Raising not one, but two children with ADHD should be easy for me. I’m a special education teacher and I have ADHD myself. I also have a deep well of strategies, research, and professional experience to draw from. Sometimes, all of that helps. Often, it doesn’t. Having knowledge doesn’t mean that I have endless patience […]
A wave of intense shame pours over me as a familiar thought enters my head: What in the name of God am I doing with my life? And how did I end up here? Let me set the scene for you: I’m sitting at home, wearing a headset, taking calls for a psychic helpline. Yes, […]
Every January, the world sharpens its pencils and declares: Be more consistent.Follow through.Set firmer boundaries.Stick to the plan. But if you are raising a child with ADHD, as I am, you hear these phrases all year long. They come from friends, family members, teachers, neighbors, and strangers who see our children on their hardest days […]
Some mornings, I can tell before he even speaks. The air feels charged, as if the world inside his head has woken early. My son moves fast, talks faster, and forgets things just as quickly. I whisper, “Slow down,” even though I know that phrase has never worked for either of us. He is my […]
Did you know that you can timebox and even postpone your worry? I don’t need to tell you that anxiety has a way of hijacking the ADHD brain’s attention and focus. That it shows up unannounced, derailing our plans and schedules. But what if you could turn the tables and put anxiety itself on a […]
Shame — that deep sense of inadequacy and unworthiness — has the unique ability to travel across time, informing our present and our future. While the work of rebuilding self-worth happens in the now, it also often requires a trip to the past. If shame weighs on you, loosen its grip by incorporating these two […]
Almost without exception, parents tell me the same story: Meltdowns, yelling, and door-slamming the moment their teen is forced to quit their video game, log off TikTok, or otherwise disengage with their preferred form of “brain rot.” The explosive reactions happen again and again, even after conversations and apologies for past transgressions. This behavior may […]
The following is a personal essay that reflects the opinion of its author. December 10, 2025 As a director of disability services in higher education, I am deeply troubled by the framing and assumptions of such services in “Accommodation Nation” an article recently in The Atlantic that positions college accommodations as a burden, casts suspicion […]
Warning: this strategy is going to fly in the face of traditional recommendations to parents! If we learned anything from the 2020 pandemic, when school and home began to merge as one, it’s that we have to be open to new and different ways of doing what we’ve always done. Article continues below… Want to […]
There is so much “news” about ADHD these days. And often, the media is just trying to stoke parents’ worst ADHD fears. So, today, I’m offering two tips. Article continues below… Want to Motivate Kids? Download a free tipsheet “The Parent’s Guide to Motivating Your Complex Kid” to help your child find the motivation to […]
Does your child with ADHD – and other types of neurodivergence — struggle with sleep? Here are expert sleep tips — for them and for you. Article continues below… Minimize Meltdowns! Download a free tipsheet “Top 10 Ways to Stop Meltdowns in Their Tracks” to stop yelling and tantrums from everyone! Find Out How Discover […]
How Positivity Helps You ‘Pick Your Battles’ Positive parenting. Focus on their strengths, on their successes. Downplay and redirect those moments when they miss the mark. Article continues below… Minimize Meltdowns! Download a free tipsheet “Top 10 Ways to Stop Meltdowns in Their Tracks” to stop yelling and tantrums from everyone! Find Out How Easier […]
