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

I found about Lori’s work recently and after reading her book Connections over Compliance: Rewiring our Perceptions of Discipline, I really wanted to bring her on as a guest because I believe the work she is doing is revolutionary. Lori’s work centers around helping educators, parents, and any adults who work with children shift the way they think about discipline by reaching for sustainable behavioral changes through brain state awareness rather than compliance and obedience. She’s actively pushing back against reactive and punitive practices that can potentially reactivate the developing stress response systems of children, and is advocating for stronger co-regulation practices and regulated brain and body states for adults. During this conversation, we consider why there is such a powerful foundational belief that discipline and punishment go together, what happens when the traditional methods of punishment are imposed on children who are coming to school with trauma or a heightened nervous system, and why it’s so important for educators to take responsibility over their own nervous system regulation. About Dr. Lori Desautels 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. Lori’s 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. Lori is the author of 4 books. Her most recent book, Connections over Compliance: Rewiring our Perceptions of Discipline was released in late 2020. Her new book will be published in January, 2023 entitled, “Intentional Neuroplasticity, Our Educational Journey Towards Post Traumatic Growth.” Things you'll learn from this episode Why there is such a powerful foundational belief that discipline and punishment go together What happens when the traditional methods of punishment are imposed on children who are coming to school with traumas or a heightened nervous system Why we should be moving away from the behavior management model Why it’s so important for educators to take responsibility over their own nervous system regulation Strategies for helping teachers (and parents) better show up for dysregulated kids Resources mentioned Revelations in Education, Dr. Lori Desautel’s website 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 in Education Dr. Bruce Perry Dr. Mona Delahooke on the Power of Brain-Body Parenting (Tilt Parenting podcast episode) 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 this week is Blake Boles, the self-directed learning advocate behind Unschool Adventures and the author of several books on unschooling, including The Art of Self-Directed Learning, Better Than College, and College Without High School, as well as the host of the Off-Trail Learning podcast. Now… you may be reading this and thinking, I’m not homeschooling my child or “unschooling” isn’t my thing. But I’m going to encourage you to listen to what Blake has to say. Because regardless of your child’s educational circumstances, there is wisdom to be gleaned from Blake’s philosophy on self-directed learning and helping our kids grow up into intrinsically motivated humans who understand themselves and are driven to seek out the information and resources they need to achieve their goals. I also love that Blake’s approach beautifully challenges those traditional timelines that our differently wired kids often don’t meet anyway. So… have a listen and let me know what you think. I’m curious to hear how this lands with you. Blake Boles is the founder and director of Unschool Adventures and the author of The Art of Self-Directed Learning, Better Than College, and College Without High School. He hosts the Off-Trail Learning podcast, speaks for alternative schools, writes for The Alliance for Self-Directed Education, and has keynoted multiple homeschooling conferences. Things you’ll learn from this episode What unschooling actually is (in comparison with traditional or eclectic homeschooling) The most common myths and assumptions surrounding unschooled kids How intrinsic motivation is the key to helping a student learn what they want to learn when they’re ready to learn it The ways in which unschooling and self-directed learning respects a child’s unique timeline What the transition from a traditional educational model to unschooling might look like might look like What a transition to university looks like in the U.S. for children who’ve been homeschooled, and how to do it How parents who are homeschooling their child can play the role as “consultant” rather than teacher, and giving child the room to become truly self-directed Tips for parents looking to dip their toe into unschooling Resources mentioned for what is unschooling? Blake Boles’ website Unschool Adventures Off-Trail Learning The Art of Self-Directed Learning: 23 Tips for Giving Yourself an Unconventional Education Better Than College: How to Build a Successful Life Without a Four-Year Degree Support the showConnect 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

Since my guest for today’s episode, Dr. Abigail Gewirtz was on the show just over two years ago near the start of the COVID pandemic, the world has continued to go through increasingly complicated and challenging times. Like I’m sure all of you out there listening, I’ve struggled to find ways to help my child feel hope and optimism about the state of the world — the war in Ukraine, a spate of school shootings, a very polarized political landscape, and catastrophic weather events. So I wanted to ask Abigail, the author of the wonderful book When the World Feels Like a Scary Place: Essential Conversations for Anxious Parents and Worried Kids, if hope and optimism is possible to find even when things around us feel so unpredictable and chaotic, and if so, how can we cultivate this for our kids in an authentic way? In our conversation, Abigail shares her ideas for doing that, as well as ways we adults can manage our own fear and worries to be able to show up for our kids, and the importance of guiding kids toward something that makes them feel purpose and meaning. Dr. Abigail Gewirtz is a child psychologist and professor at the University of Minnesota’s College of Education and Human Development (ranked the world’s third-leading institution of its kind). Dr. Gewirtz has consulted for and presented to national and international organizations, including the US Congress and UNICEF, on parenting. Dr. Gewirtz’s most recent book is When the World Feels Like a Scary Place: Essential Conversations for Anxious Parents and Worried Kids. Things you'll learn from this episode What Abigail is seeing in her work over the past two years regarding of the state of the world and the impact on kids and families How adults can manage their own pain, fear, and worries so they can show up for their kids Whether it’s possible for our kids to feel optimism in the midst of growing up in a heavy and difficult times How to guide a child toward identifying something that could help them feel a sense of purpose and meaning What happens in our kids' developing brains when they consume content that reinforces pessimism and division What leading kids with negative mindsets toward hope might look like Resources mentioned: Dr. Abigail Gewirtz’s website When the World Feels Like a Scary Place: Essential Conversations for Anxious Parents and Worried Kids by Dr. Abigail Gewirtz How to Talk to Kids When the World Feels Like a Scary Place (Tilt Parenting podcast episode) Dr. Devorah Heitner on Online Safety and Internet “Rabbit Holes” and Differently Wired Kids (Tilt Parenting podcast episode) Dr. Tamar Chansky on How to Free Our Children from Negative Thinking (Tilt Parenting podcast episode) 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 Dr. Melissa Neff, a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice in Missoula, MT in the United States who specializes in conducting psychological evaluations with children (ages 6-18) and adults. A lot of Melissa’s practice focuses on helping parents figure out what’s going on with their children and diagnosing things like ADHD and autism, although she shared with me that one of her favorite aspects of her practice lately is working with girls who are on the spectrum. There are so many things I could have talked about with Melissa, but for today’s episode, we focused our conversation on the diagnostic process—what it involves and when and how parents can take the steps they need to pursue a diagnosis—as well as the pros and cons of getting a diagnoses, and more specifically, of having one or more labels attached to a child, both in their educational journey, as well as their lives as they grow into adults. Melissa Neff, Ph.D received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology in 2008 from the University of Montana following the completion of an APA-approved pre-doctoral internship at Spokane Mental in Spokane, WA. She has extensive training in working with children and adults of all ages. Her areas of specialty are the diagnostic evaluation of psychological disorders and the assessment and treatment of trauma. Dr. Neff also has extensive experience in testing for ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, mood disorders, personality disorders, and anxiety disorders. She utilizes a strengths-based approach in her work in an attempt to foster resilience, preferring a team-centered approach to assessment and intervention. Things you’ll learn from this episode The typical / “best” ages for kids to be assessed What some of the early signs are that a child might be on the autism spectrum How subjective is the process of assessing / diagnosing a child? What makes a “good diagnosis?” Why the current diagnostic process isn’t catching everyone, especially girls (for both autism and ADHD) The value of a diagnosis or label—pros and cons Tips for navigating the process of getting a diagnosis Resources mentioned for the assessment process for kids Dr. Melissa Neff’s website A Conversation with Julie George About Girls on the Autism Spectrum ADHD is Different for Women Decades of Failing to Recognize ADHD in Girls Has Created a Lost Generation of Women Neurotribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity Support the showConnect 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 is an important conversation about online communities and internet rabbit holes. And I felt pulled to tackle this topic for the show because I know that the past few years in particularly has been a time where differently wired kids have been a) spending a LOT more time online and connecting with people they may not have even meant in real life, and b) doing their identity development largely online as a result of COVID. And I also know that this can put our kids, and us as their parents and caregivers, in challenging positions as we navigate a seemingly endless stream of discourse that may lead our kids down the wrong paths. So I asked my friend and screen and tech expert Dr. Devorah Heitner to join me for a frank and open conversation about it all. We talked about the ways differently wired kids might be exposed to harmful content, and why our kids may be more susceptible to toxic or unhealthy virtual rabbit holes in the first place, the popular places where teens and kids are hanging out the most right now, the way our kids’ worldview and their brain development is impacted they content their engaging with, and what we parents might not know that we should know about regarding this topic. Dr. Devorah Heitner is the author of Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World and her book on navigating Privacy and Reputation with kids and teens, Growing Up in Public will be out in 2023 with Penguin Random House. Dr. Heitner’s 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. Things you'll learn from this episode Why differently wired kids are more vulnerable to Internet rabbit holes The places online where today’s teens and kids are hanging out the most right now Whether it’s possible to set up controls to manage the type of contents kids are accessing on sites like Reddit The way our kids’ worldview and their brain development is impacted by engaging with potentially toxic content What parents don’t know about what's going on with their kids and the way that they're accessing content Resources mentioned Devorah Heitner’s website Phonewise Boot Camp Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World by Dr. Devorah Heitner Devorah’s TEDx Talk, The Challenges of Raising a Digital Native Devorah on Twitter Devorah on 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

Are you worried about your child’s video gaming habits? If so, here’s interesting conversation with Eric Lanigan about two topics that I know are relevant, and perhaps concerning, to many listeners out there — video gaming and motivation. I reached out to Eric after learning about an online course he runs for parents called Making Peace with Gaming, because I was curious to know just exactly how we do that, and what that actually means in the context of everyday life with kids who are really into gaming. What I love about this conversation is it went so much deeper than video gaming and into the heart of the emotional lives of our children. I found our conversation to be highly thought-provoking—I hope you get a lot out of it. Eric Lanigan is a Motivation Coach who has helped hundreds of people to get clear on what they want -and then do it. He guides his clients in directing their attention inwards instead of blaming themselves or external events. A former video game addict himself, Eric offers an intimate view of the world of compulsive gaming. Eric has delivered dozens of workshops on emotional intelligence, motivation, and procrastination. His online course, The Big Shift, has served over 750 people from more than 15 countries. Things you’ll learn from this episode Why many children get so deeply involved in their video game worlds The emotional payoff many children get from engaging in games Eric’s ideas around how parents can respect and understand their child’s video gaming The connection between motivation and gaming, and what parents miss when considering these Why Eric says the problem isn’t the games themselves but the way we relate to the games The biggest fears and concerns parents have surrounding their child’s gaming Eric’s thoughts on parents legislating their children’s gaming and how rewards and punishments associated with gaming may be counterproductive / result in the opposite desired outcome Resources mentioned for parents worried about their child’s video gaming Eric Lanigan’s website Making Peace with Gaming online course* The Big Shift online course Blake Boles A Conversation with Blake Boles on Unschooling and Self-Directed Learning (podcast episode) Asher Talks About the Pros and Cons of Banning Video Games (podcast episode) Eric on Facebook Support the showConnect 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 episode explores the subject of vulnerability, male culture, and parenting specifically in the context of heteronormative relationships and how men can show up as better dads to their differently wired children. And I have the perfect guest to explore this topic with — Todd Adams, half of the duo of Zen Parenting Radio, and a leadership coach for men and the executive director of the international men’s organization, Men Living. Todd and I looked at the societal norms and pressures on men that get in the way of their being vulnerable in their relationships, feel more connected at home, and hold emotional space for their families, especially in families with neurodivergent kids and where the demands on relationships (emotionally, mentally, and physically) may be more intense. We also talked about what women can do to support and encourage their male partners to do inner work and show up as dads in a way that will better support their relationships and their family as a whole. Things you'll learn from this episode What the a “man box” is (and how it differs from “toxic masculinity”) The barriers in a heteronormative relationship that stand in the way of men feeling connected, including the additional challenges when raising a differently wired child How families can benefit from men showing up and being more vulnerable in their relationships What women can do to encourage their male partners to do the work and how they can support them through it How dads can find other like-minded dads and connect with them Resources mentioned for dads, the "man box" and how men can better show up for their kids and families Men Living Zen Parenting Radio (Todd and Cathy Adams’ podcast) Todd Adam’s Coaching Site Getting Aligned Through Parenting and Marriage Challenges, with Todd and Cathy Adams (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Cathy Adams on Zen Parenting in an Unpredictable World The ManKind Project The Mask You Live In Jennifer Siebel Newsom A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckert Tolle Support the showConnect 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

If you have a differently wired child who is athletic and/or is into sports, this episode is for you. My guest is Susan Stout, the founder Own Beat Athlete, a new resource aimed at helping athletic coaches understand their athletes who march to a different beat. Susan knows from personal experience as an athlete herself, a former coach, and the parent of an athletic differently wired child, that many great athletes can be challenging to coach because of their wiring—they can be easily frustrated, disruptive, forgetful, inconsistent. But she also knows that they can be a teams’ greatest asset. Susan’s goal is to equip others with what she wishes she knew when she was a coach, and support and bring out the best in the many athletes who didn’t fit the mold, with a specific focus on athletes with ADHD, learning differences, and anxiety. This is a really interesting conversation and Susan’s resources are a great starting point for listeners who want to bridge that gap of knowledge between their child’s behavior and their sports coach. I hope you enjoy it. Susan Stout is an advocate for athletes who are wired differently and struggle to participate or reach their potential in sports. She specializes in ADHD, learning differences and anxiety. Susan is the founder of Own Beat Athlete, a project to provide athletic coaches with the understanding and tools they need to help their differently wired athletes thrive. She brings to the work her perspective as a swimmer, coach, teacher, lawyer and mom to an avid and talented young athlete with ADHD and dyslexia. Things you’ll learn from this episode How and when parents should let athletic coaches know about a child’s wiring What kind of unique gifts differently wired athletes bring to their sports What the common challenges are for differently wired kids participating in sports How parents can talk with their kids about learning how to self-advocate for themselves with their coaches Susan’s thoughts on how willing coaches are to better understand and support their differently wired athletes How Own Beat Athlete supports coaches (and parents of athletes) to know how to practically support and problem solve with challenges related to neurodifferences What parents should look for to know whether or not they should step in Resources mentioned for coaching differently wired athletes Own Beat Athlete Own Beat Athlete / Susan Stout on Twitter Susan Stout on Facebook Own Beat Athlete’s Coaches’ Toolkit Support the showConnect 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

If you are a regular listener of this show, you will be familiar with Polyvagal Theory, as it’s coming up in multiple interviews. But this episode is the first one dedicated solely to exploring this powerful theory. And to explore it with us, I’m thrilled to be talking with Deb Dana, a clinician, consultant, and author who is known for being a translator of Polyvagal Theory, which was developed by Dr. Stephen Porges in the mid-1990s. In this episode, Deb Dana gives us a primer of the key points of Polyvagal Theory, and in doing so, explains the ways in which it can support the way we parent our differently-wired kids. Deb explains the nervous system pathways, why co-regulation is essential to our survival, what befriending and listening to our autonomic nervous system looks like in practice, and the benefits of having a breathing practice. We also talk about why these concepts can change our relationships to our daily life even if our circumstances stay the same. Deb Dana, LCSW is a clinician, consultant and author specializing in complex trauma. Her work is focused on using the lens of Polyvagal Theory to understand and resolve the impact of trauma, and creating ways of working that honor the role of the autonomic nervous system. She is a founding member of the Polyvagal Institute, consultant to Khiron Clinics, advisor to Unyte, and developer of the signature Rhythm of Regulation Clinical Training Series. Deb is well known for translating Polyvagal Theory into a language and application that is both understandable and accessible for clinicians and curious people alike. Deb’s clinical work published with W.W. Norton includes The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation, Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection: 50 Client Centered Practices, the Polyvagal Flip Chart: Understanding the Science of Safety and the Polyvagal Card Deck: 58 Practices for Calm and Change. Things you'll learn from this episode -The mission behind Deb’s book Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory-What the nervous system pathways are and the three states we can be in-What aspects of our nervous systems are innate or “hardwired” versus routed in nurture or life experience-Why co-regulation is essential to our survival and examples for ways in which we constantly do naturally-What befriending and listening to our autonomic nervous system looks like in practice-What the benefits of having a regular breathing practice are Resources Mentioned -Deb Dana’s website, Rhythm of Regulation-Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory by Deb Dana-Polyvagal Card Deck: 58 Practices for Calm & Change-Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection: 50 Client-Centered Practices by Deb Dana-Polyvagal Practices: Anchoring the Self in Safety by Deb Dana (coming March 2023)-Stephen Porges Support the showConnect 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

For this episode about ADHD and nutrition, I spoke with one of America’s leading experts in the field of childhood nutrition, Jill Castle. Jill is a registered dietician / nutritionist with over twenty-five years of experience working with babies, toddlers, children, and teens, in a variety of settings from private practice and consulting to author and writer. Her specialty is taking the current research in pediatric nutrition and shaping it into practical, sane advice for parents and healthcare providers. Jill writes the blog, “Just the Right Bite” and hosts a childhood nutrition podcast called The Nourished Child. In today’s conversation, Jill shares her insights about what we know about the relationship between ADHD and nutrition, the impact of nutritional deficiencies in kids, and how to not get overwhelmed at the thought of making changes in your family and, more specifically, your child’s diet. She also shares some great tips for how to get started in making small changes that can have a big impact. Jill truly is an expert in her field, and I learned a lot in this conversation. I hope you enjoy it! Jill Castle is a registered dietitian/nutritionist and a childhood nutrition expert. With over 25 years of experience with babies, toddlers, children and teens, in a variety of settings from private practice and consulting to author and writer, and as a mother of 4, Jill is sought after as one of America’s leading experts in the field of childhood nutrition. Things you’ll learn from this episode What the current research says about ADHD and nutrition The common types of nutritional challenges and deficiencies faced by kids with ADHD How to address nutritional concerns with your child without getting overwhelmed Thoughts on dealing with shame or guilt surrounding a child’s nutritional habits Whether or not good nutrition can be a substitute for medication when it comes to treating a child with ADHD Tips for making small, positive nutritional changes in your home and with your ADHD child How we can get our kids invested in their own nutritional well-being Resources mentioned for ADHD and Nutrition in Kids Jill Castle’s website Jill’s podcast: The Nourished Child Jill’s books Jill’s Blog Post: A Healthy ADHD Diet for Kids Support the showConnect 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’m really excited to bring you this conversation with Dr. Norinne Russell on a new topic we haven’t covered before on this show and one that only came into my radar last year, and that is rejection sensitive dysphoria or RSD, a dysphoria commonly experienced by people with ADHD. We talked about what rejection sensitive dysphoria is and how it’s different from mood disorders or emotional dysregulation, what the early signs are and examples of triggers from Norrine’s own experience with her son, and how to support children with RSD. I’m sure this conversation will resonate with many of you and hope you find this new topic interesting and valuable to your family. About Dr. Norrine Russell Dr. Norrine Russell is the founder of Russell Coaching for Students, which uses an innovative method of coaching for complex students, including those who are 2E; have ADHD, Autism, or Anxiety; and those with learning differences. This innovative method, Connected Coaching, has proven successful for hundreds of students since 2009. She is the author of the recently published guide for parents, “Asking the Right Questions Before, During, and After Your Child’s ADHD Diagnosis.” With twenty years of experience creating positive youth development and parenting education programs, Dr. Russell has extensive knowledge of child development, learning styles, special needs, and positive parenting philosophies. She blends this knowledge to provide students and parents with comprehensive support and the tools they need to grow and thrive. Things you'll learn from this episode What rejection sensitive dysphoria or RSD is and how it presents What the early signs of rejection-sensitive dysphoria are and examples of triggers for children and adolescents The difference between RSD, mood disorders, and “typical” emotional dysregulation that neurodivergent children might experience How to support children with RSD Resources mentioned for Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) & ADHD Dr. Norrine Russell’s website Dr. Norrine Russell via telephone: +12127161161 Kids in the Syndrome Mix of ADHD, LD, Autism Spectrum, Tourette's, Anxiety, and More!: The One Stop Guide for Parents, Teachers, and Other Professionals by Dr. Martin Kutscher New Insights Into Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (Additude Magazine article) How ADHD Ignites Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (Additude article) Free Resource: Understanding Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (Additude article) Support the showConnect 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 for this episode is the brilliant Julie Lythcott-Haims., the author of the New York Times’ bestselling, and in my opinion, majorly game-changing-in-the-parenting-space book, How to Raise an Adult. She wrote it after noticing that prospective college students at Stanford University, where she was dean of admissions, were being over-parented and as a result, were lacking the resources to develop the resilience, resourcefulness, and inner determination necessary for success. In this episode, Julie and I talk about what it takes for a child to be successful—looking at how we define success along the way—and explore what we as parents can do to help our child develop the agency they need to become self-actualized adults. I loved having this conversation with Julie and am still noodling on the many takeaways and aha moments I experienced. I hope you get a lot out of it. Julie Lythcott-Haims' How to Raise an Adult has been published in over two dozen countries and gave rise to a TED talk that became one of the top TED Talks of 2016 with over 3.5 million views and counting, as well as a forthcoming sequel on how to be an adult, for young adults. Two years later Julie published Real American: A Memoir, a critically-acclaimed and award-winning memoir which examines racism through her experience as a Black and biracial person. Things you’ll learn from this episode What is at the root of fear-based parenting Why Julie says most parents are raising kids from a place of love, ego, and fear Challenges and hardships every child should face in order to be ready to be an adult How we do our children a disservice when we “become” their default executive functioning How we can (and need to) redefine what success looks like The connection between successful adults and a child doing chores (and how to get started if you’re not doing it now) Why happiness in our kids stems from love The benefits of hands-on work for kids developing a sense of agency How to help our kids bolster their self-advocacy skills Resources mentioned for helping differently wired teens launch Julie Lythcott Haims’ website How to Raise an Adult: Break Free of the Overparenting Trap and Prepare Your Kid for Success Real American: A Memoir Julie’s TED Talk: How to Raise Successful Kids Julie’s TEDxGunnHighSchool Talk: Throw Out the Checklisted Childhood Julie’s TEDxStanford Talk: Be Your Authentic Self How to Be An Adult Support the showConnect 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

Author and reporter, Anya Kamenetz is back on the podcast to talk about her new book The Stolen Year: How Covid Changed Children’s Lives, And Where We Go Now. The Stolen Year is a powerful look at how the pandemic disrupted children’s lives — their learning, mental health, and overall well-being. The Stolen Year isn’t written specifically for parents of differently wired children, but I thought it was important to really explore what the research and data shows the cost of the past two years has been for our most valuable resource – our children, as well as consider the question – where do we go from here? During our conversation we talked about the trends on decreasing graduation rates, the impact of food scarcity on children and adolescents, and caregiver depression. We also talked about the kinds of resources families need to recover from the pandemic, especially within marginalized communities and more severely impacted populations, and much more. Anya Kamenetz has covered education for many years, including for NPR, where she also co-created the podcast Life Kit:Parenting in partnership with Sesame Workshop. Kamenetz is the author of several acclaimed nonfiction books: Generation Debt ; DIY U ; The Test: Why Our Schools Are Obsessed With Standardized Testing, But You Don’t Have To Be, and The Art of Screen Time: How Your Family Can Balance Digital Media and Real Life. Things you'll learn from this episode What the long-lasting effects of COVID in children’s lives are according to Anya’s research Where we should be focusing our energy — our kids’ learning loss or their mental health and wellbeing The trends on decreasing graduation rates and how that might play out in the next few years for young people Whether experts consider the pandemic to be an ACE (adverse childhood experience) The impact of food scarcity on children during COVID What resources families need to recover from the pandemic, especially for marginalized communities Resources mentioned for the impact of COVID on children Anya Kamenetz’s website The Stolen Year: How Covid Changed Children’s Lives, and Where We Go Now by Anya Kamenetz Anya Kamenetz Talks About Her Book, The Art of Screentime (Tilt Parenting podcast) The Art of Screen Time: How Your Family Can Balance Digital Media and Real Life by Anya Kamenetz Support the showConnect 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 talking with Zach Morris, the executive director and development of curriculum and instruction at LEARN Inc. LEARN Inc. is an non-for-profit school in Missoula, Montana in the United States which is approaching education in a thoughtful and alternative way, and with powerful results, especially for their neurodivergent students, which make up to 75% of the student body. Their mission is to facilitate individualized learning opportunities that honor neurodivergence, encourage social collaboration, and foster whole-person growth. And as a result, the kids at LEARN are getting the opportunity to develop with confidence and feeling seen for who they are. I know that this education piece—figuring out how to help our child develop a love of learning and reach their full potential—is one of the most challenging pieces of raising differently wired kids, and I just have to say that talking with Zach left me feeling inspired, hopeful, and motivated. Zach believes there is a different way, and he’s doing his part to push the needle forward. Together we talk about the the philosophy of nonviolent communication, what can happen for our kids when we practice compassion with them, and how parents like us can bring some of Zach’s philosophy into our lives to support our kids. This was one of those mind = blown conversations for me. I hope you like it. Zach Morris M.Ed is a leader in education. He holds a Montana State educators license, he is HANDLE level 1&2 certified, and he is an active pursuant of Non-Violent Communication practices. His current research targets neurodiversity and learning. Things you’ll learn from this episode What it looks like when education is grounded in compassion and the principles of nonviolent communication, ecological literacy, and whole person learning (social, emotional, physiological, and academic) Why Zach believes the key to education is individualization and diversity within the system How a child can be shifted from feeling they do everything wrong to feeling like they can are heard and can contribute How Zach helps a child with PTSD from their previous educational experiences recover How parents can incorporate Zach’s philosophy into their daily lives Why Zach believes that we have choice in everything Resources mentioned for whole-person learning Learn Inc A Deep Dive Into Diagnoses, Assessments, and Labels, with Dr. Melissa Neff The Center for Nonviolent Communication Speak Peace in a World of Conflict Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life Dr. Devon MacEachron on Assessing and Supporting Twice-Exceptional Learners Support the showConnect 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

For today’s episode, I’m bringing multi-award-winning director, producer and executive film producer, Marc Smolowitz, back on the podcast. It was four years ago that Marc first came on the show to talk about a movie he was working on called The G Word, a feature-length documentary about giftedness that asks the urgent equity question – In the 21st century, who gets to be Gifted in America and Why? Marc is currently working on the post-production of the movie so I wanted to invite him back to talk about what the last 4 years have been like in the giftedness community. What has changed? What are the things we need to be looking out for and what initiatives have been created? AND, I also wanted this show to be a part of celebrating the 2nd annual Gifted / Talented / Neurodiversity Awareness Week, a week-long celebration created by Marc and which is happening this very week. The theme for this year’s awareness week is Gifted JOY, and I really love the idea of connecting the concept of joy and empowerment to the conversation surrounding giftedness.Marc Smolowitz is a multi-award-winning director, producer, and executive producer who has been significantly involved in 50+ independent films. His films have been screened at the world’s top-tier festivals such as Sundance, Berlin, Venice, Tribeca, Locarno, Chicago, Palm Springs, SF FILM, AFI Docs, IDFA, and DOC NYC, among others. In 2009, Marc founded 13th Gen, a San Francisco-based company that works with a dynamic range of independent film partners globally to oversee the financing, production, post-production, marketing, sales, and distribution efforts of a vibrant portfolio of films and filmmakers. In 2022, Marc is currently in post-production on THE G WORD – a feature-length documentary about giftedness that asks the urgent equity question – In the 21st century, who gets to be Gifted in America and Why?Things you’ll learn from this episode How the conversation surrounding giftedness and neurodivergence have changed in recent years and how those have impacted the direction fo The G Word Why it’s so important to include the concept of neurodivergence in the broader conversation about gifted and talented populations How we can intentionally use joy to explore and ease pain/trauma narratives, especially for gifted and neurodiverse populations How parents can lean into the joy of raising their gifted children and get involved in celebrating GTN Awareness Week Resources mentioned: 13th Gen, Marc’s production company The G Word Film G/T/N Awareness Week Supporting Black, Gifted Students with Dr. Joy Lawson Davis (Tilt Parenting podcast interview) Support the showConnect 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 of Tilt Parenting, I bring back to the show Simone Davies, a Montessori teacher and parent educator who runs a Montessori playgroup in Amsterdam for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers up to four years old. Through her online business, The Montessori Notebook, Simone focuses on helping parents learn how to bring Montessori into their home. Today Simone and I are talking about the “spaces” in our home—specifically how we can best design and set them up to support our differently-wired kids. I’ve watched as Simone developed her virtual e-course, Setting Up Your Home Montessori Style, and I was struck by how the approach she talks about in her course directly relates to the things we as parents can do to support our kids in developing those crucial executive functioning skills, like task initiation, time management, planning, and organizing, as well as fostering independence. In this episode, we’ll talk about how we can set up our homes—our kitchen, bedroom, shoes and coat area, homework space—to support our children in fostering these skills. Simone Davies is also the author of The Montessori Toddler, a comprehensive guide to raising your toddler in a Montessori way. It includes Montessori activities, how to set up your home, and how to encourage cooperation from your children, and The Montessori Baby. Things you’ll learn from this episode How to set up the shoes and coat area to help kids “get out the door” with success and independence How making checklists for our kids can instill in them a sense of responsibility while also easing transitions What parents who aren’t naturally organized can support themselves The gifts of decluttering and clearing our space The importance of making a homework space inviting and distraction-free Tips for setting up spaces to foster more independence in children Why making things attractive, cozy, and comfortable benefits our kids Resources mentioned for supporting children’s growth at home The Montessori Notebook Simone Davies on Strategies for Staying Calm in Difficult Situations Setting Up Your Home Montessori-Style Julie George on the Role of Executive Functioning in Differently-Wired Kids Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard Support the showConnect 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

On today’s episode I’m talking to Eliza Fricker about PDA or pathological demand avoidance – and in fact I know many people interpret PDA as persistent desire for autonomy. I’ve done a few episodes on PDA before but never from a parent’s perspective so after reading Eliza’s book, The Family Experience of PDA, I knew I wanted to share her perspective with the Tilt community. During this episode, we talked about how demand avoidance is more extreme in a child with a PDA profile vs. the inflexibility and rigidity we might see in other neurodivergent kids, what Eliza has learned about herself parenting a child with PDA, and what her resistance was to the changes needed to her parenting style. Eliza also gave out some great tips for teachers who have a PDA student in their classroom and for parents who are struggling with family, friends, or people close to them who aren’t willing to understand what PDA is and what that means for their family.Eliza Fricker is the illustrator behind “Missing the Mark” a deeply personal and all too human exploration of a mother’s journey navigating the education system and everyday life with a child who can’t go to school. Eliza’s latest book, Can’t Not Won’t will be published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers in December 2022.Things you'll learn from this episode What makes demand avoidance more extreme in children with PDA Eliza’s experience in changing her parenting ways to become more flexible Tweaks teachers can use to work with children who have PDA in a classroom setting How PDA may look different than “typical demand avoidance” that we might see in some neurodivergent children What Eliza has learned about herself from parenting a child with PDA Advice for parents who are raising a child with PDA Resources mentioned for PDA Eliza Fricker’s website The Family Experience of PDA by Eliza Fricker An Intro to PDA brought to you by Harry Thompson and Laura Kerbey, illustrated by Eliza Fricker Eliza Fricker / Missing the Mark on Facebook Eliza Fricker / Missing the Mark on Twitter Neurodivergent Education and Support Training (N-est) Harry Thompson’s website PDA of North America Alfie Kohn on Practicing Unconditional Parenting (Tilt Parenting podcast) Support the showConnect 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’s episode is a Kid’s POV Special episode featuring another conversation with 12-year-old Asher. Our topic? Conflict. More specifically, handling parent-child conflict between the two of us. We’re tackling this topic because I’ve been getting questions from listeners who want to know a) if we even have conflicts at all and b) if so, how we handle them. The easy answer to the first part of that question is DEFINITELY. We DEFINITELY have conflict. I’m very human in that way, as is Asher. Today, we’ll spend the episode answering the second part of that question. We’ll talk about the kinds of things that crop up and cause conflict between us, and then we’ll share with you what that actually looks like in our world—what I do, what Ash does, and most importantly, how we move through and past it. Pro tip: This is a good episode for co-listening! When Asher and I listen to podcasts, we dump a puzzle out on the dining room table and listen while building the puzzle. It makes for a nice combination! Debbie Reber is the founder and CEO of Tilt Parenting 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 The benefits of talking through and getting clear on expectations (for all members of the family) prior to leaving for a vacation A strategy for using the collaborative problem solving approach to identify, address, and pre-solve concerns ahead of time How to make departure day go more smoothly The benefits of exploring and researching aspects of a vacation time well in advance of the trip (including accommodations, activities, etc.) A strategy for using written schedules coupled with frequent reviews during a vacation keeps everyone’s expectations in check The benefits of bringing a child into the planning process (and letting them determine some of what will happen on vacation) Why it’s useful to work with your child to discover what they need most on vacation and then incorporating it into your daily plan (ie: rest, chill time, etc.) Resources mentioned for handling parent-child conflict Download a PDF of our Family Goals Worksheet Download a PDF of our Vacation Concerns Worksheet Download a PDF of our Daily Vacation Planner Worksheet Look at our Departure Plan whiteboard 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 author, productivity guru, and mom of 5, Laura Vanderkam. Laura is the author of several time management and productivity books, including the one we are discussing today, Tranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters. She is also the host of the Before Breakfast podcast and the co-host, with Sarah Hart-Unger, of the Best of Both Worlds podcast. I’ve long been a fan of Laura’s books, and so I was excited to talk with her about Tranquility By Tuesday, and honestly, since reading it, I’ve started incorporating a few of her strategies into my world as I try to be more mindful and aware of how I spend my time. The results have been pretty great. That’s why I wanted to share Laura’s work with my community because I know so many of you are dealing with overwhelm and burnout. And my hope is that you’ll take away one or two nuggets that you can play with in your daily life to move the needle closer to tranquility. During our conversation, Laura shared her definition of tranquility, the common myths that get in the way of building more peace in our lives, and why it’s so important for families to have adventures together. She also shared multiple strategies that I promise are easy enough to implement. And again, even though they might seem like small shifts, they can have a big impact in your world. Laura is the author of several time management and productivity books, including the forthcoming Tranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters. She is the host of the Before Breakfast podcast and the co-host, with Sarah Hart-Unger, of the Best of Both Worlds podcast. She lives outside Philadelphia with her husband and five children. Things you'll learn from this episode Laura’s definition of tranquility and pushing back against the perception of not having enough time Advice for parents who want to better manage their energy The barriers and myths that get in the way of building peace and tranquility Strategies to poke holes and reframe the stories that we tell ourselves Why it’s so important for families to have adventures together Simple “rules” or guidelines that can be gamechangers in your daily life Resources mentioned for How We Can Find Tranquility by Tuesday Laura Vanderkam’s website Tranquility by Tuesday: 9 Ways to Calm the Chaos and Make Time for What Matters by Laura Vanderkam 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think by Laura Vanderkam The New Corner Office: How the Most Successful People Work from Home by Laura Vanderkam I Know How She Does It: How the Most Successful Women Make the Most of Their Time by Laura Vanderkam Off the Clock: Feel Less Busy While Getting Stuff Done by Laura Vanderkam 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’s episode features a conversation with Angela Pruess, a licensed clinical therapist and mom of three who wants to help all parents raise emotionally healthy kids that will change the world, by explaining the he(art) and science behind our child’s development and emotional regulation. For this episode, we focus on that elusive thing so many of us are trying to help develop in our kids, but can be very difficult to know exactly where to start and what we should expect over our child’s developmental timeline—self-regulation and emotional regulation. Today we dive deep into what it is, why it’s an important skill for our kids to develop, the different ways we as parents and caregivers and teachers can support our kids in nurturing these skills, and more. Things you’ll learn from this episode What self-regulation / emotional regulation actually is and what it can look like when kids struggle with it Why self-regulation can be developed over time, even when the time line looks different How we might expect development of self-regulation to progress at different ages The importance of modelling self-regulation for our children How we can best support teachers in being our partners in developing our kids’ self-regulation How parents can most effectively do in supporting our kids in learning these skills Strategies for what to do when children are resistant to working on self-regulation Top tips for jump-starting our child’s self-regulation Resources mentioned Parents With Confidence Parents With Confidence on Facebook Children’s Mental Health Rocks on Facebook How to Raise an Emotionally Intelligent Child That Will Succeed in Life How to Be the Best Parent to Your Emotionally Intense Child Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child: The One Mistake You Want to Avoid Emotional Intelligence Flashcard Bundle Self-Reg: How to Help Your child (and You) Break the Stress Cycle and Successfully Engage with Life by Stuart Shanker Dr. Ross Greene Dr. Dan Siegel’s hand model of the brain 30 Games & Activities to Boost Self-Regulation Stop, Breathe, & Think App Support the showConnect 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

We are kicking off this season with a conversation with Dr. Stuart Shanker, who I first learned about through my friend Seth Perler as he’s been part of the TEFOS Summit. I love Stuart's message and recently devoured his book Self-Reg: How to Help Your Child (and You) Break the Stress Cycle and Successfully Engage With Life, and wanted to dive deeper with Stuart about it. In this episode, we get into the ways in which the brain controls the levels of stress, the difference between self-regulation and self-control, and the difference between stress behavior and misbehaving. Stuart also walks us through his 5 steps to Self-Reg, and talks about the power of us as parents and caregivers and educators doing our own self-reg work so we can support the kids around us. Dr. Stuart Shanker (D.Phil) is a Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Psychology, the Founder & Visionary of The MEHRIT Centre, Ltd., and Self-Reg Global Inc. One of his many books, Calm, Alert and Learning: Classroom Strategies for Self-Regulation (2012), is a top-selling educational publication in Canada. Self-Reg: How to Help Your Child (and You) Break the Stress Cycle and Successfully Engage With Life (2016), has garnered enthusiastic reviews and media attention throughout North America and has also been published in the United Kingdom, the United States, Poland, Germany, China, South Korea, Japan, the Netherlands, Georgia and the Czech Republic. His latest books are Self-Reg Schools: A Handbook for Educators (2019) and Reframed: Self-Reg for a Just Society (2020) Things you'll learn from this episode How the explosion of stress-related problems in recent years among children has augmented the need for additional self-reg resources for parents and educators How the brain controls the levels of stress and simple strategies that can be used to calm the nervous system response Why self-reg practices for parents and teachers other adults begin with learning how to regulate ourselves The difference between misbehavior and stress behavior How self-regulation mechanisms evolve as we get older The distinction between self-control and self-regulation and the five steps to self-regulation Resources mentioned: The Mehrit Center / Dr. Stuart Shanker’s website Resource Library on Stuart’s website Self-Reg Online Learning & Certificate Programs Self-Reg: How to Help Your Child (and You) Break the Stress Cycle and Successfully Engage with Life by Dr. Stuart Shanker Reframed: Self-Reg for a Just Society by Dr. Stuart Shanker Self-Reg Schools: A Handbook for Educators by Dr. Stuart Shanker and Dr. Susan Hopkins The Functional Neuroanatomy of Pleasure and Happiness (Overview of Olds and Milner study) Seth Perler’s website A “Masterclass” in Executive Functioning with Seth Perler, P 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 is the third installment in a series of solocasts specifically about homeschooling 2e children. I know many families of 2e and differently wired kids end up going down the homeschooling road, whether they’re reluctant homeschoolers and they felt “forced” into the decision because they ran out of other options or whether they knew they would homeschool from the moment their child was born. Whatever the case, this episode is for you. In this episode, I share how Asher and I structure our school, what kind of classes he takes, how I figure out what he’s going to focus on, and what a typical school day looks like for us. I wanted to talk about these things because I know that designing a curriculum can be one of the most overwhelming pieces of this puzzle. A quick note: If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to listen to the two other solocast episodes I’ve done on homeschooling 2e children. In Episode 42 I talk about how I made the decision to homeschool even though I had a LOT of resistance to the idea, and in Episode 48, I talk about the actual transition to homeschooling … basically how we survived that first rocky year. Debbie Reber, MA, is a parenting activist, bestselling author, podcast host, and speaker who moved her career in a more personal direction in 2016 when she founded Tilt Parenting, a top resource for parents like her who are raising differently wired children. The TiLT Parenting Podcast has grown to be a top podcast in Kids & Family, with more than 4 million downloads and a slate of guests that includes high-profile thought leaders across the parenting and education space. A certified Positive Discipline trainer and a regular contributor to Psychology Today and ADDitude Magazine, Debbie’s newest book is Differently Wired: Raising an Exceptional Child in a Conventional World. In November 2018, she spoke at TEDxAmsterdam, delivering a talk entitled Why the Future Will Be Differently Wired. In the summer of 2020, she co-created the Parenting in Place Masterclass series. Things you’ll learn from this episode How Debbie has worked with curriculum advisors in designing the game plan for Asher’s classes The big role developing executive functioning skills plays in Asher’s curriculum Why Debbie believes freedom and flexibility is one of the biggest benefits of homeschooling How Debbie has incorporated outside curriculums into her school approach How Debbie supplements formal curriculum with videos, books, and experiential learning Debbie’s favorite resources for teaching, subject by subject What a typical school day looks like for Debbie and Asher Why Debbie believes it’s critical that Asher participate in the actual design of their schedule and curriculum Resources mentioned for homeschooling 2e children Kathi Kearney (curriculum advisor classes) Kristi Helgeson (curriculum advisor) Gifted Homeschooler’s Forum Athena’s Advanced Academy Yoga with Adrienne (YouTube channel) Life of Fred Support the showConnect 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

To close out this Summer season I’m bringing you a special double episode all about college, specifically, how families can navigate the application process and what’s changed since Covid, as well as understanding the ways in which colleges may, or may not, support their neurodivergent students and what families should be looking for when exploring potential schools. In the first half of this episode, you’ll hear me talking with Eric Karlan, the co-founder of Ivy Experience, a company providing academic tutoring, standardized test preparation, and essay consulting services. Since 2010, Eric has consulted thousands of high school and graduate school students on their college and graduate school application essays and resumes across the country and around the world. He gave a TEDx Talk in 2018 called “What do I need to know about you?” inspired by his work brainstorming with students on their college application essays. Eric and I talked about what’s different in the college admissions process today as a result of the Covid pandemic, and whether or not those changes are here to stay. Eric explains what “test-optional” and “test-blind” policies are and how they affect some students more than others, what schools are doing to bring in more diversity to their student body, and how students might choose to disclose their neurodivergence, disability, or other parts of their identities in their college application. Then in the second half of the episode, I’m joined by Elizabeth Hamblet, an expert in college disability services and helping neurodivergent high school students successfully transition to college. Elizabeth began her career as a high school special education teacher and then began working at the college level in the late 1990s. She is now at her third university, where she helps students with time management, organization, reading, and study skills. She offers programs on preparing students for successful college transition. Elizabeth’s newest book, Seven Steps to College Success: A Pathway for Students with Disabilities, will be out in early 2023.In our conversation, Elizabeth and I talk about what kinds of services colleges may offer students, how to vett schools to find out what kinds of supports and accommodations may be available and how to access them, and what parents should consider when helping their differently wired young adult explore potential colleges. Things you'll learn from this episode How the college admission process has changed as a result of the COVID pandemic What it actually means when colleges declare they are “test-optional” or “test blind,” and how applicants should navigate decisions around submitting tests How the young adult mental health is impacting students’ performance in high school, and how prospective colleges are considering those dips What schools are doing to foster more diversity within their student body (race, gender, neurodiversity, etc.) Considerations surrounding whether or not a student should disclose their neurodivergence, disability, or other parts of their identities in their college application How some universities have added expanded their disability and mental health services on campus in response to student’s needs since the pandemic What fee-base Support the showConnect 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 special kid’s POV edition, Asher and I talk about having ADHD and goal setting, a topic near and dear to my heart, but also an issue we hear from parents about a lot. Asher is someone who always seems to have a lot of projects he’s working on and he sets often ambitious goals centered around those projects. Yet because of the way Ash is wired, he can often get distracted or derailed, which results in him being frustrated with himself. I know a thing or two about goal setting — it’s actually the topic of a book I wrote for teen girls in 2015 called Doable, and so I am committed to using what I know about goals to help Asher learn how to successfully set and reach his own goals while also developing his planning, organizational, and time management skills. If you have kids with lots of ideas for things they’d like to do but seem to get stuck before they finish, or maybe even struggle to begin in the first place, this would be a good episode to listen to with them. Debbie Reber is the founder and CEO of Tilt Parenting and the host of the TiLT Parenting Podcast. 11-year-old Asher is Debbie’s child and is regularly featured on the podcast. Things you’ll learn from this episode The connection between ADHD, executive functioning challenges, and goal planning Asher’s strategy for setting, measuring, and reaching goals How Asher uses both daily and weekly goal planning to keep him on track What typically derails Asher when he’s pursuing a goal The power of the daily check-in Asher’s tips for other kids looking to set and reach their personal goals Resources mentioned for ADHD & goal setting Debbie’s book Doable: The Girls’ Guide to Accomplishing Just About Anything by Debbie Reber A Conversation with 11-year-old Asher About His Game-Changing Morning Routine (podcast) Understood.org Productivity Planner from Intelligent Change Download a copy of Asher’s Goal Planning Worksheet The Color Run (series of 5k races) Support the showConnect 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

Have you ever wondered if SEL (social and emotional learning) in school and classrooms really matters? I’ve been exploring this question a lot about over the past year, as well trying to understand the recent increase in parental and political pushback in the US specifically that is putting the future of SEL in schools at risk. I wanted to get into a deep conversation about SEL for the show, and so I reached out Dr. Joseph Lee, a psychiatrist with a special interest in social and emotional learning and helping people achieve what he calls optimal mental healthiness. We had exactly the conversation I was hoping we would, as we got into so many important topics, including the state of children and young adult’s mental health today, demystifying what SEL or social emotional learning actually is, why SEL matters, how it’s best introduced in schools, the limitations in the current educational model for social emotional learning curriculums, what the pushback against SEL is really about, and what it’s at stake if our children aren’t provided with social and emotional learning opportunities. I think this is such an important and timely conversation – I hope that you enjoy it and that you help me amplify this episode by sharing it in your communities. Dr. Joseph Lee, MD., is a Psychiatrist in private practice in Redondo Beach, California. He is also an educator in social and emotional learning (SEL) and provides individual and group supervision to licensed therapists looking to add mental healthiness and SEL principles to their own practices. Dr. Lee has a medical doctorate from University Of California, Los Angeles, School Of Medicine. Things you'll learn from this episode What Joseph Lee is seeing in his practice regarding and his thoughts on the state of children and young adult’s mental health today What SEL or social emotional learning actually is Ways that SEL can be weaved into traditional educational curriculum as well as the use of specific SEL curriculum What social and emotional learning inside schools looks like in practice The “why” behind the pushback against SEL in the recent years and what’s it’s at stake if we lose the ability to teach SEL in classrooms Resources mentioned for SEL or Social and Emotional Learning Mental Healthiness / Dr. Joseph Lee’s website Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning Dr. Joseph Lee & Mental Healthiness on Facebook Dr. Joseph Lee on Twitter Daniel Goleman Emotional Intelligence: Why it Can Matter More Than IQ by Daniel Goleman Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human Relationships by Daniel Goleman U.S. Surgeon General Issues Advisory on Youth Mental Health Crisis Further Exposed by COVID-19 Pandemic Support the showConnect 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 of the Tilt Parenting Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Jenna Flowers, a licensed marriage and family therapist, author, and speaker, and the woman behind the fantastic new book, The Conscious Parent’s Guide to Coparenting: A Mindful Approach to Creating a Collaborative, Positive Parenting Plan. Dr. Jenna’s book is aimed at helping parents who are no longer together design a healthy alliance and share their parenting responsibilities in a way that best supports their children. In our conversation, we talk about the extra considerations for those parenting differently-wired kids, kids for whom consistency and support is critical to their healthy emotional development. Dr. Jenna also explains how parents of atypical kids can foster a structured, supportive environment in both homes, as well as shares her advice for things parents can do right now to strengthen their relationship with their co-parent, whether together or apart. Dr. Jenna Flowers is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Author, and Speaker. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Michigan. She then graduated with her MA in Spiritual Psychology from the prestigious University of Santa Monica, and Doctoral Degree in Psychology from the professional psychology school American Behavioral Studies Institute. Upon completing her Marriage and Family Therapy licensing board examinations in 2006, she has been in private practice in Newport Beach, California. Things you’ll learn from this episode What exactly conscious coparenting is The importance of repairing hurts from our childhood in order to become more present with our own children How to help a child not take on responsibility or blame for their parents’ breakup What to do when both parents aren’t on the same page What a designed alliance with a coparent actually looks like Resources mentioned for conscious coparenting Dr. Jenna Flowers’ personal website The Conscious Parent’s Guide to Coparenting by Dr. Jenna Flowers Brene Brown Samantha Ettus Parenting from the Inside Out: How a Deeper Self-Understanding Can Help You Raise Children Who Thrive by Dr. Dan Siegel Conscious Mothering Curriculum How Positive Discipline Can Help Children Thrive, with Casey O’Roarty of Joyful Courage (Tilt Parenting Podcast) What it Takes to Live a Hea Support the showConnect 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 conversation with Outschool co-founder and CEO Amir Nathoo, we discuss alternative education models and why they’re so critical in preparing all kids for the future, as well as get an inside look into the mission and vision for Outschool, learn more about they successfully create community through virtual classes, ways in which classes are designed to support students with different learning styles and much more. If this conversation sparks you to explore and enroll in classs at Outschool classes, be sure to use the code TILT to get a $20 credit towards your first class. Amir Nathoo is CEO of Outschool, a marketplace for live online classes for K-12 learners. Amir worked at Square, leading the development of Square Payroll. Previously, he served as CEO and co-founder of Trigger.io, a development platform for creating native mobile apps. He holds an MEng in Electrical and Information Sciences from The University of Cambridge. Amir lives in San Francisco with his wife Kirsty and their two children. Things you'll learn from this episode How Outschool grew through COVID and how online learning has changed in the past 2 years How alternative ways of learning are helping prepare our kids for the future The crucial part that community plays into Outschool’s platform and what they offer to families How Outschool supports different types of learners and why it has attracted neurodivergent learners from the start How Outschool finds and onboards teachers and how they develop their classes Amir’s tips for parents on vetting online learning programs to determine if they are right for your child/ren Resources mentioned for Outschool and Online Learning Outschool Dr. Joseph Lee Talks About the Importance of SEL / Social and Emotional Learning (podcast episode) Dr. Joseph Lee How to Prepare Differently Wired Kids for an Uncharted Future Matt Barnes on Embracing a New 21st Century Learning Model Nurturing Creativity to Help Children Thrive, with Terry Roberts The G Word documentary For more info, visit: https://www.tiltparenting.com/session302 Support the showConnect 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 is Jessica Lahey, an educator, writer, and speaker, and the author of one of my favorite parenting books, The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed. Jess shares her insights about how we can best prepare our kids for an independent, successful adulthood in the way we practice autonomy supportive parenting versus overparenting, what it means to let our kids “fail” to help them thrive, how we can help our kids learn how to “sit with frustration,” and much more. Jessica Lahey is an educator, writer, and speaker. She is an English and writing teacher, correspondent for the Atlantic, commentator for Vermont Public Radio, and writes the “Parent-Teacher Conference” column for the New York Times. Jessica earned a B.A. in Comparative Literature from the University of Massachusetts and a J.D. with a concentration in juvenile and education law from the University of North Carolina School of Law. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and two sons. Things you’ll learn from this episode The difference between overparenting and “autonomy supportive parenting" How many parents underestimate their kids and might be unknowingly fostering learned helplessness in them How we can build scaffolding for our kids What Jessica wishes parents of atypical kids knew about teachers Jessica’s advice for how we can best advocate for our kids in school How we can foster more of a growth mindset in our children, especially those who are perfectionist, as well as how to NOT foster “learned helplessness” Resources mentioned about the gift of failure Jessica Lahey’s website The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed by Jessica Lahey Why Parents Need To Let Their Kids Fail (The Atlantic article) Dr. Ross Greene Talks About Collaborative and Proactive Solutions (podcast episode) The Opposite of Spoiled: Raising Kids Who Are Grounded, Generous and Smart About Money by Ron Lieber Am Writing (Jessica’s podcast) The Explosive Child: A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children by Support the showConnect 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 haven’t done a solocast in a while, but when you talk, I listen, and this topic has been requested by many of you, so I decided to dedicate this episode to talk about navigating big life transitions with differently wired kids. Our family has gone through our fair share of big changes, which you’ll hear all about in this episode, so this is something that I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about. Especially as a parent of a differently wired kid, I know that there are some extra challenges that might come up when their routines, environment, life circumstances, or supports change, and our kids are also more likely to be resistant to changes (even if they are beneficial). So today I’ll be sharing the strategies I’ve personally found helpful while going through big transitions with Asher. In this episode, I talk about key things such as why being honest when communicating with your kid is so important to help them understand and process change, how being vulnerable can be a way to show support, how to validate our kids’ feelings about the changes or transitions, and how to identify their concerns so you can make plans to address them in advance. I also share about what adjustment disorder is and the kind of extra support you might need during transitions. Tilt Parenting Founder & CEO Debbie Reber (MA) is a parenting activist, bestselling author, podcast host, and speaker. A certified Positive Discipline trainer and a regular contributor to Psychology Today and ADDitude Magazine, Debbie’s most recent book is Differently Wired: Raising an Exceptional Child in a Conventional World. Debbie’s Tilt Parenting Podcast is the top performing podcast for parents, caregivers, educators, and professionals raising and supporting neurodivergent children, and has more than 4 million downloads. In November 2018, she spoke at TEDxAmsterdam, delivering a talk entitled Why the Future Will Be Differently Wired. In the summer of 2020, she co-created the Parenting in Place Masterclass series. Things you'll learn from this episode The benefits and growth that can come from navigating big changes as a family Why honesty is so important when communicating with your child about big changes What to share versus what not to share with your child about the transitions you go through How to validate the big emotions and thoughts that big transitions can bring up in your child The importance of doing your own work as a parent to be able to support our kids during transitions What adjustment disorder is and the extra support you might need to help your child through one How being vulnerable with your kids can be really supportive for them Identifying the concerns that our kids have and coming up with plans to address them in advance Creating new routines to create security for our kids during big transitions For more info, visit: https://www.tiltparenting.com/session301 Support the showConnect 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 of the TiLT Parenting Podcast, I talk with Samantha Ettus, a renowned work-life balance expert, author, radio show host, and media personality. Sam is passionate about helping people, and especially moms, find create a more fulfilled, healthier, and more satisfying life. She writes about her ideas in her new book The Pie Life: A Guilt Free Recipe for Success and Satisfaction. I was excited to talk with Sam about her new book and ideas behind what she refers to as “embracing the mess and bumps” that come hand-in-hand with living a truly fulfilled life, since messiness and bumps seem to a part of any parent raising a differently-wired kid’s experience. In our conversation, we talk about everything from self-care and intentional parenting to getting our partners up to speed since often moms seem to be the ones holding onto a lot of the information relevant to our kids’ day-to-day life. Samantha Ettus is a work-life expert whose goal is to find the spark within each one of us and turn it into a fire. She is a best-selling author, a writer for Forbes, a sought after speaker, a Harvard MBA, and host of a nationally syndicated call-in radio show. Sam has shared her advice on hundreds of television shows and media outlets including The TODAY Show, Access Hollywood, NBC Nightly News, CNN, The Doctors, and Fox and Friends, and in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and USA Today. Things you’ll learn from this episode Why working moms are, in many ways, set up to fail Thoughts on being a more intentional parent, embracing empathy, and seeing our kids for who they are What’s reasonable to expect when designing a healthy, fulfilled life, and how to find work-life balance How to get your parenting partner on-board / up-to-speed on important matters related to our children Why self-care is so critical for mothers and how to build self-care practices into daily life Sam’s thoughts on juggling work and the unpredictable nature of raising a differently-wired kid Resources mentioned for work-life balance + parenting Samantha Ettus’ website The Pie Life: A Guilt-Free Recipe for Success and Satisfaction by Samantha Ettus Sam’s Tedx Talk: The Secret to Unlocking a Child’s Potential Working Mom’s Lifestyle Radio Show Support the showConnect 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 wanted to have a frank and honest conversation with my friend, executive function coach, and frequent guest of the pod, Seth Perler, about what is and is not working in schools right now, especially as we are once again in that back-to-school season. Of course there have been many changes in education since the start of COVID, including the inclusion of technology in almost every aspect of learning and the increased testing that students are being subjected to since returning to campus. And we know that neurodivergent kids tend to be impacted by these changes more than other students. So what can we do as parents? Where should we be putting our energies? That’s what Seth and I get into in this episode. Seth Perler is an Executive Function Coach and Consultant with extensive experience addressing extraordinarily diverse learning needs. Seth was a teacher for 12 years, working with a diverse range of Gifted and Twice Exceptional (2E) students in charter schools for 8 years, and teaching students with ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia and other executive function challenges, as well as students with developmental disabilities. He’s been an Executive Function coach for middle, high school and college students since 2010. Things you'll learn from this episode Seth’s opinion on what is working and what is not working in schools right now Advice on how to push back on the increase in testing that has started since students returned to in-person lessons What Seth would say to parents who have kids with ADHD who are checked out of their school day Ideas for getting educators on board in shifting the paradigm How to collaborate with a student who insists executive functioning strategies don’t actually work for them Practical strategies or ideas for parents who are dealing with that challenge of technology being useful but full of distractions and how to tailor the approach if a kid is showing resistance Seth’s thoughts on school refusal and children’s mental health Resources mentioned for What Is / Isn't Working in School Seth Perler’s website Seth Perler’s YouTube Channel Introduction to Dr. Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory A “Masterclass” in Executive Functioning with Seth Perler, Part 1 (podcast episode) A “Masterclass” in Executive Functioning with Seth Perler, Part 2 (podcast episode) A Conversation with Executive Functioning Coach Seth Perler (original podcast episode) Seth Perler Talks to Asher About Resistance (podcast episode) Seth Perler on Helping Kids Work Through Resistance, Part 2 for Parents (podcast episode) Support the showConnect 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 is Kayce Stevens Hughlett, a psychotherapist, life coach, spiritual director, and speaker, and the author of three books. Kayce and I have been friends for many years, and she was a compassionate listener and empathetic friend as I was going through some of my most challenging years with Asher. At the time, Kayce was a few years ahead in her journey with her own differently wired son, who was in his early twenties. I wanted to bring Kayce onto the show to talk about what she and her family went through when her son, as a young teen with an ADHD diagnosis, got involved with drugs. I know that this is a possibility many parents with atypical kids fear, and in fact some listeners may be in this very situation today. Hearing Kayce tell her story and share how she not only got through it, but how her family emerged on the other side more engaged and connected, is incredibly powerful. I hope you find her story as inspiring as I do. Kayce Stevens Hughlett started her writing career as a blogger in the early 2000’s and found her voice as a contributor to several collections and online publications. Now she is the author of three varied yet beautifully intertwined and popular books. Her 2012 nonfiction book, As I Lay Pondering: Daily Invitations To Live a Transformed Life, is a lyrical and lucid treasure that invites readers to new awakenings throughout the year. Blue: a novel, an award-winning study of three women in the Pacific Northwest, released September 10, 2015. Her journey memoir, SoulStroller: experiencing the weight, whispers, & wings of the world, was published in November 2018. Things you’ll learn from this episode Kayce’s story of being the mom of “that kid” in a time when being differently wired was less acceptable The importance of listening to our gut in conjunction with “experts” Why we want to always choose from a place of love (and not fear) when making parenting decisions The power of community to get through difficult times with our children Why Kayce says that parenting Jonathan through their challenges saved her life Resources mentioned for ADHD and drug use Kayce Stevens Hughlett’s website SoulStroller: Experiencing the Weight, Whispers, & Wings of the World by Kayce Stevens Hughlett Blue: A Novel by Kayce Stevens Hughlett As I Lay Pondering: Daily Invitations To Live a Transformed Life by Kayce Stevens Hughlett 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

The neuropsych assessment process can be daunting and complicated to navigate, especially in recent years as a result of COVID, so I’m excited to share my conversation with pediatric and adolescent young adult neuropsychologist, Dr. Jonine Nazar-Biesman. Jonine’s work is about taking into consideration the whole child and the big picture when assessments are being done. In this episode, we talk about what parents should think about when vetting psychologists to assess their child, the difference between a neuropsych, a psychoeducational, and a psychological assessment, and how parents can navigate getting a better assessment if they believe their child got the wrong diagnosis. We also talked about what to do with all the feedback parents get from an evaluation and how that feedback can best be relayed to our kids, and to their schools. Dr. Jonine Nazar-Biesman has over 25 years of experience specializing in assessing and treating children, adolescents, and young adults with neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism, ADHD, learning differences, and genetic conditions. She works closely with families, treatment teams, schools, and the community to ameliorate social-emotional, behavioral, and educational challenges. Things you'll learn from this episode What parents should think about when looking for someone to do an assessment for their child, as well as tips for vetting evaluators The difference between a neuropsych, a psychoeducational, and a psychological assessment How Jonine works with students and adjusts the evaluation process during the assessment in response to what she’s discovering How parents can navigate getting a better assessment if they believe their child got the wrong diagnosis Whether or not a neuropsych evaluation would benefit every neurodivergent child How feedback is ideally shared with parents, kids, and schools after an assessment has been completed How the COVID pandemic has impacted the assessment process How parents can best use the detailed feedback they receive as part of the neuropsych evaluation process Resources Mentioned Jonine Nazar-Biesman’s website Jonine Nazar-Biesman’s blog Bridges Academy DIR/Floortime Model For more info, visit: https://www.tiltparenting.com/session299 Support the showConnect 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 this week is Steve Silberman, an award-winning science writer who authored the 2015 book NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity, a brilliant book that upends conventional thinking about autism and suggests a broader model for acceptance, understanding, and full participation in society for people who think differently. In our conversation, Steve and I talk about neurodivergence, autism, acceptance, tolerance, changing cultures, systemic change, and so much more. Steve Silberman is an award-winning science writer whose articles have appeared in Wired, the New York Times, the New Yorker, the Financial Times, the Boston Globe, the MIT Technology Review, and more.and the author of NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity (Avery 2015), which Oliver Sacks called a “sweeping and penetrating history…presented with a rare sympathy and sensitivity.” In April 2016, Silberman gave the keynote speech at the United Nations for World Autism Awareness Day. He has given talks on the history of autism at Yale, Harvard, MIT, Oxford, the National Academy of Sciences, Queen Mary University, Apple, Microsoft, Google, the 92nd Street Y, Imperial College London, the MIND Institute at UC Davis, and many other major institutions. His TED talk, “The Forgotten History of Autism,” has been viewed more than a million times and translated into 25 languages. Things you’ll learn from this episode The impetus for Steve’s book NeuroTribes How and why the anti-vaccine movement has negatively affected the autistic community The real impact of language like “epidemic” in relation to neurodifferences like autism How Steve’s book NeuroTribes has been received by members of the autistic community Steve’s thoughts on how parents raising neurodiverse kids can best support the neurodiversity movement The importance of autistic peer mentoring Resources mentioned for Steve Silberman, autism, and neurodiversity Steve Silberman’s website NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity by Steve Silberman Steve Silberman’s TED Talk The Geek Syndrome (Steve’s article in Wired Magazine, 12/01/01) Autreat The Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism The Real Experts: Readings for Parents of Autistic Children 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

Parenting a differently wired child can be challenging and as I sat down with my guest, clinical social worker Pat Harvey, to have this conversation, I wanted to acknowledge and validate the experiences we have as parents as much as we do the same for our kids. As you’ll hear from Pat, her work centers around helping parents navigate raising kids who have highly intense emotions …the kind of emotions that can cause big disruptions at home. In this conversation, Pat talks about her book Parenting a Teen Who has Intense Emotions, how she supports families using Dialectical Behavior Therapy or DBT, the three priorities within the DBT framework, some of the critical things to understand to effectively parent emotionally intense kids, and where to start if you are looking for more support for yourself. Pat Harvey, LCSW-C, ACSW, has been a clinical social worker for one 30 years, currently focusing on supporting and guiding parents of kids with emotional challenges using a DBT framework. The co-author of 2 books on parenting, Parenting a Child Who Has Intense Emotions and Parenting a Teen Who has Intense Emotions, a book for siblings and a book for clinicians, she has also spoken nationally and in Canada about DBT and about working with parents. Things you'll learn from this episode: The similarities and differences between cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) How DBT prioritizes the three core tenets of safety, treatment, and quality of life Why is DBT so effective in helping teens who are engaging in risky behaviors, including self-harm, suicidal ideation, or past suicide attempts Critical things to be aware of in order to effectively parent emotionally intense kids The biggest roadblock for parents that prevent them from leaning into DBT Where to start and the things to pay attention to if you are parenting an emotionally intense kid Resources mentioned for DBT & Parenting Emotionally Intense Teens: Pat Harvey’s website Parenting a Teen Who has Intense Emotions: DBT Skills to Help Your Teen Navigate Emotional and Behavioral Challenges by Pat Harvey and Britt Rathbone Parenting a Child Who Has Intense Emotions: Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills to Help Your Child Regulate Emotional Outbursts and Aggressive Behaviors by Pat Harvey and Jeanine Penzo Hey, I'm Here Too!: A Book for Tween/Teen Siblings of a Young Person With Emotional Issues by Pat Harvey For more info, visit: https://www.tiltparenting.com/session298 Support the showConnect 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 Scott Barry Kaufman PhD, a psychologist, author, and podcaster who is passionate about changing, or perhaps expanding, the way intelligence is defined and measured. In our conversation, we talk about his ideas about intelligence, potential, and what it actually takes for our children to develop into self-actualized adults. Scott is a cognitive scientist and humanistic psychologist exploring the mind, creativity, and the depths of human potential. He is a professor at Columbia University and founder and director of the Center for the Science of Human Potential. Dr. Kaufman received a B.S. in psychology and human computer interaction from Carnegie Mellon, an M. Phil in experimental psychology from the University of Cambridge under a Gates Cambridge Scholarship, and a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from Yale University. He is also an Honorary Principal Fellow at the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Wellbeing Science. Dr. Kaufman hosts the The Psychology Podcast, and his writing has appeared in The Atlantic, Scientific American, Psychology Today, and Harvard Business Review. He is the author and editor of 9 books, including his latest book Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization. Things you’ll learn from this episode Why Scott believes traditional markers of intelligence are missing the mark The problem with assessing for “labels” instead a child’s highest strengths Scott’s thoughts on how we can create a better educational model Why potential in our children is a “moving target” How gifted education as a construct has a “fixed mindset” Scott’s ideas for expanding the definition of intelligence through a multiple manifestations of intelligence lens Why we should focus on self-actualization as opposed to excellence What qualities we should be helping our children develop to become self-actualized Resources mentioned for redefining giftedness Scott Barry Kaufman’s website Scott at Scientific American Magazine Scott’s podcast, The Psychology Podcast Ungifted: Intelligence Redefined by Scott Barry Kaufman Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind by Scott Barry Kaufman Twice Exceptional: Supporting and Educating Bright and Creative Students with Learning Difficulties by Scott Barry Kaufman Scott’s TEDxZumbroRiver Talk: A New Theory of Hum 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 conversation with Jennifer Natalya Fink, we explore the nuances of her fascinating new book, All Our Families: Disability Lineage and the Future of Kinship. The premise of Jennifer’s book is that disability is often described as a tragedy, a crisis, or an aberration, even though more than 1 in 5 people worldwide have a disability. She wanted to explore the question: Why is this common human experience rendered exceptional? Instead, Jennifer is advocating for a reclamation of disability as a history, a culture, and an identity. She is pushing for a world where families see disability in the context of a collective sense of belonging, as cause for celebration, and is a call for a radical reimagining of carework and kinship. We went deep into this idea of a disability lineage, and Jennifer shared what’s at stake if we don’t know and claim our family history. We also discussed why getting a disability diagnosis can be traumatic for families and how it’s accentuated by how our society thinks about disability. Lastly, Jennifer shared her thoughts on making the care system more equitable by embracing disability as a collective experience rather than something individual families have to deal with. *** Jennifer Natalya Fink is director of the Program in Disability Studies and a professor of English at Georgetown University. She is the author of 6 books and founder of the Gorilla Press, a nonprofit promoting youth literacy through bookmaking. Fink is the winner of the Dana Award for the Novel and the Catherine Doctorow Prize for Innovative Fiction, as well as a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award. First and foremost, she is a mother; the transformative experience of parenting her autistic daughter is the center of her work. Things you’ll learn from this episode How Jennifer’s own family story led her to be interested in researching disability and disability lineage What a disability lineage is Why getting a disability diagnosis can be traumatic for families and how it’s accentuated by our society’s views of disability The importance of understanding that care and disability are woven into the human experience What we are losing out on by not knowing our family disability history as families raising differently wired kids How even good-intentioned comments can feed ableist beliefs How we can work to make the care system more equitable, including seeing disability as a collective experience rather than something families must face on an individual basis Resources mentioned for Disability Lineage — What It Is and How it Impacts Families All Our Families: Disability Lineage and the Future of Kinship Jennifer Natayla Fink’s website Jennifer on Instagram Disability Studies at Georgetown University Mia Mingus For more info, visit: https://www.tiltparenting.com/session297 Support the showConnect 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 is Anders Ronnau, a master coach, hypnotherapist, trainer, and writer, and the ADHD coach behind the Transforming ADHD Movement. Anders is the leading ADHD coach in Denmark, and for the past seven years has been teaching both parenting programs and been an ADHD coach trainer. He recently launched his online community and business, Transforming ADHD. Anders has a unique approach to working with his clients, who are anywhere from six years old to adults, and I was really intrigued to learn more about his work and find out what its implications are for our children. His focus is on development his client’s cognitive skills and behaviors to help them be better at managing their time, focus, and temperament, as well as rebuilding their self-worth. Things you’ll learn from this episode A look at whether or not positive behavior systems work in the long-term for kids with ADHD How to gain access to the inner world of a child How “externalization” helps change behavior and leads to transforming ADHD Why a differently-wired person’s inner negative self-talk is their biggest hurdle as they get older Ander’s tips for things parents can do at home to help their kids How the magic question—What were you trying to do?—allows us to reach out with curiosity instead of blame or anger Resources mentioned for transforming ADHD Transforming ADHD (Ander’s website) Special TiLT page on Transforming ADHD Transforming ADHD on Facebook Transforming ADHD 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

This week I'm talking about nonverbal learning disorder, also known as NLD or NVLD, with Dr. Marcia Eckerd. I learned so much from this conversation, including what NVLD actually is, examples of how it might show up in kids, and why it’s important to recognize if your child has NLD instead of thinking their behavior is the result of something else like ADHD or social anxiety. Marcia also shared how she works with families making sure the child’s self-esteem is taken into account and not making them feel they are less than others because they process things differently. Marcia Eckerd, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist with over 30 years’ experience. As a therapist and provider of neuropsychological evaluations, she identified and worked with many children with Non-Verbal Learning Disability. She serves on the CT Autism Spectrum Disorder Advisory Council and the professional advisory boards of SmartKidsWithLD and NeuroClastic.com, a nonprofit providing creative educational resources on autism. She has a regular blog on Psychology Today, “Everyday Neurodiversity” as well as writing professional articles on autism and articles for multiple websites and magazines on NVLD, autism, evaluations and executive functions, such as SmartKidsWithLD.org, Autism Parenting Magazine and Thinking Person’s Guide to Autism. She’s spoken extensively on NVLD and autism in national conferences for educators, clinical professionals and parents.A former Director of Clinical Programs at the New Learning Therapy Center, she also helped establish the Norwalk Hospital-Yale collaboration Pediatric Development and Therapy Center. She continues to be on the Associate Medical Staff at Norwalk Hospital.Things you’ll learn from this episode How Marcia describes her work of being a “translator” between individuals with NVLD and the world around them What nonverbal learning disorder is and how it might show up in kids Why it’s so important to distinguish NVLD from things like autism, ADHD, or social anxiety Why prioritizing our kids’ self-esteem is so critical Why kids with NVLD might struggle when they get to middle school as their social and school life start to change The different executive functions that can be worked on alongside NVLD depending on what your child needs help with How to support your child with NVLD and the kind of support parents can look for Resources mentioned for What is Nonverbal Learning Disorder (NVLD) Dr. Marcia Eckerd’s website Dr. Marcia’s blog on Psychology Today Are We Giving Autistic Children PTSD at School? DSM / Social Communication Disorder Autism Level Up Support the showConnect 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 is a deep dive into the world of gifted and 2e children, with Dr. Mike Postma, a writer, consultant and presenter specializing in the education and well-being of twice exceptional and intellectually gifted students and their families. Mike is also the Executive Director of SENG, which stands for Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted, an organization whose mission it is to empower families and communities to guide gifted and talented individuals to reach their goals: intellectually, physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually, as well as the author of the new book, The Inconvenient Student: Critical Issues in the Identification and Education of Twice-Exceptional Students. Mike and I talked about the challenges facing gifted and 2e / twice-exceptional students, especially social and emotional challenges, and this is one of those episodes that just might leave you feeling pensive, concerned, and ignited all at the same time. Dr. Michael Postma is an educator, author, speaker, coach and consultant dedicated to the holistic development of the gifted/twice-exceptional (2e) community. Over the last two decades, Dr. Postma has served as a gifted teacher in the classroom, as an administrator and leader of gifted schools – both public and charter schools in multiple states, and was the architect of the Minnetonka Navigator Program, a magnet school in Minnesota specifically designed for highly gifted and twice-exceptional students. He currently is the President and co-founder of Gifted and Thriving, LLC . Things you’ll learn from this episode Mike Postma’s personal story of growing up a gifted and 2e kid with very little support What “holistic development” means in the context of 2e children Why Mike says social emotional development has to be one of the foundations for academic and intellectual potential Where society is with regards to understanding asynchronous development How schools can make small accommodations to make school more successful for gifted and 2e students Mike thoughts on how the educational system needs to be revamped Why Mike says 2e people are among the most vulnerable populations Resources mentioned for Dr. Mike Postma & Gifted and 2e Kids Dr. Michael Postma’s website, Gifted Matters SENG (Supporting the Emotional Needs of the Gifted) SENG Online Support Group Listings The Inconvenient Student: Critical Issues in the Identification and Education of Twice-Exceptional Studentsby Dr. Michael Postma Dr. Devon MacEachron on Supporting 2e Learners (podcast episode) The Search for Shangri-La: Finding the Appropriate Educational Enviro 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 for this conversation is Dr. Gwen Palafox, a psychologist who has been supporting disabled and neurodivergent young adults in the transition to adulthood for more than twenty years. I brought Gwen on the show to talk about helping our teens and young adults “launch” into adulthood, specifically how to prepare for and help them acquire the skills and support that would help them move into the version of independent living that’s right for them. In our conversation, we looked at some of the common challenges neurodivergent teens face in the transition to adulthood, how we can navigate systems and conversations with our kids to help them feel empowered and capable and have agency, and how to respond to our own concerns and fears about what comes next. Dr. Gwen Palafox is a licensed psychologist who has been actively (and obsessively) supporting disabled and neurodivergent individuals for over two decades. She’s known to be laser-focused on taking the guesswork out of adult preparedness, helping teens and young adults find their most fulfilled and joyful lives. She is honored to be a part of the lives of her wonderfully complex, unique, and awesome clients and their families. Things you’ll learn from this episode The underlying philosophy for the way Gwen supports young adults The critical skills neurodivergent young adults need in order to launch successfully Examples of replacing automated support aids with self-management systems as a way to gain independence The power in engaging teens in small, daily chores as a way to shift responsibility and build skills How parents can support teens who are feeling scared and anxious about leaving home, especially in times of Covid The common challenges neurodivergent teens face when transitioning into adulthood How Gwen’s Bright Life System helps pinpoint the skills teens need to work on before leaving the school system Resources mentioned for a Neurodivergent Transition to Adulthood Dr. Gwen’s Meaningful Growth website Dr. Gwen’s YouTube Channel Dr. Gwen on Instagram Devon Price on Instagram The Bright Life System (use code TILT15 to get a 15 percent discount off this course) The Help Group (Sherman Oaks) Adulting Made Easy: Things Someone Should Have Told You About Getting Your Grown-Up Act Together by Amanda Morin SEL Framework For more info, visit: https://www.tiltparenting.com/session295 Support the showConnect 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 weeks’ episode is a must-listen to if your child uses technology and screens of any sort and your spending energy managing your kids’ screen time. My guest this week is Dr. Devorah Heitner, an expert on young people’s relationship with digital media and technology. Devorah is the author of Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World and founder of Raising Digital Natives, and her mission is to cultivate a culture of empathy and social/emotional literacy. Devorah did a fascinating TEDx talk a few years back called The Challenges of Raising a Digital Native, which I highly recommend you check out. Today Devorah and I talk about kids’ relationship with screens, everything from the specific challenges related to screens and technology for differently wired kids to how we as parents can start being effective mentors for our child when it comes to helping them develop healthy screen habits. I asked Devorah the big questions I hear all the time from parents, like how much time spent on screens is too much, does the type of activity ours kids are doing make a difference when setting limits, and much more. An expert on young people’s relationship with digital media and technology, Dr. Devorah Heitner is the author of Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World and founder of Raising Digital Natives. Her mission is to cultivate a culture of empathy and social/emotional literacy. She has a Ph.D. in Media/Technology & Society from Northwestern University and has taught at DePaul and Northwestern. She is delighted to be raising her own digital native. Things you’ll learn from this episode Why it’s important that we focus on tech literacy in our kids rather than specific apps The most common challenges for differently wired kids when it comes to their relationship with technology and “managing” their screen time How we might use their skills and interest in tech to bridge into areas of strength The challenges stemming from schools’ increasing reliance on technology in a 1 to 1 capacity Whether or not there is true value in online or virtual social relationships Why our role as parents should be that of mentor when it comes to our child’s relationship with screens The difference between tech savvy and being wise about technology Why all screen media isn’t created equal—it’s important to discriminate between the way our kids use media How much “screen time” is too much? What are goals should be in helping our kids become wise technology consumers Strategies to start using to become a positive “screen” mentor for our children Resources mentioned for managing kids’ screen time Raising Digital Natives (Devorah’s website) Phonewise Boot Camp Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World by Dr. Devorah Heitner 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 Zach Morris, a semi-frequent guest of this show. I always love my conversations with Zach, so I was so happy to bring him back to talk about somatic therapy, and how this modality can be especially powerful in supporting differently wired kids struggling with anxiety and depression and recovering from both big and little T trauma. In our conversation, we get into the Polyvagal Theory, what somatic therapy is, what it looks like in practice with kids, the underlying power of somatic healing, and how it can help kids develop resilience, even in the face of stressful situations. Zach Morris is a thought leader in education. He is committed to helping people increase compassion, collaboration, and learning. Zach supports individuals, families, and organizations who aim to develop a greater sense of safety and empowerment in themselves, in their relationships, and in their communities. Gently guiding humans through the resistance they encounter is at the core of Zach’s work. He is inspired by the science of how people learn and change, and he aims to translate this to help individuals and communities improve awareness, communication, and structural support. Zach has 10+ years experience in the classroom, ranging from inner-city public school to rural therapeutic boarding school, and from non-traditional private school to individual co-op homeschool. Zach now serves as a learning consultant and communication coach, and he is most at home in the mountains of Montana, where he lives and works. Things you’ll learn from this episode What Zach has been seeing among neurodivergent kids in response to the disruption of the past few years What the Polyvagal Theory is and how the sympathetic system works when our flight, freeze, fight, or fawn response is activated What “little t” traumas are and these may reflect the experience of many neurodivergent kids What somatic therapy is and how it helps kids foster and develop resilience around stressful situations Examples of what “discharging” looks like How we can help our kids begin connecting the dots between their feelings and their actions Why there is a relationship between neurodivergence and trauma, and how profound sensitive experiences makes one more open to somatic therapy Resources mentioned for somatic therapy & kids Zach Morris’ education consulting and family support home, Alive at Learn The Center for Nonviolent Communication (Marshall Rosenberg’s Global Organization) Educator Zach Morris on Supporting our Kids in Transforming Their World View (podcast episode) Nonviolent Communication, Whole-Person Learning, and Neurodiverse Students (podcast episode) Peter Levine Mona Delahooke on the Power of Brain-Body Parenting (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Dr. Ann-Louis Support the showConnect 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 special kid’s POV edition of the podcast, Asher and I share our best tips and strategies for making travel run more smoothly and having successful vacations with neurodivergent kids. As much as many families and their children may love going on vacation, the change in routine, different foods, shifting expectations, and new stimuli can even turn a trip to “The Happiest Place on Earth” (Disneyland) into one full of stress, anxiety, meltdowns, and other challenges. And while we know this rings true for pretty much any and every family, for parents raising differently wired kids, the extremes highs and lows can bigger. In this episode, Asher and I share what we’ve learned over the years when it comes to making sure everyone’s needs and expectations on any given vacation are met, or at the very least, addressed, and walk listeners through the different schedules and planners we’ve we incorporated into our vacation prep. Things you’ll learn from this episode The benefits of talking through and getting clear on expectations (for all members of the family) prior to leaving for a vacation A strategy for using the collaborative problem solving approach to identify, address, and pre-solve concerns ahead of time How to make departure day go more smoothly The benefits of exploring and researching aspects of a vacation time well in advance of the trip (including accommodations, activities, etc.) A strategy for using written schedules coupled with frequent reviews during a vacation keeps everyone’s expectations in check The benefits of bringing a child into the planning process (and letting them determine some of what will happen on vacation) Why it’s useful to work with your child to discover what they need most on vacation and then incorporating it into your daily plan (ie: rest, chill time, etc.) Resources mentioned for successful vacations with neurodivergent kids Download a PDF of our Family Goals Worksheet Download a PDF of our Vacation Concerns Worksheet Download a PDF of our Daily Vacation Planner Worksheet Look at our Departure Plan whiteboard 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’s episode is all about social skills, but from an updated lens that really speaks to the lived experiences of today’s kids. My guest is writer and journalist Catherine Newman, and we’re going to dive into her new book, What Can I Say? A Kids Guide to Super Useful Social Skills to Help You Get Along and Express Yourself. What Can I Say is aimed at kids ages 10 and up, and it includes practical and accessible advice to help kids and teens learn social skills, including everything from introduce themselves, express empathy, be persuasive, and apologize to compromise, ask for help, be grateful, and comfort a friend. In this conversation, Catherine and talk about why learning social and interpersonal skills are more important than ever for our kids, despite the fact that their lives are evolving to include more time spent online. We also talk about the climate for social emotional learning and ways parents and educators can to reinforce the social skills our kids are learning. Catherine Newman is the author of the memoirs Catastrophic Happiness and Waiting for Birdy, the middle-grade novel One Mixed-Up Night, the kids’ craft book Stitch Camp, the how-to books for kids How to Be a Person and What Can I Say? and the novel We All Want Impossible Things (forthcoming, Harper, November 2022). She edits the non-profit kids’ cooking magazine ChopChop, writes the etiquette column for Real Simple magazine, and is a regular contributor to the New York Times, O, The Oprah Magazine, Parents magazine, Cup of Jo, and many other publications. She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, with her family. Things you’ll learn from this episode Why it’s still important to learn social skills and interpersonal skills even though our kids’ lives are evolving to include more time spent online Why it’s important to spend time learning social skills just as we would learn any other type of skill like algebra or singing The importance of learning interpersonal skills that focus on empathy, setting boundaries, being curious, and being supportive and inclusive of people with different identities How OT can help neurodivergent kids grow up with advanced social emotional skills What parents and educators can do to support and reinforce the social skills they are learning Resources mentioned for how kids can learn social skills Catherine Newman’s website Catherine on Instagram What Can I Say? A Kids’ Guide to Super Useful Social Skills to Help You Get Along and Express Yourself by Catherine Newman How to Be a Person: 65 Hugely Useful, Super-Important Skills to Learn before You’re Grown Up by Catherine Newman Support the showConnect 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

Margaret Webb helps parents find more peace in parenting the child they didn’t expect when they were expecting, and part of her work is supporting parents survive summer break. Many parents (and not just parents raising differently-wired kids) limp across the finish line of a long school year only to find themselves facing the stress of summer — new schedules and routines, different expectations, wants, and needs for everyone in the family, and lots of other changes. In our conversation, Margaret shares her personal strategy for not only surviving summer break, but thriving. She walks us through her Summer Survival Skills Package, a free toolkit comprised of MP3s and worksheets designed to help struggling parents have a summer that works for the whole family. Margaret Webb is a certified Master Life Coach, parenting coach, nature-based coach, former teacher, wife and mother. As a life and parenting coach, she weaves together her experience as an elementary education teacher with the tools she’s learned in Martha Beck’s Life Coach Training, Sagefire Institute’s Nature-Based Coach Training, and what she’s applied to her own life as a mom of a child with special needs. Things you’ll learn from this episode How “reality versus expectations” creates unnecessary stress for many parents over the summer Why having “leadership energy” as a parent can help a family thrive The importance of getting clear on both your personal needs as a parent and your child’s needs and wants for the summer break What scheduling, mapping, and tracking have to do with surviving summer holidays How focusing on our own experience and fostering personal self-care actually supports our children Why nature can be so restorative for parents raising differently-wired kids How to envision your ideal day as a way to begin creating a more peaceful reality Resources mentioned for surviving summer break Margaret Webb’s Summer Survival Skills Package — download link The Families That Can’t Afford Summer – New York Times article Finding Peace in Parenting the Child You Didn’t Expect – Tilt Parenting Podcast Episode 1​ 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 talking about Dr. Devon Price, a social psychologist, professor, author, and proud autistic person, and the author of the new book, Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity. In this conversation, Devon and I talk about what masking is, what it looks like, and whether it is something that autistic people choose to do or not. We also talk about why masking is more complex for people of color, the relationship between masking and gender, and what integration looks like for a neurodivergent person. Devon Price, PhD, is a social psychologist, professor, author, and proud Autistic person. He is the author of Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity. His research has appeared in journals such as the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, and the Journal of Positive Psychology. Devon’s writing has appeared in outlets such as the Financial Times, HuffPost, Slate, Jacobin, Business Insider, LitHub, and on PBS and NPR. He lives in Chicago, where he serves as an assistant professor at Loyola University Chicago’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies. Things you’ll learn from this episode What “masking” is, what it looks like, and why most often it’s not a conscious choice Why the decision to mask or not mask is more complex for autistic people of color Devon’s thoughts on the recent explosion of neurodivergent kids coming out as trans and the relationship between masking and gender Devon’s take on ABA therapy and alternatives ways of supporting autistic kids Considerations regarding language in the neurodivergent and disability community What integration is and what it looks like for a neurodivergent person Strategies for ways parents can help their autistic children move through the world more authentically without masking How Devon see our society currently changing in neurodivergence awareness and inclusion Resources mentioned for Unmasking Autism Devon Price on Medium Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity by Devon Price, PhD Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price, PhD Devon Price on Instagram Devon Price on Twitter We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation by Eric Garcia How Unmasking Leads to Freedom for Autistic and Other Neurodivergent People (NPR Life Kit Interview) Autism in Black / Maria Davis Pierre Autistics Against Curing Autism Autistic Self-Advocacy Network Fidgets and Friends / Tiffany Hammond on Instagram Queer Vengeance Support the showConnect 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

Have you ever wondered if your child can have an IEP and/or accommodations in college? My guest for this episode, Elizabeth Hamblet, has the answer to this and many more questions about the high school to college transition for differently wired students. Elizabeth began her career as a high school special education teacher and case manager, and then worked as a learning disabilities specialist at Simmons College and Rutgers University. She is now a learning specialist at Columbia University, where she helps students with time management, organization, reading, and study skills. She also offers programs to families and professionals on transition to college for students with disabilities, speaking locally and at national conferences.This episode is about the transition to college for a differently-wired student, from the point of view of an educator and consultant who specializes in helping atypical kids be successful before, during, and after this transition. Elizabeth has worked as a learning disabilities specialist in college disability services offices for two decades. In addition to working at a university, she is a nationally-requested speaker on preparing students with disabilities for successful college transition. Hamblet is the author of Seven Steps to College Success: A Pathway for Students with Disabilities and a concise guide on transition, and her work has appeared in numerous journals and online platforms. She offers advice and information on her website at www.LDadvisory.com and shares resources on numerous social media platforms. Things you’ll learn from this episode The real story behind if, and how, colleges and universities support their differently wired students The difference between accommodations and services in the university setting Whether or not universities recognize IEPs and 504 Plans How to find the best university for your child when it comes to how well their needs will be supported How students can best set themselves up for success throughout the application process What Elizabeth says are the most important factors for ensuring a successful transition from high school to college What parents with younger children can be working on today to support this transition in the future Resources mentioned for accommodations in college Elizabeth Hamblet’s website LD Advisory From High School to College: Steps to Success for Students with Disabilities by Elizabeth Hamblet Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Landmark College Beacon College Understood.org Bonus Content / Interviews from Elizabeth’s Book 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

What is dyscalculia? If you’re wondering if your child has this often misunderstood math disability, this episode is for you. My guest is Laura Jackson, a mom, writer, and advocate who helps families struggling with dyscalculia move from confusion and overwhelm to understanding and connection. Laura’s passion is to provide advocacy, coaching, and encouragement for overwhelmed parents and discouraged children who feel alone in their journey with dyscalculia. In this conversation, Laura shares insights from her new book, Discovering Dyscalculia: One Family’s Journey with a Math Disability, which was inspired by her own family’s journey of getting her daughter’s diagnosis, how they navigated working with the school, and finding strategies that work for her beyond her education. Laura also shared many, many strategies and resources for parents who want to learn more about dyscalculia and the early signs that they can look out for if they suspect their child might be struggling with it. Things you’ll learn from this episode What the early signs of dyscalculia are that parents can look out for How Laura navigated the journey of getting her daughter evaluated at school and what she did to help educate the special ed department about dyscalculia Why some schools avoid suggesting an evaluation to parents but instead wait for parents to ask for their child to be evaluated Laura’s favorite researchers and resources on dyscalculia Examples of the adjustments Laura made at home to accommodate her daughter Resources mentioned for discovering dyscalculia Laura Jackson’s website Discovering Dyscalculia: One Family’s Journey with a Math Disability by Laura Jackson Laura’s online class for parents: Your Dyscalculia Adventure Download a free chapter of Discovering Dyscalculia Ronit Bird, Dyscalculia Specialist Ronit Bird’s YouTube channel Dr. Schreuder / Dyscalculia Services The Dyscalculia Network Support the showConnect 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. Devon MacEachron, a clinician, researcher, author, and speaker who specializes in assessing and supporting twice-exceptional, or 2e, learners founded a private psychology practice in New York City where she meets the psychoeducational, assessment, and education planning needs of the families of bright learners. Her mission is to help position these awesome students to achieve their goals and dreams, and to help parents feel confident their doing their best for their children. And that’s what we get into in this episode. Devon MacEachron, PhD provides comprehensive neuropsych and psychoeducational assessments focused on discovering the student’s unique profile of cognitive strengths and weaknesses and identifying how individual differences impact learning, achievement as compared to ability, social, emotional, and behavioral functioning, and interests and affinities. As a specialist in twice-exceptional and gifted learners, dyslexia, ADHD, Asperger’s, and academic motivation with a positive psychology focus on strengths and interests, Dr. Devon is an expert diagnostician who provides an actionable game-plan to families enabling students to achieve their highest potential. Things you’ll learn from this episode How 2e or “twice exceptional” is defined How parents can recognize when something is “off” with their child or they suspect they may be 2e Why it’s important to look at a child’s behavior and their environment when doing a neurological assessment What the optimal age is for an assessment to determine if a child is twice exceptional Why there usually isn’t a good school option for kids who are 2e How parents can best support their twice-exceptional children, even if they are in a traditional school setting Resources mentioned for supporting 2e learners Dr. Devon MacEachron’s website Email Dr. Devon Dr. Devon on Facebook Dr. Devon on Twitter Cattell-Horn-Carroll Theory of Intelligence Bright Not Broken: Gifted Kids, ADHD, and Autism by Diane M. Kennedy and Rebecca S. Banks The Mislabeled Child: Looking Beyond Behavior to Find the True Source and Solutions for Children’s Learning Challenges by Brock Eide 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