital media is creating spaces for kids to develop their identities online, and what we – parents, schools – should be doing to better educate kids on safely interacting with online communities and new technologies. We also talked about fandoms and how they have become a part of identity and belonging development, and why every parent needs to spend time understanding how their children are using and consuming media. If your child, autistic or otherwise neurodivergent, regularly engages with screens and tech, you’ll get a lot out of this episode. About my guest Dr. Meryl Alper is an Associate Professor of Communication Studies at Northeastern University, where she researches the social and cultural implications of communication technologies, with a focus on disability, digital media, and children and families’ tech use. Dr. Alper is the author of Digital Youth with Disabilities (MIT Press, 2014) and the award-winning Giving Voice: Mobile Communication, Disability, and Inequality (MIT Press, 2017). Her latest book, Kids Across the Spectrums: Growing Up Autistic in the Digital Age (MIT Press, 2023), explores the often-misunderstood technology practices of young people on the autism spectrum, as well as what it means to be “social” in a hypermediated society. Dr. Alper also draws on nearly 20 years of professional experience in the children’s media industry as a researcher, strategist, and consultant with organizations such as Sesame Workshop, PBS KIDS, Nickelodeon, and Disney. Prior to joining the faculty at Northeastern, Dr.Alper earned a Ph.D. and M.A. from the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California.She also holds a B.S. in Communication Studies and History from Northwestern University, as well as a certificate in Early Childhood Education from UCLA. Things you'll learn: Why representation in media is crucial for autistic children to develop a sense of identity and belonging How technology can provide opportunities for connection and community for autistic children Special considerations parents and educators could keep in mind regarding online safety for neurodivergent children The importance of advocating for media literacy education that is catered to neurodivergent children Why understanding the individual needs and experiences of neurodivergent children is essential when making decisions about their technology use Resources mentioned: Meryl Alper’s website Kids Across the Spectrums: Growing Up Autistic in the Digital Age by Meryl Alper (via MIT Press website) Download / read the Introduction to Kids Across the Spectrum (PDF) MIT Press open access version of Kids Across the Spectrum (digital only) Meryl Alper on LinkedIn Scratch Wonder by R.J. Palacio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You may have heard about the “lost generation of autistic women,” which refers to those women whose diagnoses were missed when they were younger because of the male gender bias in the diagnostic criteria. But that phenomenon doesn’t just apply to autism – the same thing goes for girls and ADHD. There’s actually been a lot written about this in recent years, including a popular 2020 article in The Guardian called The Lost Girls: Chaotic and Curious, Women with ADHD All Have Missed Red Flags That Haunt Us. It’s true that the stereotype of a kid with ADHD is that energetic, impulsive, disorganized boy. But in girls especially it can also look like perfectionism and having a hard time receiving feedback, forgetfulness, misreading social cues and struggling with friendships, drifting off, and inconsistency in schoolwork. In this episode, you’ll hear about why ADHD in girls often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed, what kind of ineffective coping strategies girls with ADHD may to hide their struggles, and what some of the early symptoms are and how to recognize them. We also talked about the challenges of how rejection sensitive dysphoria, which co-occurs in many people with ADHD, may impact girls, and ADHD burnout. About Dr. Sharon Saline Sharon Saline, Psy.D., clinical psychologist and author of the award-winning book, What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew: Working Together to Empower Kids for Success in School and Life and The ADHD solution card deck specializes in working with children, teens, adults and families living with ADHD, learning disabilities, twice exceptionality and mental health issues. With decades of experience as a clinical psychologist and educator/clinician consultant, she guides educators, clinicians, families and adults towards effective communication, closer connections and greater understanding. She lectures and facilitates workshops internationally on topics such as ADHD and neurodivergence, executive functioning, the anxiety spectrum, motivation, perfectionism and working with different kinds of learners. Things you’ll learn: Why ADHD in girls often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed due to the different ways it presents compared to boys How girls with ADHD may exhibit symptoms such as anxiety, depression, forgetfulness, difficulty listening, and problems with social interactions Why girls with ADHD may develop ineffective coping strategies to hide their struggles, leading to challenges in school, relationships, and emotional regulation Why early diagnosis and support is crucial for girls with ADHD to help them succeed academically, socially, and emotionally The ways in which RSD (rejection sensitive dysphoria) can complicated social struggles for ADHD girls Resources mentioned: Dr. Sharon Saline’s website Sharon’s YouTube Channel Sharon on Instagram Sharon Facebook What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew: Working Together to Empower Kids in School and Life by Dr. Sharon Saline The ADHD Solution Card Deck: 50 Strategies to Help Kids Learn, Reduce Stress & Improve Family Connections (created by Dr. Sharon Saline) Sharon Saline on What Our ADHD Kids Wish We Knew (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Dr. Megan Anna Neff on RSD (Neurodivergent Insights) Sharon Saline on RSD (Additude Today) Dr. Donna Henderson and Dr. Sarah Wayland on Their Book Is This Autism? (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Is This Autism? A Guide for Clinicians and Everyone Else by Dr. Donna Henderson and Dr. Sarah Wayland The Lost Girls: Chaotic and Curious, Women with ADHD All Have Missed Red Flags That Haunt Us (The Guardian) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Author and life coach Andrea Owen shares her personal story of how she continues to live her best life while accepting and embracing who her differently-wired son is. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Debbie talks with cultural changemaker, author, and entrepreneur Jess Weiner about how to become successful advocates to best support our differently-wired kids. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Peter Shankman talks about his new book, Faster Than Normal: Turbocharge Your Focus, Productivity, and Success with the Secrets of the ADHD Brain, and his story of learning how to manage his ADHD and tap into the gifts that come along with the diagnosis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m happy to share a rich conversation with strategic parenting coach Heather Chauvin about the plight many mothers of neurodivergent kids find themselves in — prioritizing everyone else’s needs over their own and why it’s so critical that we get out of this pattern. This is a deeply personal topic for Heather. The way she describes it, by living in survival mode as a parent to her three kids, she was robbing herself of joy, robbing her kids of joy by not being a present parent, and robbing her loved ones of fulfilling relationships. And then in 2013, the universe got her attention when Heather was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Going through that unexpected journey pushed Heather to take a deeper stand for change and explore how cultural expectations sabotage our dreams. I wanted to bring Heather on the show for this conversation because I hear from so many mothers who are in various states of struggle in their parenting lives — pouring everything into their kids, running on fumes, sacrificing so much, putting incredible pressure on ourselves to do it all and do it well. Yet, as much as we love our kids and want to be their safe place, we can’t do that unless we are being that for ourselves first. During this conversation, we talked about what dying to be a good mother syndrome is and why so many mothers suffer from it, why trusting yourself can be the best ally in parenting, and how to approach choosing yourself when you think you don’t have time. Even though this episode is framed for mothers, it’s a good listen for anyone who is a caregiver, especially if you’ve been feeling like your energy is low or frantic, and that has become the norm. About Heather Chauvin Heather Chauvin is a leadership coach who helps ‘successful’ women courageously and authentically live, work, and parent on their own terms. Heather started her career as a social worker helping adults understand children’s behavior. But it wasn’t until 2013 when a stage 4 cancer diagnosis pushed her to take a deeper stand for change, uncovering how cultural expectations sabotage our dreams. She has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, Real Simple Magazine, Mind Body Green, Google, and more. When Heather isn’t working, you will find her living out what she teaches which may include kayaking Alaska, snowboarding, hiking, or anything else that challenges what she believes is possible for herself (and inviting her children along the journey). Life is full of opportunities. It’s time to feel alive. Things you'll learn from this episode How motherhood and one’s priorities change as our kids get older How trusting in yourself and your intuition can be a powerful ally in motherhood What “dying to be a good mother syndrome” is and why so many mothers are living in that space How Heather helps moms take the first steps toward choosing themselves and what it actually looks like How to approach choosing yourself if you don’t think you have the time Resources mentioned: Heather’s website and free gifts Dying to Be a Good Mother: How I Dropped the Guilt and Took Control of My Parenting and My Life by Heather Chauvin Heather on Instagram Heather’s Emotionally Uncomfortable podcast The Energetic Time Management Habit Challenge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Video game researcher Dr. Rachel Kowert talks about the impact of video games in differently-wired kids' lives and busts some myths about the potential harms and benefits of gaming. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I get a lot of requests for different topics to cover on this show, and bullying is a theme that has come up multiple times. And understandably, since we know that children and teens with learning disabilities, ADHD, autism, are much more likely to experience bullying and social rejection. And we know that being on the receiving end of bullying can be traumatic and have long-lasting negative impacts. So I reached out to Ginger Whitson, an author, mental health professional, educator, and expert educator on bullying, crisis intervention, and child and adolescent emotional and behavioral health and invited her to join me on the show. Because the concept of bullying evokes such strong feelings and likely a lot of misunderstanding about what even qualifies as bullying, that’s where I asked Ginger to start — what exactly IS bullying? And does the bullying today’s kids and teens experience look and feel different from back when we were in school? I mean, with the addition of technology, it just feels like a completely different ball game. I also asked Ginger to guide us on how we should best respond if our child tells us they’re being bullied, if there are ways we can “bully proof” our kids, and how we can preemptively prepare them so they feel they have a plan for dealing with negative behavior from other kids. In addition to her important work with children and her books, including Friendship & Other Weapons: Group Activities to Help Young Girls Aged 5-11 to Cope with Bullying and The 8 Keys to End Bullying Activity Program Workbook, Ginger, whose work can be found under the name Signe Whitson, is also the C.O.O. of the Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI) Institute, an international training program that helps adults turn problem situations into learning opportunities for young people who exhibit challenging behaviors. About Signe Whitson (Ginger) Signe Whitson (Ginger) is an author, educator, and mental health professional with 25 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and families. She is also the C.O.O. of the Life Space Crisis Intervention (LSCI) Institute, an international training program that helps adults turn problem situations into learning opportunities for young people who exhibit challenging behaviors. Things you'll learn: What bullying looks like today, taking into consideration the technology our kids use and other changes society has gone through in past decades A definition of bullying and what’s at stake for a child experiencing bullying Essential strategies parents should follow if their child has been or is being bullied Characteristics or traits that make kids more likely to be bullied How to talk with kids who have a heightened sense of rejection about bullying and social rejection Ways to bully-proof our kids and resources we can share with them How we can all contribute to raising more empathetic kids Resources mentioned: Signe Whitson’s website 8 Keys to End Bullying on Facebook 8 Keys to End Bullying: Strategies for Parents & Schools by Signe Whitson The 8 Keys to End Bullying Activity Book for Kids & Tweens: Worksheets, Quizzes, Games, & Skills for Putting the Keys Into Action by Signe Whitson How to Be Angry: Strategies to Help Kids Express Anger Constructively by Signe Whitson Odd Girl Out, Revised and Updated: The Hidden Culture of Aggression in Girls by Rachel Simmons Rosalind Wiseman Queen Bees and Wannabes, 3rd Edition: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boys, and the New Realities of Girl World by Rosalind Wiseman Dr. Robyn Silverman Explains How to Talk to Kids About Anything (Tilt Parenting podcast) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tia Smith shares her story of raising her twice-exceptional daughter (dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, processing issues, and giftedness) and found a way to chart a path that's allowed her daughter to thrive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Does your child ever seem disconnected to their body? Maybe they would completely forget to eat if you didn’t remind them because they never experience hunger, or they can play outdoors for hours in freezing weather but because they’re not really noticing how cold it is, they leave the hat, gloves, and coat at home. Or on the flip side, maybe your child is intensely connected? Maybe they experience such strong internal or external body sensations that it is hard for them to pay attention to anything else or it spikes their anxiety or triggers them into fight or flight mode? These are just a few examples of extremes and variances in interoception awareness, which is essentially the language of our bodies. And for most neurodivergent kids, interoception is a factor in their ability to hear or feel, pay attention, and ultimately respond to the messages their bodies are sending them at any given time. I wanted to explore this concept of interoception and differently wired kids more deeply for the show, so I reached out to Kelly Mahler, an occupational therapist who specializes in interoception and is a co-principal investigator in several research projects pertaining to topics such as interoception, self-regulation, trauma, and autism. Kelly answered my big questions about interoception, including how it relates to sensory processing differences or SPD, why it’s essential that we help our children get to know their bodies’ unique language, and the relationship between ADHD, autism, and interoception. We also talked about what happens in our kids’ brains when they increase their interoceptive awareness, and effective strategies for helping our kids develop in this area. About Kelly Mahler Kelly Mahler OTD, OTR/L, earned a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Misericordia University, Dallas, PA. She has been an occupational therapist for 20 years, serving school-aged children and adults. Kelly is winner of multiple awards, including the 2020 American Occupational Therapy Association Emerging and Innovative Practice Award & a Mom’s Choice Gold Medal. She is an adjunct faculty member at Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA as well as at Misericordia University, Dallas, PA. Kelly is a co-principal investigator in several research projects pertaining to topics such as interoception, self-regulation, trauma & autism. Things you'll learn from this episode: What interoception is and how it relates to sensory processing differences What the spectrum of interoception awareness is and how extremes may manifest The relationship between ADHD, autism, and interoception challenges How to support a child with poor interoception awareness to become more tuned in to their body’s internal experience What happens in our brains when we start to increase our interoception awareness How to help older kids who’ve been on the receiving end of compliance-based strategies to reconnect with and trust their bodies Resources mentioned: Kelly Mahler’s website Kelly on Instagram Interoception: The 8th Sensory System (Facebook group) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A conversation with the author of The Gift of Maybe, Allison Carmen, about what happens when parents raising differently-wired kids let go of their need for certainty and embrace the possibility of "maybe." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

So we’ve talked about mindfulness on this show before, and if you’re in my Differently Wired Club, you know that mindfulness meditation is something I explore from time to time but really struggle with implementing in the way I think I’m supposed to. Like, I always feel like I’m doing it wrong or it’s just not for me. But as my guest today, Hunter Clarke-Fields, explains, there are many accessible ways to practice mindfulness, even for people like me who feel like they can’t, or don’t want to, slow down. And there’s just no disputing the powerful way that mindfulness can support us in helping us be more present, more grounded, more calm, more open, and more curious when navigating all the big, challenging stuff with our neurodivergent kids. During our conversation, Hunter demonstrates a few mindful techniques to regulate yourself when you need it that are very doable even if you only have 3 minutes — I’ve actually been doing them since we recorded this, and I’m still at it! Hunter also shared strategies to show our kids compassion when they are struggling and introduces us to what has become one of my most favorite positive self-talk phrases — “permission to be human” — as a reminder when we have less than brilliant parenting, or life, moments. She ended the conversation with a beautiful reflection on why it’s important to see our kids for who they are and be willing to be open to the changes that happen every day for them. About Hunter Clarke-Fields Hunter Clarke-Fields MSAE, E-RYT (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a Mindfulness Mentor, Mindful Mama podcast host, mom, global speaker, and number 1 bestselling author of Raising Good Humans, as well as her most recent book, Raising Good Humans Every Day (Aug 1, 2023). Hunter has over 20 years of experience in meditation and yoga practices, and helps moms bring more calm and family cooperation into their daily lives. She is a Mindfulness Meditation Teacher, the creator of the Mindful Parenting Course and Teacher Training, and has taught mindfulness to thousands worldwide, including a recent trip to Egypt. Hunter presents talks on parenting, and is a certified teacher of Parent Effectiveness Training. In addition, Hunter coaches smart, accomplished, over-stressed individuals on how to cultivate mindfulness. Hunter is the mother of two active daughters, who challenge her every day to hone her craft! Her work has appeared in CNBC Make It, Parade, Motherhood Moment, The Hollywood Digest, along with on ABC Portland, NBC Milwaukee, CBS South Bend, Kansas Public Radio, and many podcasts. Things you'll learn from this episode: What we can learn about our values in moments of shame or discomfort when we don’t show up as the parent we want to be How Hunter uses the philosophy of “permission to be human” to show herself compassion and accept mistakes will happen What mindfulness is and what being a mindful parent means Ways to practice mindfulness that are not traditional meditations Strategies for showing our kids compassion when everyone (them, us) is struggling Why it’s essential that we see our children as they are in the present moment (and not how they were yesterday) Resources mentioned: Hunter Clarke-Fields’ website Mindful Mama Mentor Raising Good Humans Every Day: 50 Simple Ways to Press Pause, Stay Present, and Connect with Your Kids by Hunter Clarke-Fields Raising Good Humans: A Mindful Guide to Breaking the Cycle of Reactive Parenting and Raising Kind, Confident Kids by Hunter Clarke-Fields Raising Good Humans book website Mindful Parenting Podcast Mindful Mama Mentor on Instagram Mindful Mama Mentor on Facebook Hunter Clarke-Fields on LinkedIn Plum Village Tradition Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Author and changemaker Courtney Macavinta (The Respect Institute) explains why differently-wired kids are especially vulnerable to the “school to prison pipeline,” and how we can make respect the status quo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A concept we have explored a lot on this show and in the Tilt community is AGENCY — and always in the context of how to scaffold and support our kids in developing agency or helping them have a bigger sense of control and autonomy in their lives. But guess what? We — the parents and caregivers in our kids' lives — we need agency too. And in this conversation, we’re going to be exploring how to expand our own sense of agency and personal choice so we can show up more intentionally to our daily lives as parents. And to talk with us all about this is Dr. Amy Hoyt, a mom of five children, three of whom are differently wired, and a specialist who has been working in the field of trauma for ten years, as a researcher of mass trauma and individual trauma. She is the founder of Mending Trauma, a digital mental health platform dedicated to helping women recover from trauma and PTSD, and is an author, podcaster and speaker passionate about helping others learn skills that allow them to parent and live with intention and agency. During this conversation, you’ll hear us talk about what agency and choice look like in the context of parenting and how micro choices can help us develop an internal locus of control, which is critical for us to have. Amy also gave us a few short, easy practices we can do that will help us strengthen our sense of agency, as well as reset our nervous system, which for so many of is us in need of support, especially if we tend to operate in a more hypervigilant state due to stressors in our parenting lives. And because Amy is an expert in trauma, we actually begin our conversion by talking about how residual trauma in adults can be triggered by our parenting journey and how it might show up, especially when we’re raising differently wired kids and we may be differently wired ourselves. And on that note, a quick trigger warning – in the beginning of this conversation, Amy shares why working in trauma is something she felt called to do, and as part of that, talks about abuse she experienced as a child. So please take care of yourself if that’s a subject that is difficult for you. About Dr. Amy Hoyt Dr. Amy Hoyt is a mom of five children, three who are differently abled.She is the founder of Mending Trauma, a digital mental health platform dedicated to helping women recover from trauma and cPTSD. Dr. Hoyt is certified in Traumatic Stress Studies by the Trauma Research Foundation. She has been working in the field of trauma for ten years, as a researcher of mass trauma (genocide and apartheid) and individual trauma. She is an author, podcaster and speaker and is passionate about helping others learn skills that allow them to parent and live with intention and agency. Things you'll learn: What trauma is and how it can show up in our lives and bodies Where to start if you want to get to know and work to heal your own trauma What a physiological sigh is and how you can use it to reset your nervous system What agency is in the context of parenting, and why it’s so important to have What it means to be “in choice” in our parenting lives, and how micro choices can help develop an internal locus of control How agency and trauma are connected Resources mentioned: Dr. Amy Hoyt’s website, Mending Trauma Mending Trauma on Instagram The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Health and Development in Young Children (National Institute of Health Study) Trauma Research Foundation The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk The 12 Steps Deb Dana’s website, Rhythm of Regulation Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory by Deb Dana How Your Nervous System Works and Changes (The Huberman Lab podcast) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Becca Wertheim, a second-grade teacher at an inclusion school in North Carolina, talks about her experience as a teacher meeting the individual educational needs of a group of students with diverse learning styles, and her insight for parents who are looking for better support and communication with the teachers in their children’s lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today I’m covering a topic that was suggested by a listener and, as soon as I read her email, I was like, Yes! And also, I can’t believe we haven’t done an episode on this yet! So… today we’re going to be talking about being a parent with ADHD who is parenting neurodivergent children. Because I know there are endless parenting responsibilities that rely heavily on having solid executive function skills or balancing an inordinate amount of demands and emotional labor, and I know that these same requirements are likely not super strengths for a parent with ADHD. This is where my guest today, Elaine Taylor-Klaus, found herself — stressed, overwhelmed, and struggling as a mom to three complex kids. When she initially shared with a psychiatrist how badly she was doing and asked if there might be something else going on, she was told, yes, it’s called being a mom. But Elaine pushed for answers, finally getting a diagnosis of ADHD when she was in her early 40s. That new identification, and the personal development journey it initiated, changed life for Elaine and her family in the best possible way. This is such a good conversation today, as we get into the many things parents with ADHD typically struggle with, how parents can best support themselves with the emotional and mental demands of parenting, and of course, we touch upon the many strengths of ADHD that can be leveraged to make a neuromixed family work better. I hope you enjoy it! About Elaine Taylor-Klaus Elaine Taylor-Klaus is a professional certified coach, parenting coach, writer, speaker and mother in an ADHD family of five. The Co-Founder of ImpactADHD, Elaine provides ADD Parent Support for managing "complex" kids with ADHD and other challenges. ImpactADHD’s coaching and training programs are dedicated to effectively support entire families by helping parents learn how to deal with a child with ADHD. Using online, group and personal coaching, as well as articles, blogs, forums and selected resources – all in an interactive format – ImpactADHD.com teaches parents to develop personalized strategic plans for themselves and their families. Through coaching with Elaine, and public presentations to schools and parent groups, parents are inspired to confidently raise successful, independent children. Elaine coaches parents, and teaches them how to use those skills to communicate more effectively with their kids. Elaine’s husband, David, is also her business partner in their shared company, Touchstone Coaching, which is the parent company for ImpactADHD and DTK Coaching. Things you'll learn: How receiving an ADHD diagnosis positively impacted Elaine’s parenting and family life The most common challenges facing parents with ADHD as they navigate parenting in general, and specifically in raising neurodivergent kids What helps parents the most in bridging the gap for their children when they are also struggling being a person with ADHD The strengths that come with ADHD and how they can be leveraged to support one’s life as a parent Resources mentioned: Impact Parents The Essential Guide to Raising Complex Kids with ADHD, Anxiety and More by Elaine Taylor-Klaus Special resources for Tilt Parenting listeners in ImpactParents Parenting with Impact Podcast Impact ADHD Resources for Parents Elaine Taylor-Klaus on LinkedIn Diane Demster Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Ellen Braaten describes slow processing speed in children — what it is and how it shows up—and gives her insights on how parents (and teachers) can best support kids for whom this is a challenge. She also gives us insight into her book, "Bright Kids Who Can't Keep Up." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this show, we’ve talked about the effect that the pandemic has had on our kids, we’ve talked about the youth mental health crisis, we’ve talked about the complexities of our kids developing their identity online. It’s clear that our kids are growing up in a time with unique challenges and very different from when we were kids and adolescents. So how can we help our children to truly thrive even in the face of so much disruption and uncertainty? My guest today, Stephanie Malia Krauss, is here to answer those questions and more. I enjoyed this conversation so much, and especially the thoughtfulness with which Stephanie explores how our kids are experiencing their childhood and what it takes for them to grow up healthy and whole. We explored mental health, hope, resilience, identity, and so much more. This is a must-listen to episode for anyone who has the privilege of being a safe adult in the life of any child, whether you're a parent, a teacher, a coach, amentor. I hope you enjoy our conversation. About Stephanie Malia Krauss Stephanie Malia Krauss is an educator, social worker, and leading voice on what kids need to thrive in times of crisis and change. She is the author of Whole Child, Whole Life: 10 Ways to Help Kids Live, Learn, and Thrive and Making It: What Today’s Kids Need for Tomorrow’s World. Stephanie’s work and writing have been featured on NPR, PBS, Insider, and more. Stephanie is also a senior fellow with the CERES Institute for Children & Youth at Boston University and Education Northwest. Things you'll learn: An overview of Stephanie’s new book Whole Child, Whole Life: 10 Ways to Help Kids Live Why it's so critical that we consider determinators and demographics when we're thinking about how to support our kids What parents and adults in neurodivergent kids' lives need to know when it comes to prioritizing kids’ mental health What future forecasting is and how we can use it with our kids to reignite their hope and sense of agency What Stephanie defines as purpose and how can help our kids in identifying or capitalizing on a purpose they may already have within them How we can be an “identity-safe adult” for the children in our lives Resources mentioned: Stephanie Malia Krauss’ website Whole Child, Whole Life: 10 Ways to Help Kids Live, Learn, and Thrive and Making It: What Today’s Kids Need for Tomorrow’s World by Stephanie Malia Krauss Whole Child, Whole Life website How We Can Prepare Differently Wired Children for an Uncharted Future, with Stephanie Malia Krauss (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Making It: What Today’s Kids Need for Tomorrow’s World by Stephanie Krauss Heather Malin, Stanford University Laura Hernandez Stephanie on Twitter Stephanie on Instagram Stephanie on LinkedIn Tilt Parenting listeners can get 20% off their copy of Whole Child, Whole Life by going to Corwin.com and using the code SAVE20. For a signed bookplate, they can email proof of purchase to [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is a special shared episode of the Mindful Parenting Podcast, hosted by Hunter Clarke-Fields, on the Tilt Parenting feed. In our hectic parenting lives it can become easy to lose track of what’s important and get bogged down by the stress of it all. Diana Hill, clinical psychologist talks to us about how Acceptance and commitment Therapy (ACT) can help us become more psychologically flexible and how that will help our parenting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m really happy to be bringing another conversation about PDA to the show, especially as awareness and understanding of this complex profile of autism is growing and more and more parents are looking for resources to navigate this especially challenging parenting journey. Oh, and in case you’re not familiar with PDA, it’s an acronym that technically stands for Pathological Demand Avoidance, though many people who identify as PDAers prefer the words persistent desire for autonomy. My guest for today’s conversation is Casey Ehrlich. In our conversation, Casey sheds light on how to approach raising a child with PDA at different stages, explores the differences between PDA and ODD, considers how burnout manifests in someone with PDA, and explains how a child with a PDA profile might experience a loss of autonomy and equality on a daily basis. Casey also walks us through her framework for supporting families with PDA kids and what it takes to find peace and acceptance in showing up for a PDA child no matter what. About Casey Ehrlich, Ph.D. Casey Ehrlich, Ph.D. is a coach and educator to parents raising PDA Autistic children and teens and is the founder of At Peace Parents and a podcast by the same name. She is also the co-founder of the PDA Parents community and podcast. Casey brings her background in social science, methodology, and research to take an objective and non-judgmental approach to supporting families.She is currently conducting empirical research on Pathological Demand Avoidance with a faculty member at the University of Michigan and is raising two sons, one of whom is PDA Autistic. Things you'll learn: What PDA is, and how it overlaps (if at all) with ODD How burnout manifests in someone with a PDA profile and the overlaps between PDA burnout and autistic burnout Why people with a PDA profile experience a loss of autonomy and equality when demands are placed on them How Casey helps parents raising kids with a PDA profile What low-demand parenting actually looks like in practice Resources mentioned: Casey’s website, At Peace Parents At Peace Parents on Instagram At Peace Parents Podcast Free “Clarity” Masterclass Paradigm Shift Program Dr. Mona Delahooke Deconstructing Oppositional Defiant Disorder (Mona Delahooke blog) Dr. Dan Siegel Tina Payne Bryson A Conversation about Declarative Language and Co-Regulation, with Linda Murphy (Tilt Parenting podcast) Linda Murphy’s website Declarative Language Handbook: Using a Thoughtful Language Style to Help Kids with Social Learning Challenges Feel Competent, Connected, and Understood by Linda K. Murphy Kristy Forbes’ website InTune Pathways Dr. Melissa Neff on Pathological Demand Avoidance In Children (Tilt Parenting podcast) Polyvagal Theory Sensory Processing Disorder (Star Institute) Dr. Megan Anna Neff on Diagnoses and Misdiagnoses (It’s Complicated!) (Tilt Parenting podcast) Amanda Diekman and Low Demand Parenting (Tilt Parenting podcast) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Debbie talks with family therapist and author of the new book "Ending the Parent-Teen Control Battle" Neil Brown about the challenges of and strategies for raising differently-wired teens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I know it can be incredibly powerful and transformational for parents raising differently wired kids to hear from neurodivergent adults about their lived experience. How did they feel as a child? What was it that helped them navigate feelings of inadequacy they may have internalized or the challenges of being a child who was misunderstood or whose gifts were overlooked? That’s why I’m so happy to share today’s conversation with Gil Gershoni, the founder and creative director of the branding firm Gershoni Creative, the creator of the Dyslexic Design Thinking methodology, and the host of the Dyslexic Design Thinking podcast. Gil’s big goal is to show the world that dyslexic thinkers can open new doors and innovate absolutely anything. I invited Gil to share his inspiring story of how, as a child, he shifted his relationship with his dyslexia so it became the key to his finding so much success in his creative work, as well as to help listeners better understand the link between dyslexia and creativity. In telling us about his journey and his perspectives on the gifts of neurodivergence, Gil also shares how parents can best support and show up for our dyslexic kids so they have the knowledge and confidence to leverage their unique brains. Gil is also the creator of a wonderful, empowering initiative called Dear Dyslexia: The Postcard Project, which invites dyslexics of all ages — from students to professionals — to depict their relationship with dyslexia on postcards using words and image, so I asked him to share with us the why behind that initiative and tell us how it’s helping dyslexics everywhere, especially kids, really lean into who they are. I really enjoyed having this sit down with Gil, someone who is very much on the frontlines of the paradigm shift we’re all a part of. Whether your child is dyslexic, has another learning disability, or is in any way neurodivergent, I hope this conversation feels supportive, inspirational, and motivating for you. About Gil Gershoni Gil Gershoni is the founder and creative director of the branding firm Gershoni Creative. He says that everything he does, he does dyslexic. Gil sees dyslexia as a hyper-ability. His goal is to show the world that dyslexic thinkers can open new doors and innovate anything. Along with Gershoni Creative, Gil created Dyslexic Design Thinking, a method that helps clients see new perspectives and tell the story of their brand. Gil also hosts Dyslexic Design Thinking, a podcast that explores the link between dyslexia and creativity. Through these outlets, Gil spotlights dyslexic thinkers and ideas. Things you'll learn: What made the difference in Gil’s life as being someone who ultimately embraced and leveraged the gifts of his dyslexic brain What Gil’s Dyslexic Design Thinking methodology is, and how it can be used to support creativity, problem solving, and more How Gil defines the gifts and “hyperabilities” of the dyslexic brain How Gil supports parents powerfully showing up for and advocating for their kids How Dear Dyslexia: the Postcard Project has help kids redefine their relationship with their dyslexia How parents can help their child to unlock their own potential Resources mentioned: Dyslexic Design Thinking Dyslexic Design Thinking podcast Dear Dyslexia: The Postcard Project David Flink Jonathan Mooney 12-Year-Old Asher Talks with Social Movement Leader David Flink (Tilt Parenting Podcast) LD and ADHD Advocate and Author Jonathan Mooney on Why Normal Sucks (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Description of Gil’s talk about SXSW Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Author Ann Douglas (Parenting Through the Storm) talks with Debbie about negative stigmas—why they exist, how they're perpetuated, what they do to us and our kids, and most importantly, what we can do to combat them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The conversation around twice exceptionality has advanced a lot in the past few years but there still exists substantial resistance and misunderstanding about what it means to be 2e. As my guest today, Julie Skolnick, writes about in her new book Gifted and Distractible, it’s a widely held misconception that intellectual ability and social and emotional success go hand in hand. Which is why kids who are gifted and have simultaneous learning differences like ADHD, Autism, or dyslexia—are often not fully seen and supported by parents, teachers, and themselves. In a world where these complex learners are often labeled lazy, scattered, attention-seeking, and a problem that can’t be solved, I am totally behind Julie’s mission to passionately guide parents of gifted and distractible children to bring out the best and raise self-confidence in their 2e kids. And in today’s conversation, she shares some of her best insights and ideas about how we can reimagine the world through our child’s unique perspective—so we can help them thrive. Her book, Gifted and Distractible: Understanding, Supporting, and Advocating for Your Twice Exceptional Child, literally comes out the day this episode is released! If you’re raising a twice exceptional kid, I highly encourage you to grab a copy after listening to our conversation… Julie really did share all of her experience and insights and hard-won wisdom inside for us to benefit from. About my guest Julie F. Rosenbaum Skolnick, M.A., J.D., Founder of With Understanding Comes Calm, LLC, passionately guides parents of gifted and distractible children, mentors 2e adults, trains educators and advises professionals on how to bring out the best and raise self-confidence in their 2e students and clients. A prolific writer and beloved speaker, Julie hosts “The Haystack 2e Adult Membership Group” which welcomes all ‘2e adult needles,’ hosts Let’s Talk 2e! Parent Empowerment Groups, produces virtual conferences, and publishes “Gifted & Distractible,” a free weekly newsletter. Her book, Gifted and Distractible: Understanding, Supporting, and Advocating for Your Twice Exceptional Child, was published in October 2023. Located in Maryland, USA, Julie’s clients and audience hail from all four corners of the globe. You'll learn: How Julie is helping to expand the understanding of twice exceptionality What trends Julie is observing regarding educators’ willingness to explore and provide creative ways to support 2e kids Misunderstandings that Julie addresses over and over again about the twice exceptional population and why supporting 2e kids has to start with deeply understanding them The biggest challenges parents raising 2e kids face What we should be thinking about when trying to identify therapists or modalities that might support our 2e kids Resources mentioned: Julie Skolnick’s website With Understanding Comes Calm Gifted and Distractible: Understanding, Supporting, and Advocating for Your Twice Exceptional Child by Julie Skolnick SENG (Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted) Ken Dabrowsky’s Overexcitabilities Fight Between ‘Gifted’ and ‘Advanced’ Programs Exposes Deeper Problems (Washington Post article) Dr. Megan Anna Neff, Neurodivergent Insights Julie on Facebook Julie on Instagram Julie on Twitter Julie on LinkedIn Julie’s YouTube channel GiftedandDistractible.com Julie Skolnick on Supporting 2e Kids in Traditional Schools (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Child psychologist Dr. Abigail Gewirtz talks about her book, When the World Feels Like a Scary Place: Essential Conversations for Anxious Parents and Worried Kids, and provides insights on talking to kids at Covid-19, racism, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’m going to confess something with you right here and now. When it comes to having important conversations with my kid, about tricky topics, big issues…things where the stakes feel very high, I often feel like I blow it. I get really anxious, if the subject comes up without any advance warning I fumble over my words, I very often say the exact wrong thing and then feel stressed about what I wish I’d said and then I often awkwardly force a do-over. You get the point. Am I the only one? Okay, so if you are like me and you struggle with knowing what to say anything that feels big and important and potentially tricky, you are going to love this episode. Because today I’m sharing a conversation with Dr. Robyn Silverman about her new book How to Talk to Kids About Anything: Tips, Scripts, Stories, and Steps to Make Even the Toughest Conversations Easier. And when Robyn says anything, she means anything. Today we are talking about how to have conversations with our kids, no matter their age, about things like death, sex, diversity, depression, suicide, big feelings, and more, and even more, why it matters so much that we are safe, informed adults to talk about these issues with our kids, and how a little preparation goes a long way in terms of helping us feel regulated and calm. We want our kids to know that we’re always there to talk with them about anything and that we are their top trusted and safe source of information, no matter the topic. About my guest Known as the “Conversation Doc,” Dr.Robyn Silverman is a child and teen development specialist and host of the popular podcast, How to Talk to Kids About Anything, as well as the book of the same name. She is a cofounder of the Powerful Words Character System, which gives educators the talking points they need to help children become kind, responsible citizens of the world. Dr. Robyn has appeared on The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS Early Show and Nightline and has been quoted on CNN and in the New York Times, Washington Post, and many other publications. You'll learn: The impetus behind Robyn’s new book How to Talk to Kids About Anything and why she decided to include so many expert voices in it The biggest roadblocks that get in the way of parents talking about difficult or uncomfortable subjects with their kids How to customize “scripts” for your individual family’s needs Common mistakes parents make when broaching tricky topics Advice for parenting kids who are struggling with emotional and mental health challenges An example of how a conversation about a difficult topic might change over time and why it’s important that it is a continuous conversation Resources mentioned: Dr. Robyn Silverman’s website How to Talk to Kids about Anything: Tips, Scripts, Stories, and Steps to Make Even the Toughest Conversations Easier by Dr. Robyn Silverman How to Talk to Kids About Anything (Dr. Robyn’s podcast) Dr. Robyn Silverman on Nurturing Our Kids’ Character and Character Strengths (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Dr. Robyn on Facebook Dr. Robyn in Instagram Dr. Robyn on X The Self-Driven Child: The Science and Sense of Kids Your Kids More Control Over Their Lives by Dr. William Stixrud and Ned Johnson Julie Lythcott-Haims Jessica Lahey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A conversation with the coauthor of "Child Decoded," Dr. Robyn McEvoy, about how parents can forge a viable path to move forward and best focus their energy in raising their exceptional child. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’ve got a question for you: What’s your relationship with puberty? You know, that inescapable part of every human’s experience, marked by body changes, emotional swings, awkward stages, and more? Personally, I don’t look back on my journey through puberty with whole lotta fondness. Yet, being that it IS part of every child’s development process, puberty is something that we as parents and actually any adult supporting children are going to want to deeply understand so we can help our kids navigate it in a way that preserves their sense of self-worth, body confidence, and emotional, physical, and mental safety. And, what I’ve learned from my guests for today’s show, “modern” puberty, is not the same puberty you and I went through however many years ago. Cara and Vanessa wrote all about it in their wonderful book, This is So Awkward: Modern Puberty Explained, which explains the science behind all that’s happening at this stage in a kid's lives AND also provides insights into how to talk to kids about it. Because, honestly, even talking about all things puberty with our kids can feel super awkward and uncomfortable for them us. But luckily, Cara and Vanessa are here to hold our hand through it all, and provide us with the facts, language, and strategies for helping us navigate these conversations and this phase of life with confidence and calm. About Cara Natterson Cara Natterson, MD, is a pediatrician, consultant, and New York Times bestselling author. She’s also the co-founder and CEO of Order of Magnitude, a company dedicated to flipping puberty-positive. Cara’s books focus largely on puberty — some written for the kids going through it, and others for the adults helping them along the way. Her list of titles includes The Care and Keeping of You series with more than 7 million copies in print. While this reach is incredible, the written word is only one way to transform the experience of adolescence. About Vanessa Kroll Bennett Vanessa Kroll Bennett is a puberty educator and writer, a podcaster, and entrepreneur who helps adults navigate uncertainty while they support the kids they love. Vanessa is the co-host of The Puberty Podcast which is exactly what it sounds like and the founder of Dynamo Girl, a company focused on building kids’ self-esteem through sports, puberty education and parent workshops. Vanessa consults with organizations, large and small, on how to authentically engage children in their communities. As the host of Conversations on Parenting and Beyond and the first Scholar in Residence at Wasserman Center for Family Life at the JCC Manhattan, Vanessa explores all aspects of growing families. She writes regularly in her Uncertain Parenting Newsletter about the messy process of raising tweens and teens, including her own four children ages 11 to 19. Things you'll learn from this episode How the way today’s kids experience puberty, aka, “modern puberty,” is different from what their parents experienced Why talking about puberty is about more than just body changes and sex, and what other important topics need to be part of the conversation Some of the words that Cara and Vanessa introduce in their book as part of the new vocabulary to use in your conversations with your kids Advice for parents whose kids might be really reluctant to engage in dialogue about the changes that accompany puberty How parents can regulate themselves before having difficult conversations with their kids Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Creativity expert Kathryn Haydon talks about the correlation between creativity and neurodiversity, especially giftedness, as well as her vision for supporting differently-wired kids using a "strengths-based" approach. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome to this week’s show, where I’m so excited to be talking, bringing back to the show my friend, colleague, and my most trusted mentor when it comes to all things kids and tech and screens, Dr. Devorah Heitner. Today, we’re going to be talking about such a pressing consideration for anyone raising a kid these days — what it means for today’s generation of kids to grow up with very public lives and coming of age in a digital world where so many aspects of their lives are online and available for public consumption, not to mention that much of their important work of identity formation is being shaped by the media and technology they interact with. Devorah gets into all of this in her brand new and essential book for any parent, Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World. For this conversation, I asked Devorah to talk us through what I see as some of the more pressing issues for parents like us, including how to balance a child’s right to privacy in their texts and online lives with valid concerns about online influences and engagement when that child is dealing with anxiety, depression or other mental health disorder, the impact of social media on kids who may already be struggling to fit in and find their people, and how many homework and grading apps used by schools may actually be undermining our kids development of executive function skills and creating additional stress for parents. About my guest Dr. Devorah Heitner is the author of Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World and Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and CNN Opinion. She has a Ph.D. in Media/Technology & Society from Northwestern University and has taught at DePaul and Northwestern. You can follow her on Substack at Devorah Heitner dot Substack dot com and on Instagram @devorahheitnerphd. Things you'll learn How to navigate the transition from being highly involved in a children’s tech life to respecting their privacy Why violating our kids’ trust by reading their texts will drive them further apart from us What to track or monitor when your child is dealing with anxiety, depression, or other mental health disorders How engaging in social media may impact kids who are struggling to fit in and find their people Why social media can act as an intensifier for whatever kids are experiencing and how it causes a dip in self-esteem What sharenting is and how to navigate permissions, cleaning up past shares, and more Why apps like ClassDojo are particularly challenging for families with differently-wired students How grading apps often work against differently wired students Resources mentioned Devorah Heitner’s website Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World by Dr. Devorah Heitner Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World by Dr. Devorah Heitner Deborah Heitner’s Substack: Mentoring Kids in a Connected World Phonewise Boot Camp The Big Tech Reset Masterclass with Devorah Heitner (Tilt Parenting-partnered event) Devorah’s TEDx Talk, The Challenges of Raising a Digital Native At Your Wit’s End with a Screen-Obsessed Kid? Read This (Devorah Heitner’s house visit on NPR Lifekit) Devorah on Twitter Devorah on Instagram Dr. Devorah Heitner on Online Safety, Internet “Rabbit Holes,” and Differently Wired Kids (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Dr. Devorah Heitner on the Pros & Cons of “Managing” Our Kids’ Screen Time (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A follow-up conversation with Debbie's husband Derin in which he shares how he got unstuck in his thinking about Asher, as well as how the two of them fostered a close bond of mutual love and understanding. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Debbie and her husband Derin have an honest, open, and vulnerable conversation about their (up and down) journey as a couple navigating parenting a differently-wired child. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Lori Desautels is coming back to the show to talk about her new book Intentional Neuroplasticity: Our Educational Journey Towards Post Traumatic Growth, which stems from her passion of applying the social and relational neurosciences to education and integrating her applied research into classroom procedures and transitions prepping the nervous system for learning and felt safety. An Assistant Professor at Butler University, K-12 educator, and researcher, Lori joined me on the podcast last year to talk about her book Connections over Compliance: Rewiring our Perceptions of Discipline, and that conversation has really just stayed with me, so I loved having this opportunity to go deep with her about intentional neuroplasticity. In this conversation, we discussed some of the research about neuroplasticity not only in kids but in adults, and how we can use it and what we know about the nervous system to help us co-regulate at home and at school and truly meet our children where they are. Dr. Lori Desautels, has been an Assistant Professor at Butler University since 2016 where she teaches both undergraduate and graduate programs in the College of Education. Her passion is engaging her students through the social and relational neurosciences as it applies to education by integrating the Applied Educational Neuroscience framework, and its learning principles and practices into her coursework at Butler. The Applied Educational Neuroscience Certification, created by Lori in 2016, is specifically designed to meet the needs of educators, counselors, clinicians and administrators who work beside children and adolescents who have, and are, experiencing adversity and trauma. The certification is now global and has reached hundreds of educators. Things you'll learn from this episode What this school year has shown us about the impact COVID has had on students and educators What the research says about neuroplasticity in adults and how we can use it in co-regulating with children and students What “building a nest” for our kids means, and and why it’s the best place to start when tending to our kids nervous systems How Lori’s approach has been received by educators What’s possible in classrooms when teachers apply Lori’s methodology to nervous system management Resources mentioned Revelations in Education, Dr. Lori Desautel’s website Intentional Neuroplasticity: Our Educational Journey Towards Post Traumatic Growth by Dr. Lori Desautels Connections Over Compliance: Rewiring Our Perceptions of Discipline by Dr. Lori Desautels Eyes Are Never Quiet: Listening Beneath the Behaviors of Our Most Troubled Students by Dr. Lori Desautels Resources from Revelations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I'm sitting down with sexuality educator and parenting expert Amy Lang for a very frank and open conversation* about sex ed for children—what they need to know, when they need to know it, how to talk about it, and much much more. Amy is passionate about the fact that at its core, sex education is a health and safety issue for our kids. She explains why as our children’s parents and caregivers, it is up to us to initiate and continue to have conversations surrounding sexuality. Amy Lang is committed to changing and challenging cultural beliefs about children and sexuality. She does this by teaching adults the best and most effective ways to talk, learn, and think about the birds and bees, and provides research-based, high quality keynotes, workshops, webinars, books, and other tools so adults can be true champions for the kids they care for and love. Her website is Birds + Bees + Kids. THINGS YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: When parents should have “the talk” about sex (and why the “child-focused” approach of waiting until they ask is wrong) The importance of parents reflecting on their own relationship with sex education before talking with their kids What children should know by what age How to talk to kids who are reluctant to engage in any conversation having to do with sex Why differently-wired kids are especially vulnerable / need additional sex education than typically developing kids RESOURCES MENTIONED: Birds + Bees + Kids (Amy’s website) Dating Smarts: What Every Teen Needs to Know to Date, Relate, or Wait by Amy Lang Birds + Bees + YOUR Kids: A Guide to Sharing Your Beliefs About Sexuality, Love, and Relationships by Amy Lang It’s Not the Stork: A Book About Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families, and Friends by Robie Harris It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex, and Sexual Health by Robie Harris Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My guests today are on a mission to show parents that there are different ways of approaching autism beyond what they’re told in doctors or therapists offices. Meghan Ashburn and Jules Edwards, co-authors of the book I Will Die on This Hill: Autistic Adults, Autism Parents, and the Children Who Deserve a Better World, are making it really clear that there is no one size fits all for any families and that there is so much to learn from just listening more. Meghan Ashburn is a continuous learner, educational consultant, parent mentor, and co-author of I Will Die On This Hill. She's passionate about helping schools create more inclusive, accessible environments. Her online book club has over 10K members, and releases book recommendation lists on autism and neurodiversity. Meghan advocates for communication rights and inclusion at the local, state, and national level. She sits on her school district's Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) and is a recent graduate of Virginia's Partners in Policymaking. Jules Edwards is a neurodivergent Anishinaabe writer, gardener, accountant, and disability justice advocate. She is the parent of neurodivergent Afro Indigenous people, and care provider to many neurodivergent children throughout the years. Jules is passionate about building community and works to improve child safety and disability policy. Current roles include: care work of disabled youth, co-founder of Minnesota Autistic Alliance, board member for the Minnesota Ombudsman for American Indian Families, board member of The Arc Minnesota. She serves as the elected chairperson of the Minnesota Autism Council, a workgroup of the Senate Human Services Reform Finance and Policy Committee. Things you'll learn from this episode What disability justice is Ways that allistic and autistic parents raising autistic children can work together toward our common goals for our kids The harms of a continual pursuit for “normal” in ways that don’t respect or embrace our kids’ neurodivergence Why self-determination should be the goal over “independence” Ways that allistic parents may be perpetuating ableism without realizing it What an “autism moon” is and why ideal for families who are navigating a new diagnosis of autism Resources mentioned Meghan Ashburn’s website Not an Autism Mom Meghan Ashburn’s Au-Some Book Club I Will Die on This Hill: Autistic Adults, Autism Parents, and the Children Who Deserve a Better World by Meghan Ashburn and Jules Edwards The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a 13-Year-Old Boy with Autism by Naoki Higashida Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week is a continuation of last week’s episode with executive functioning coach Seth Perler, which was so packed full of information (and also so long) that I had to break it up into two separate episodes, which I’m now referring to as a “masterclass” in executive functioning. In last week’s episode, Seth shared his protocol for setting up a child for success in their developing executive functioning skills. In today’s episode, Seth is going to get into the nitty gritty about specific strategies he uses to address different executive functioning challenges that show up in school and in life. Seth Perler is a renegade teacher turned Executive Function Coach/Education Coach who is based in Santa Monica, CA and Boulder, CO. He helps struggling students navigate a crazy educational landscape and does his part to “disrupt” and improve education. Seth specializes in Executive Function and 2e. Find out more at sethperler.com. THINGS YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: What “Frankenstudy” is, and how to know where to focus your energies so you can create a “domino effect” with your child’s fledgling executive functioning skills How to best use “learning planners” to learn how to think / talk through their plan (and what we’re doing wrong) The benefits of monthly planners versus daily or weekly planners Helping kids identify the “MIT” – most important thing – each day The importance of creating a sacred study space for a child How to optimize an internet browser to make it easy with bookmark bars (and have tabs automatically open, including calendar, grade tab, email) Why it’s important to get kids to start checking grades weekly (Seth recommends Sunday nights) The importance of helping a child create clearly identified routines (for leaving house, doing daily plan, doing homework, etc.) How getting visual with kids benefits them in developing their executive functioning skills Why separate digital timers need to be a part of a child’s life so they can learn to calibrate time, as well as get started and do short bursts of work Creating a weekly overhaul of systems The important of kids “getting into the mode” for studying, etc: organize their space, make their plan, and executive RESOURCES MENTIONED: Seth Perler’s website and blog A “Masterclass” in Executive Functioning with Seth Perler, Part 1 (podcast episode) A Conversation with Executive Functioning Coach Seth Perler (original podcast episode) Seth’s Executive Functioning Assessment Seth Perler’s YouTube Channel Support the show Connect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today I’m welcoming back Dayna Abraham to the show to discuss her latest book, Calm the Chaos: A Fail-Proof Road Map for Parenting Even the Most Challenging Kids. I really resonate with Dayna’s work because we both are committed to empowering families, especially those who are deep in survival mode, and in her new book, she shares the framework for her signature “calm the chaos” framework which is designed to give parents a doable plan for navigating challenging situations and finding genuine calm in the midst of the storm. In our conversation today, Dayan gives us the highlights of this framework and gives us some strategies to start employing right away. I’m betting most of you are familiar with Dayna Abraham, but just in case, here’s a bit about her. Dayna is the bestselling author of The Superkids Activity Guide to Conquering Every Day and Sensory Processing 101. She is on a mission to create a more accepting world, one challenging kid at a time. As a National Board Certified educator, parent of three neurodivergent children, and an ADHD adult herself, Dayna brings a unique and out-of-the-box perspective to parents raising kids in the modern world. Through Calm the Chaos, she has helped millions of desperate parents around the world find peace and meet their children where they’re at when conventional parenting tools have failed them. About Dayna Abraham Dayna Abraham, bestselling author of The Superkids Activity Guide to Conquering Every Day and Sensory Processing 101, is on a mission to create a more accepting world, one challenging kid at a time. As a National Board Certified educator, parent of three neurodivergent children, and an ADHD adult herself, Dayna brings a unique and out-of-the-box perspective to parents raising kids in the modern world. Through her compassionate framework, Calm the Chaos, she has helped millions of desperate parents around the world, find peace and meet their children where they’re at when conventional parenting tools have failed them. Things you'll learn from this episode What the five stages of Dayna’s Calm the Chaos framework are and how they work together Why every stage of the framework includes these four elements: You, Connect, Understand and Empower What emotional anchors are and how they can help parents regulate themselves Why getting back to emotional safety and nervous system regulation is so important and what it looks like in action Ideas for finding calm in the midst of challenging situations Resources mentioned for: Calm the Chaos: A Fail-Proof Road Map for Parenting Even the Most Challenging Kids by Dayna Abraham Calm the Chaos Podcast Lemon Lime Adventures Calm the Chaos on Facebook Calm the Chaos on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of the TiLT Parenting Podcast, I’m bringing back a previous guest, executive functioning coach Seth Perler, for a two-part series in which Seth shares with us the exact approach he uses with students he works with when helping them foster their fledgling executive functioning skills. I first had Seth on the show last fall, where he gave us an introduction to executive functioning, but we didn’t get to the more practical strategies that I know so many of us are looking for. So I asked Seth to come back on, and that conversation turned into an hour-and-a-half long sharing by Seth of truly valuable tips and strategies and insights. Because Seth shares so very much over the course of these ninety or so minutes, I wanted to split our conversation into two parts. So this episode is part one of what I’m now referring to as a “Masterclass in Executive Functioning.” In this episode, Seth shares with us his protocol for setting up a child for success in their developing executive functioning skills. In part 2 next week, Seth will go in-depth into his specific strategies surrounding building these skills in school and in life. Seth Perler is a renegade teacher turned Executive Function Coach/Education Coach who is based in Santa Monica, CA and Boulder, CO. He helps struggling students navigate a crazy educational landscape and does his part to “disrupt” and improve education. Seth specializes in Executive Function and 2e. Find out more at sethperler.com. THINGS YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Seth’s definition of executive functioning framed so it helps people apply the principles to help kids A step-by-step breakdown of exactly how Seth works with families Why our relationship with our child is the number one thing to be preserved when doing this work The importance of parents doing their own personal work / self-care during this process Why kids “can’t do what we’re asking them to do because they can’t, not because they won’t,” so we need to back up and scaffold from where they’re at The role of mindfulness, mindset, and motivation Why symptoms are more important than labels Why it’s critical to understand the role of emotional regulation in executive functioning How we as parents can co-regulate our emotions with our child Why we want to focus on 3 positives for every 1 negative RESOURCES MENTIONED: Seth Perler’s website A Conversation with Executive Functioning Coach Seth Perler (original podcast episode) Seth’s Executive Functioning Assessment Dr. Gail Saltz Talks About the Power of Different (podcast episode) Carol Dweck and Mindset Support the show Connect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today I’m bringing you an episode that covers a new topic for this show — how to find the right program when you realize your child is in need of more substantial therapeutic support or intervention. I’ve wanted to cover this topic for a long time because I know how overwhelming it can be if this is a road your family is going down. Sue Scheff has decades of experience in this field, personal and professional, and I’m grateful she joined me to shed light on the ins and outs of navigating different therapeutic programs. With Sue’s fascinating background, we could have explored many different topics for this episode, but what I wanted to do in this conversation is to have Sue give us an overview of the options available to parents whose kids are struggling with challenging or dangerous behaviors and are in need of more intensive supports. Sue explains the difference between therapeutic boarding schools, residential treatment centers and wilderness programs, what the signals are that a child would benefit from these types of supports, how to identify the best fit program, the possibilities for having programs covered by insurance, and much more. About Sue Scheff Founder and President of Parents’ Universal Resource Experts Inc. (P.U.R.E.™), Sue Scheff has been leveraging her personal experiences to help others through her organization since 2001. After being stalked, harassed, bullied and slandered online – in 2006, Scheff won a landmark case for internet defamation with an $11.3M jury verdict. Since then, she’s been an advocate for cyberbullying prevention and promoting the importance of online reputation. She has three published books, Wit’s End (HCI 2007), Google Bomb (HCI 2009) with a foreword by Michael Fertik, and her latest, Shame Nation: The Global Epidemic of Online Hate (Sourcebooks 2017) with a foreword by Monica Lewinsky. Things you'll learn from this episode The differences between therapeutic boarding schools, residential treatment centers, and wilderness programs What the signs are that a child may be in need of more intensive intervention or a therapeutic program How to go about identifying and vetting programs that are an ideal fit for a child’s individual challenges The possibilities that exist for having the high cost of therapeutic programs be partially (or fully) covered by insurance Whether or not parents should be concerned about placing their teens in programs where their peer group may be dealing with more problematic behavior and negatively influence a teen Why any therapeutic program has to involve the whole family in order for it to be effective Resources mentioned for Sue Scheff’s website Parents’ Universal Resource Experts Inc. (P.U.R.E.™) Wit’s End: Advice and Resources for Saving Your Out-of-Control Teen by Sue Scheff Google Bomb: The Global Epidemic of Online Hate by Sue Scheff Shame Nation: The Global Epidemic of Online Hate by Sue Scheff Sue Scheff on Facebook Support the show Connect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, I talk with Jill Emmelhainz, the mother of a 14-year-old differently-wired daughter who struggles with severe anxiety. Over the years, Jill and her husband noticed their daughter Anna’s anxiety was greatly reduced when she spent time outdoors and in nature, so this past year, they decided to try something radical and fully immerse themselves in nature for extended periods of time to see what would happen. For six weeks in fall 2015 and five weeks in spring 2016, Jill and her daughter have hiked the Appalachian Trail in the eastern U.S. The result? During those weeks in nature, Anna’s anxiety all but disappeared, and she’s found ways to bring the learnings from those experiences back into her day-to-day life in a helpful way. JIll and her daughter’s story is fascinating…we have a sense you’ll think so, too! Jill Emmelhainz says: “I have had the privilege of raising and homeschooling our seven children. Travel and creativity have always been part of our family life. Now that we have only one child still at home, she and I enjoy outdoor adventures as a way to help her cope with significant life challenges.” THINGS YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: How trying something completely new and radical can sometimes have unexpected, positive consequences The power of having shared, powerful experiences with a child (especially one who’s a teenager) Suggestions for getting kids more excited about and engaged in outdoor time and nature RESOURCES MENTIONED: Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv Jill’s blog, The Big Epic Support the show Connect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram Support the show Connect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week I’m bringing back school counselor, therapist, and author Phyllis Fagell to talk about her new book Middle School Superpowers: Raising Resilient Tweens in Turbulent Times which she wrote as a response to what she is seeing in her work with children in the aftermath of COVID. During this interview, we talked about why this generation of tweens is more insecure, vulnerable, and eager to please perhaps than past generations, effective strategies for helping kids who might be rigid thinkers become more flexible, and how parents can coach their kids around navigating, forming and maintaining healthy friendships. Phyllis L. Fagell, LCPC is the school counselor at Sheridan School in Washington, DC, a therapist who works with children and teens in private practice, and an author and journalist. She is the author of Middle School Matters: The 10 Key Skills Kids Need to Thrive in Middle School and Beyond – and How Parents Can Help and her most recent book, Middle School Superpowers: Raising Resilient Tweens in Turbulent Times. Things you'll learn from this episode Why this generation of tweens is more insecure, vulnerable, and eager to please than past generations How to help kids who might be rigid thinkers to become more flexible What Phyllis is seeing in how kids are connecting and finding a sense of belonging in the post-pandemic era How parents can coach their kids around navigating, forming, and maintaining healthy friendships What the “magic question is” and how to use it to support our kids in developing empathy How to navigate situations where our kids are seeking support from sources that may not be our first choice Why it’s important to respect how our kids want to present their neurodiversity and other parts of their identities to the world Resources mentioned Phyllis Fagell’s website Middle School Superpowers: Raising Resilient Tweens in Turbulent Times by Phylls Fagell Middle School Matters: The 10 Key Skills Kids Need to Thrive in Middle School and Beyond — and How Parents Can Help by Phyllis Fagell Phyllis Fagell on Twitter Phyllis Fagell on Instagram Phyllis Fagell on Facebook Phyllis Fagell on LinkedIn Support the show Connect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Angela Santomero is also an author, and one I had the chance to work with very closely over the past two years, as she asked me to be her co-author for her new book Preschool Clues: Raising Smart, Inspired, and Engaged Kids in a Screen-Filled World, which comes out one week from today! Preschool Clues shares the secret sauce behind Angela’s shows’ powerful, transformative results in the form of eleven research-based, foundational “clues” to ensure that preschoolers flourish academically, socially, and emotionally during this critical time. In this episode, Angela and I talk about the book—what it’s about, who it’s for, and how it supports parents in parenting their preschoolers and beyond. Though the book isn’t written specifically for an audience of parents raising differently wired kids, the “clues” we share are relevant for any parent of any child. And the bonus? I was able to bring my unique lens as the mother of an atypical kid to the project, and so we took special care to ensure the book is inclusive of every type of child. Angela Santomero is the creator of many preschool TV shows including Blue’s Clues, Super Why, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Creative Galaxy, and Wishenpoof, and was the host of The Parent Show with Angela Santomero on PBS. She has a Master’s degree in Child Developmental Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University with a sub-concentration in Instructional Technology and Media. Find out more at Angela’s website, Angela’s Clues. THINGS YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: The story behind the book Preschool Clues The importance of a healthy media diet and choosing high-quality programs for our kids How Angela defines the ingredients of a high-quality program for preschoolers: educational, interaction, and engagement How parents can use the “power of the Pause” in their every day life The importance of celebrating the small things How parents can embrace media as part of their parenting toolkit How programs like Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood help kids learn through social stories RESOURCES MENTIONED: Angela’s Clues (Angela’s website) Preschool Clues: Raising Smart, Inspired, and Engaged Kids in a Screen-Filled World by Angela Santomero and Deborah Reber Blue’s Clues (Nick Jr.) Super Why (PBS Kids) Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood (PBS Kids) Daniel Tiger Becomes a Boy with Autism’s Guide to Social Life (article from New York Times’ Motherload) Support the show Connect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Megan Anna Neff, is a clinical psychologist specializing in the support and empowerment of neurodivergent adults through her expertise in neurodivergent affirming care and assessments. She comes on the show to talk about the complexity of diagnosis and the why’s behind the misdiagnoses. We dive deep into the assessment process and why so many people slip through the cracks when seeking a diagnosis, why it’s important to get clarity around a child’s wiring in order to provide them with support that will be meaningful and affirming, why identifying one’s neurodivergence (either through self-identification or a medical diagnosis) matters, and the kind of trauma a person can experience when they go through life without a diagnosis. Dr. Megan Anna Neff is a clinical psychologist based in Oregon, specializing in the support and empowerment of neurodivergent adults through her expertise in neurodivergent affirming care and assessments. Megan Anna has co-authored two books and published in several peer-reviewed psychological journals. Her forthcoming book, Self Care for Autistic People, exemplifies her dedication to providing accessible resources for the neurodivergent community. Things you'll learn from this episode The difference between a self-diagnosis and a medical diagnosis How the COVID pandemic influenced the influx of adults discovering their neurodivergence What Misdiagnosis Mondays is and how and why Megan Anna created it Why it’s important to tease out the core or underlying issues when a child is struggling with multiple neurodivergences and/or mental health challenges The kind of trauma a child can experience when they go through life without a diagnosis How we can support our kids in getting back to a baseline if they have built up trauma in their systems How to identify and vet neuropsych evaluators who take a neurodivergent affirming approach to the assessment process Resources mentioned Megan Neff’s website Megan Neff on Instagram at @neurodivergent_insights Megan Neff’s membership community Megan’s infographics, workbooks, and resources Self-care for Autistic People: 100+ Ways to Recharge, De-Stress, and Unmask! by Dr. Megan Neff Dr. Jonathan Dalton, Center for Anxiety & Behavioral Change Dr. Devon Price and Unmasking Autism (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Support the show Connect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A few months ago, Asher and I recorded an episode about the upcoming summer camps he was getting ready for, especially Space Camp. In that episode, Asher shared how he worked with his therapist over the spring to prep for tricky situations he predicted might come up while there. If you haven’t listened to that episode yet, I highly recommend you go back and check it out … you can find it here. At the end of that episode, we promised to do a post-camp follow up so Asher could share how things went, whether or not his strategies worked, and more. So that’s what today’s episode is about… Summer Camp, Part 2. I will say that Space Camp ended up being a bit of a disappointment for Asher, and in addition to dealing with his own emotions surrounding his expectations not being met, he also felt bad because he knew so many people were rooting for him. So I’m really proud of Asher for sharing his experience for this podcast. I hope you enjoy it. Debbie Reber is the founder of Tilt and the host of the Tilt Parenting Podcast. 12-year-old Asher is Debbie’s child and is regularly featured on the podcast. Find out more by visiting the About Page. THINGS YOU’LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: How Space Camp went for Asher The unforeseen challenges for Asher at camp and how he dealt with them How Asher would prepare differently for camp if he could do it all over again The tricky balance between setting too high and too low expectations What it was like for Asher to be at a camp with peers who had ADHD (Eye to Eye Camp) How Asher coped with pre-camp anxiety and jitters RESOURCES MENTIONED: 12-year-old Asher Talks About How He’s Prepping for a Successful Time at Sleep Away Camp (podcast) Space Camp Eye to Eye National David Flink 12-year-old Asher Talks to David Flink, a Social Movement Leader on the Front Lines of the Learning Rights Movement (podcast) Support the show Connect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’ve gotten to know today’s guest, Amanda Diekman, over the past year after I participated in her Low Demand Parenting Summit, which I know many of you attended, and more recently, read her new book, Low-demand Parenting: Dropping Demands, Restoring Calm, and Finding Connection With Your Uniquely Wired Child. Because low-demand parenting can be such an effective approach to supporting differently wired kids, especially kids who fall under the PDA profile of autism, I invited Amanda to join the show for a conversation about what this parenting approach looks like. An autistic adult, parent coach, and author in the neurodiversity space, Amanda has become a leading voice in the movement for low demand parenting practice. She runs a successful coaching practice for parents of neurodivergent children including online courses and a vibrant membership community. During this episode, we talk about what low demand parenting is, why it’s different than what might be referred to as “permissive” parenting, why it’s so effective for kids with PDA, and how she helps parents loosen up the mindset around non-negotiables. About Amanda Diekman Amanda Diekman is an autistic adult, parent coach, and author in the neurodiversity space. Amanda has become a leading voice in the movement for low demand parenting practices, with her book Low Demand Parenting to be published July 2023. Amanda runs a successful coaching practice for parents of neurodivergent children including online courses and a vibrant membership community. Things you'll learn from this episode What led Amanda to implement low-demand parenting in her family What low demand parenting is, and why it’s often misconstrued as permissive The relationship between PDA and low-demand parenting Examples of big demands and tiny demands, and how shifting the focus can reduce stress for kids How Amanda helps parents in loosening their mindset about what they define as non-negotiables Ideas for practicing low-demand parenting in regard to our kids’ relationship with technology and screens How Amanda and her co-parenting partner came to work together using low-demand parenting Resources mentioned: Amanda Diekman’s website Low-demand Parenting: Dropping Demands, Restoring Calm, and Finding Connection With Your Uniquely Wired Child by Amanda Diekman Amanda Diekman on Instagram The Explosive Child: A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children by Dr. Ross Greene Akilah Richards on Raising Free People (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Raising Free People: Unschooling as Liberation and Healing Work by Akilah Richards Support the show Connect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A special kid's POV episode where Asher and I talk all about that rite of passage for millions of children around the world—sleep away camp. This summer, Asher is going to a sleep away camp for the second time in his life. The first time was two years ago, when he went to a very traditional outdoorsy camp with his best friend in the Pacific Northwest. All things considered, that experience went pretty well, and we learned a few things about what can be hard about camp and what kind of situations might be challenging for Asher (and for many differently-wired kids). This year, we’re going to give it another try, this time at Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, something Asher is, shall we say, INCREDIBLY excited about. And at the same time, when we first signed him up, Asher recognized there would be situations at Space Camp that could potentially be especially tough for him. As you’ll hear, Asher came to me and asked to work with a therapist / coach to help him figure out strategies for navigating tricky situations that might come up. So, that’s what we’re going to talk about today…the different strategies we’ve used to help Asher get prepared for sleep away camp, as well as Asher’s own revelations about what he thinks will help him have a positive experience, even if and when things come up that push him mentally and emotionally. Debbie Reber is the founder of Tilt and the host of the Tilt Parenting Podcast. Asher is Debbie’s son and is regularly featured on the podcast. Things you'll learn from this episode: How Debbie and Asher prepped for the kinds of situations that might come up at sleep away camp Asher’s new strategy for getting “un-angry” How Maslov’s Hierachy of Needs has helped Asher learn more about his own emotional responses Resources Mentioned: Camp Orkila Space Camp Kate Berger on What Mindfulness Can Do for Kids and How to Get Started (podcast) Asher Talks with David Flink, a Social Movement Leader on the Front Lines of the Learning Differences Movement (podcast) Julie George on the Role of Executive Functioning in Differently-Wired Kids (podcast) Eye to Eye National Kerbal Space Program The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster Support the show Connect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My guest today is Dr. Katie Davis, a researcher on the impact of digital technologies on young people’s learning, development, and well-being, and the author of the fascinating new book, Technology’s Child: Digital Media’s Role in the Ages and Stages of Growing Up. The world of technology is ever-expanding and its integration into our lives so seamlessly that we often don’t stop to consider what effect it’s having on us and our children. In this conversation, Katie helps us understand what this impact is and what we want to consider surrounding our kids’ use of tech. Katie and I explore how technology is accelerating the full arc of child development, what the research says about the efficacy of apps that are sold as tools to develop kids’ learning and things like executive function skills and whether or not ADHD symptoms can be exacerbated by technology use. We also discussed gaming disorder and how to support children in their usage of social media while they are developing and exploring their identities. About Dr. Katie Davis Dr. Katie Davis is Associate Professor at the University of Washington (UW) and Director of the UW Digital Youth Lab. For nearly twenty years, she has been researching the impact of digital technologies on young people’s learning, development, and well-being. In her latest book, Technology’s Child: Digital Media’s Role in the Ages and Stages of Growing Up, Dr. Davis brings clarity to what we know about technology’s role in child development and provides guidance on how to help children of all ages make the most of their digital experiences. Things you'll learn from this episode What Katie’s book Technology’s Child: Digital Media’s Role in the Ages and Stages of Growing Up is about and what she was hoping to accomplish by sharing it with the world How technology is accelerating the full arc of child development What “design abuse” is and how it keeps kids engaged in technology The effects of technology on our kids’ fledgling executive function skills What the research says about the efficacy of apps marketed as tools to support kids’ executive function skill development How to support kids in the usage of social media while developing their identities Resources Dr. Katie Davis’ website Technology’s Child: Digital Media’s Role in the Ages and Stages of Growing Up by Dr. Katie Davis Dr. Katie Davis on Instagram Dr. Katie Davis on Twitter Sign up for Katie’s Technology’s Child newsletter to receive information, ideas, and updates related to the book and my work, as well as a sample chapter from Katie’s book Devorah Heitner on Helping Kids Thrive in Their Digital Worlds (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Support the show Connect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices