Parenting Skills
Have you ever wondered why your child doesn’t want your advice, EVEN when they come to you? What is your child is actually looking for? Does this sound familiar? “Stop telling me what to do.” Or just: “I know.” Or the one that stings a bit more: “I wasn’t asking for advice.” If you’re parenting … Read more
Before you decide a behavior is a choice, it helps to know what’s actually reasonable to expect. This is one of the questions I get asked most, by parents and educators alike. Once people understand that Executive Function skills drive behavior, it’s reasonable to wonder what to expect at different ages. And, of course, underneath that … Read more
When structure disappears, the hard moments don’t have to. Jodi Hogan is my facilitator for the ADHD Parent Coach Academy – and one of the people I trust most to speak to parents about what actually helps – which is exactly why I asked her to share this. Back-to-school is often described as a time … Read more
It’s not a motivation problem. It’s a capacity problem – and the difference changes everything. If you’ve ever watched a behavior chart fail spectacularly for one particular kid while it seems to work fine for everyone else in the class, you’re not imagining it. And the parent, teacher, or clinician in that room isn’t doing … Read more
What’s really happening when a child with ADHD struggles at camp – and what actually helps. Every summer, parents wonder: Will my child be okay at camp? It’s a fair question. Camp is unstructured, social, and full of transitions – exactly the conditions that are hardest for kids with ADHD. I sat down with … Read more
In my recent article 504 Plans and IEPs: Helping Your Child Get the Support They Need, Jodi walked through the what – what these plans are, how they differ, and how to navigate the process as a parent. I want to build on that with something equally important: What schools are actually required to do when … Read more
A Reflection on Boomers, Millennials, and the New Language of Family Over the past few decades, I’ve had the privilege of working with parents raising young children – watching them wrestle with behavior, school systems, emotional regulation, and the daily work of building connection. Now many of those children are adults raising babies of their … Read more
And what gets in the way – even when everyone means well. Many parents have had the experience of sitting across from their child’s teacher, or therapist, or school counselor – someone who is clearly kind, clearly trying – and leaving the meeting feeling more alone than when they walked in. Not because anyone was … Read more
Katrina Carter-Journet (a.k.a. K. L. Carter) is a STEM professional in the aerospace industry and the author of Let’s Chase the Moon, a space-themed children’s story that celebrates curiosity, focus, family, and the unique ways children with ADHD see the universe. I was so taken with her book that I wanted to introduce her to … Read more
How shifting from directives to observation reduces power struggles and builds regulation. A mother once said to me, “All I do is ask him nicely to put his shoes on, and he explodes. I don’t understand. What’s wrong with me asking him to do something?” She wasn’t yelling. She wasn’t threatening consequences. She wasn’t being … Read more
You may come across well-meaning suggestions – or even presentations – that frame caffeine as a natural, low-risk alternative to stimulant medications for ADHD. One ADDitude article states it clearly: “Caffeine is not a good alternative to ADHD medication.” They go on to explain that ADHD stimulants provide reliable, steady symptom management, while caffeine’s punch … Read more
A conversation with ADHD Parent Coach Academy graduate and author, Manal. One of the things I love most about training ADHD Parent Coaches is watching how each graduate brings their own creativity, insight, and lived experience into the work. Manal is a wonderful example of that. As both an ADHD coach and someone diagnosed later … Read more
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