Advertise on podcast: Autistic and ADHD Kids Parenting Strategies: Every Brain is Different

Connect with Samantha: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Get the Free Ultimate Guide to Parenting Your Neurodivergent Child: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Join the Neurodivergent Parenting Community: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/membership Connect with Susan: https://www.LoveBridgecoaching.com     Samantha and Lauren interview Susan Minor, a certified relationship coach trained in the Laura Doyle method, about rebuilding connection in marriage, especially for parents under the stress of raising neurodivergent children. Susan shares how, after nearly 30 years of feeling isolated and disconnected, she used the Laura Doyle skills privately and saw her relationship transform within months, later deepening the work with coaching. She addresses common misunderstandings of The Empowered Wife, emphasizing it is not about shrinking or doing more, but about being heard and creating space for a partner to step up. The discussion covers “triage” after diagnosis, resentment, disengagement, “tools not rules,” gratitude and receiving, self-care, choosing connection over perfect logistics, and using conversation prompts to move beyond schedule-only talk.   00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro01:28 Susan Marriage Turning Point04:03 Empowered Wife Misconceptions06:08 Neurodivergent Parenting Strain11:16 Six Tools for Connection14:28 Gratitude and Receiving18:02 Beyond Logistics Talk24:31 Conversation Starters Ideas26:21 Where to Find Susan28:10 Fun and Final Takeaways28:54 Host Highlights and Wrap Up   Connect with Samantha Foote! Website: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent

Connect with Samantha: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Get the Free Ultimate Guide to Parenting Your Neurodivergent Child: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Join the Neurodivergent Parenting Community: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/membership Connect with Dalisse:Instagram: https://instagram.com/lovingpiecesbooks LinkedIn at LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/sequeirosdalisse   Samantha and Lauren interview Dalisse, an autistic author and mom of two autistic boys, living in Barcelona, Spain, who wrote the five-book Loving Pieces series. Dalisse shares her family’s journey since her oldest son's diagnosis at 17 months, discussing early challenges such as meltdowns, guilt, grief, and uncertainty, and advises parents to give themselves time, take things one day at a time, and not treat bleak predictions as fixed outcomes. Dalisse explains receiving her own autism diagnosis after recognizing similarities with her children, emphasizes being honest without romanticizing autism, and describes balancing differing sensory needs within the family through open communication and support from her husband and grandparents.   00:00 Welcome And Guest Intro01:16 Life In Barcelona02:11 Why She Wrote The Books05:20 Advice After Diagnosis10:52 Her Late Autism Diagnosis13:34 Explaining Autism To Kids15:44 Sensory Needs At Home20:17 Finding Your Tribe22:17 Resources And Where To Find Her23:35 Fun Hobbies And Wrap Up24:50 Host Highlights And Book Recap27:45 Final Goodbye And Next Steps   Connect with Samantha Foote! Website: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent

Connect with Samantha: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Get the Ultimate Guide to Parenting Your Neurodivergent Child: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Join the Neurodivergent Parenting Community: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/membership   Samantha and Lauren discuss out-of-the-box ways to teach neurodivergent kids kitchen skills. They share practical strategies to include kids without overwhelm by breaking cooking into clear steps, assigning specific tasks, and using visuals, play kitchens, and practice activities like pouring between measuring cups or “mud pie” measuring. They cover progressive knife and cutting practice with kid-safe tools, softer foods, and Play-Doh, while emphasizing safety routines. The episode also highlights sensory considerations (smells, textures, loud appliances, heat/steam) and executive-function supports (picture recipes, checklists, timers, color-coded tools), encourages experimentation when safe, and suggests building independence in stages and finding ways to say yes.   00:00 Podcast Welcome01:42 Kitchen Skills Topic01:58 Cold Oven Practice04:02 Why Cooking Matters05:43 Visual Steps and Roles08:12 Play Kitchen Practice10:01 Kid Safe Cutting Skills13:37 Sensory Friendly Cooking16:58 Food Reactions and Gloves18:29 Executive Function Supports21:25 Experiment and Independence24:42 Find a Way to Yes26:06 Resources and Wrap Up   Connect with Samantha Foote! Website: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent

Connect with Samantha: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Get the Ultimate Guide to Parenting Your Neurodivergent Child: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/   Samantha and Lauren discuss Samantha’s weekend camping trip with extended family and how a recent change in her son’s ADHD medication affected his behavior. Her son had previously thrived on stimulant medication, describing a “quiet” brain and better focus, but after switching meds due to appetite concerns, he became unusually emotional, restless, and reactive which led to conflicts, safety concerns, and relatives criticizing Samantha’s parenting strategies and implying he needed more discipline. Once Samantha realized the new medication needed a higher dose and adjusted it, he returned to baseline and listened better, though others attributed it to discipline. Samantha and Lauren emphasize advocating for neurodivergent kids, using teachable moments to educate family, balancing compassion with expectations, and offering positive feedback amid frequent negative comments.   00:00 Welcome and Setup00:14 ADHD Meds Success Story02:24 Switching Meds Camping Meltdown04:33 Family Judgment and Discipline09:15 Safety and Fixing the Dose10:30 Counting Consequences Reset12:06 Advocating and Educating Family14:01 Teachable Moments Sensory Needs16:54 Positive Feedback and Wrap Up   Connect with Samantha Foote! Website: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent

Get the Guide to Parenting Your Neurodivergent Child: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Connect with Samantha: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/   Samantha and Lauren discuss sensory-friendly hygiene routines for neurodivergent kids, emphasizing that hygiene is a health skill, not a test of compliance, and the goal is a safe, sustainable routine that supports autonomy and sensory needs. They review how sensory factors (noise, bright lights, smells, water pressure/temperature, textures) and executive-function demands can make tasks like showering, hair washing, deodorant, toothbrushing, menstrual care, and shaving difficult, and they encourage parents to “get curious, not furious.” Using a notice–name–modify framework, they suggest practical adaptations such as adjusting the bathroom environment, using handheld showerheads, keeping preferred towels nearby, offering shortened routines on hard days, trying different toothpaste/toothbrush options, and using visual schedules and timers. They also cover respectful prompting, privacy and dignity during puberty-related care, when to involve professionals, and the takeaway that sensory distress is information, not defiance.   00:00 Welcome and Topic Setup00:29 Hygiene Is a Health Skill02:01 Sensory Barriers in Bathrooms04:21 Executive Function and Toothbrushing06:21 Get Curious Not Furious08:36 Notice Name Modify Framework10:41 Sensory Friendly Shower Setup12:36 Shower Modifications and Short Routines18:19 Haircare Without the Meltdowns20:06 Skincare and Deodorant Choices23:28 Toothbrushing Adaptations26:02 Prompting Toward Independence28:44 Puberty Privacy and Dignity30:43 Routines for Hard Days32:32 Define Done and Use Supports35:08 When to Call a Professional37:08 Key Takeaways and Next Steps38:53 Resources and Closing Connect with Samantha Foote! Website: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent

Get the Ultimate Guide to Parenting Your Neurodivergent Child: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Connect with Samantha: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/   Samantha and Lauren discuss how to support autistic boys through puberty. They emphasize that physical puberty changes are generally typical, but sensory sensitivities, uncertainty, social rules, and indirect language can make the experience harder, so autistic youth need complete, factual information about bodies, relationships, boundaries, and safety through many short, ongoing conversations. They recommend explicitly teaching what to expect (odor, acne, hair, genital growth, voice changes, erections, etc.), building visual and predictable supports (timelines, social stories, checklists), and giving choice in how information is delivered, including AAC vocabulary. They myth-bust that education encourages sexual behavior and stress concrete rules for privacy, consent, trusted-adult disclosure, and risks of nude images, plus when to consult a clinician.   00:00 Puberty Kickoff 01:50 Why This Matters 04:51 What Puberty Changes 06:49 Sensory And Routine Shifts 08:28 Myth Busting Puberty 11:00 Consent And Safety Basics 13:58 Teach Clearly And Visually 19:57 Privacy Rules And Sexting 26:38 Mental Health Check In 27:55 This Week Action Steps 30:07 When To See A Clinician 31:05 Resources And Wrap Up   Connect with Samantha Foote! Website: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent

In this episode, Samantha and Lauren discuss strategies for effectively parenting children with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA). They emphasize the importance of collaboration over direct demands to help children feel more in control and safe, which mitigates reactive behaviors. They explain how giving children choices and involving them in decision-making can prevent the activation of their parasympathetic nervous system, which is linked to anxiety and defensive behaviors. Practical examples like offering options instead of direct commands are given and the importance of flexibility and patience in parenting, particularly for neurodivergent families is discussed. Samantha and Lauren also highlight the significance of co-regulation and maintaining a calm demeanor to support a child's sense of autonomy and safety. A PDA cheat sheet with useful scripts and strategies is available for listeners.   00:00 Introduction 00:39 Understanding Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) 03:00 Collaborative Parenting Strategies 06:08 Practical Examples and Scripts 09:37 Managing Parental Expectations and Flexibility 21:30 Maintaining a Regulated Nervous System 24:30 Conclusion and Resources   Join the Neurodivergent Parenting Community: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/membership Get the PDA Cheat Sheet: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/pda-cheat-sheet   Connect with Samantha Foote! Website: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent

Samantha and Lauren discuss non-traditional, child-led approaches to therapy for kids diagnosed with autism, ADHD, and related needs, contrasting them with more compliance-based, clinical models and emphasizing that therapy should match the child. They highlight alternatives that can complement traditional services like OT, speech, and PT, including equine-assisted services, animal-assisted interventions, aquatic/swim therapy (including water safety), creative arts therapies (music, art, dance/movement, drama) provided by credentialed professionals, nature-based/outdoor therapy, and technology/gaming/special-interest-based approaches like Minecraft and GarageBand. They stress these therapies are not about reducing autistic traits but improving quality of life and participation, and they outline how to evaluate legitimacy by asking about evidence, risks, credentials, meaningful progress measurement, and goals, while warning against “cure,” “detox,” guarantees, and testimonial-only expensive programs.   00:00 Welcome and Topic Setup 00:22 Traditional Therapy Norms 02:10 Why Child-Led Matters 05:12 Equine Assisted Therapy 07:45 Animal Assisted Options 09:52 Aquatic Swim Therapy 13:19 Creative Arts Therapies 20:33 Nature-Based Outdoor Therapy 23:32 Tech Gaming Special Interests 27:44 Spotting Legit Therapies 29:18 Red Flags and Research 31:51 Final Takeaways and Wrap Up   Connect with Samantha Foote! Website: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent

Connect with Samantha: https://everybrainisdifferent.com Join the Neurodivergent Parenting Community: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/membership   Samantha and Lauren explain the child evaluation process for concerns like ADHD, autism, anxiety, and learning differences. They normalize parents’ nervousness about labels and judgment, emphasizing that evaluations don’t change a child but provide baseline understanding, shared language, and access to resources. They describe signs that may warrant discussion with a primary care provider, encourage trusting instincts, and outline steps: talk to a pediatrician or school staff, get referrals (developmental pediatrician, psychologist, neuropsychologist, psychiatrist, specialty clinics), and prepare for long waitlists. They explain typical multi-visit evaluations, forms to complete, what to bring, observation and standardized testing, parent involvement, and the feedback report with diagnoses, strengths, challenges, and recommendations, noting that support is needed even without a diagnosis.   00:00 Welcome and Listener Feedback 00:54 Why Evaluations Feel Scary 02:40 When to Seek an Evaluation 07:55 First Steps and Referrals 10:12 Insurance Costs and Waitlists 13:10 Services Without Diagnosis 15:16 What the Evaluation Looks Like 16:28 Forms and What to Bring 20:09 Testing Observation and Parent Role 26:35 Results Recommendations Next Steps 30:20 Wrap Up and Get Help Connect with Samantha Foote! Website: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent

Connect with Samantha:https://everybrainisdifferent.com/   Connect with Katey: Website: https://yourdifferentability.com/ Book: https://yourdifferentability.com/book Book Preview (Katey made this free for this podcast's listeners!): https://yourdifferentability.com/welcome Instagram: https://instagram.com/kateyfortun Personal Website: https://kateyfortun.com/   Samantha and Lauren welcome back disability advocate and dyslexic speaker Katey Fortun to discuss her newly published book, "Embracing Your Different Ability," available in standard print, dyslexic-friendly print, and audiobook, along with her "Different Ability Podcast." Katey shares that she was inspired to write the book after feeling prompted on a walk in late 2023, committed in early 2024 to doing “one new thing,” and self-published through Amazon with support from a book-coaching team, ultimately releasing it on March 26, 2024—the same date she signed up to begin the process. Written initially for her eight-year-old self, the book aims to help kids feel seen and understood while also supporting parents, guardians, and teachers, including chapters from Katie’s mother to show both child and parent perspectives. They discuss distinguishing “won’t” vs. “can’t” by defaulting to “can’t” and investigating, the hidden struggles of kids who appear “fine” at school, the trauma of forced reading aloud, and how diagnosis can be validating and unlock resources; Katey also shares a free “welcome package” with sample chapters and resources at her website.   00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 01:33 Why She Wrote It 04:45 Who the Book Is For 09:21 Won Versus Cant 16:25 School Trauma and Diagnosis 21:43 Dyslexia Strengths and Success 25:24 Closing Questions and Hope 27:16 Where to Find the Book 29:34 Final Advice and Wrap Up   Connect with Samantha Foote! Website: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent

Join the Neurodivergent Parenting Community: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/membership Connect with Samantha: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/   Samantha and Lauren discuss the third step after a child is diagnosed with autism: building a support system. They recap the first two steps—learning about autism by getting curious about your own child and connecting with autistic adults and other parents, and applying early for resources like Medicaid and therapy waitlists. They validate how overwhelming ongoing therapies and frequent specialist appointments can be, emphasizing that parenting isn’t meant to be done alone and that some family or friends may not provide the support you expect, making it okay to set boundaries or create distance. They outline professional supports (pediatricians, therapists, mental health providers) and personal supports (spouses, friends, online communities), encourage learning from parents further along while avoiding comparison, and note research linking parental support to lower stress and improved outcomes.   00:00 Welcome and Recap 00:57 Why Support Matters 01:43 Overwhelm and Appointments 04:08 Finding Your Village 04:56 When Family Isn’t Supportive 07:49 Professional Support Team 10:01 Emotional Support and Community 11:29 Learn From Others Avoid Comparison 14:50 Support Groups and Action Step 16:18 Three Takeaways and Closing   Connect with Samantha Foote! Website: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent

Connect with Samantha: www.everybrainisdifferent.com Download the Guide to Raising Your Neurodivergent Child: www.everybrainisdifferent.com   Samantha and Lauren continue their discussion on what to do when you suspect or receive an autism diagnosis, revisiting the idea of “being a detective” to learn what makes your child tick while also debating the line between respecting boundaries and pushing kids to get out into the world for social learning and health. They emphasize acting early to access supports, highlighting Medicaid options like the disability-based Katie Beckett Waiver (which can cover broad healthcare and therapies) and other state-specific waivers for non-traditional therapies, plus early intervention (Zero to Three), developmental preschool requirements, IEPs/504s, respite care, parent training, adaptive equipment, grants, and case management. They stress that professionals often won’t volunteer these resources, approvals can take months to years, denials are common, and parents should reapply, follow up persistently, join local Facebook groups for area-specific guidance, get on multiple therapy waitlists, keep organized records, and request school assessments in writing.   00:00 Welcome Back Recap 00:40 Boundaries Versus Pushing Growth 03:01 Why Social Practice Matters 05:09 Finding Help After Diagnosis 05:24 Medicaid Katie Beckett Waiver 08:11 Early Intervention and School Supports 09:45 Local Groups and Activity Options 11:52 Waitlists and Getting On Them 13:37 Be the Squeaky Wheel 15:20 Organize Paperwork and Ask Providers 19:53 Action Steps and Next Episode   Connect with Samantha Foote! Website: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent

Connect with Samantha: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Join the Neurodivergent Parenting Community: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/membership Suzanne Jabour Episode About Grief: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/is-it-normal-to-grieve-after-your-childs-autism-or/id1697406719?i=1000750957793   Samantha and Lauren discuss the number one thing they would do after getting an autism diagnosis for your child: learn about your child, not just autism. Samantha emphasizes that a diagnosis is a tool for understanding, not fixing, and that parents may feel relief and grief, all of which are valid. They stress that autism presents differently in each person, caution against overreliance on online checklists, and encourage neurodiversity-affirming thinking over deficit-based views by asking what behaviors communicate and what needs they meet. Examples include sensory accommodations for loud toilets, avoiding uncomfortable clothing, and allowing harmless stimming, while still intervening for safety concerns like self-injury or eloping. They suggest tracking strengths, triggers, and ABC patterns, seeking professional or community support, and preview next week’s focus on applying for resources early due to long waitlists.   00:00 Welcome and Summer Catchup 00:11 Autism Moments and Themed Weddings 02:29 Why This Episode Matters 03:34 Processing the Diagnosis 05:50 Learn Your Child First 07:19 Observe Not Checklists 09:01 Neurodiversity Affirming Shift 10:26 Assessments and Getting Resources 14:08 Deficit vs Affirming Examples 24:04 Behavior as Communication 26:33 Action Steps and ABC Notes 30:12 Wrap Up and Next Week Preview Connect with Samantha Foote! Website: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent

Connect with Samantha: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Join the Neurodivergent Parenting Community: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/membership Get the Guide to Parenting Your Neurodivergent Child: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/   Samantha and Lauren discuss why building a supportive network matters for mental health and how to do it, drawing from Samantha’s postpartum psychosis and breakdown in 2016 and the challenges of parenting children with medical needs. They outline key benefits of support, which include emotional encouragement, practical help, accountability, perspective when “your brain is lying to you,” and connection. They describe four types of support: personal (friends, family, faith/community), professional (primary care, therapists, psychiatrists, coaches, support groups), peer (special-interest and parenting/disability communities), and practical (cleaning, childcare, meal services, assistants). They offer steps to build support without shame: start small, be specific about needs, allow imperfect help while avoiding toxic relationships, and find aligned communities, ending with a one-step takeaway and available resources.   00:00 Why Support Matters 01:39 When Your Brain Lies 03:52 Personal Support Plan 08:51 Professional Help Options 12:33 Peer Support Communities 13:44 Practical Help That Works 17:07 Build It Without Awkward 18:20 Ask Clearly and Specifically 19:33 Boundaries and Finding People 23:54 Weekly Takeaway and Resources   Connect with Samantha Foote! Website: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent

Join the Neurodivergent Parenting Community: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/membership Atomic Habits: https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits   Samantha and Lauren discuss how returning home from vacation can be dysregulating for neurodivergent kids due to transitions and delayed stress responses from masking, sensory input, uncertainty, and social demands. They recommend not scheduling extra activities immediately after returning, prioritizing rest and recovery over productivity, and giving kids (and parents) grace during reintegration. They advise returning to familiar routines without trying to overhaul life, focusing on connection before correction, debriefing the trip to build self-awareness and plan future supports, and watching for delayed burnout days or weeks later.   00:00 Welcome and Summer Check In 00:17 Autism Threads Stories 03:52 Vacation Reset Topic 05:51 Why Coming Home Is Hard 06:45 Decompression Looks Different 08:40 Protect Recovery Days 12:40 Back to Familiar Routines 15:46 Grace Rest and Screen Time 18:54 Debrief and Learnings 20:22 Delayed Burnout Signs 21:12 Key Takeaways and Wrap Up   Connect with Samantha Foote! Website: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent