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

Debbie Reber
  • 4.8 (951)
  • Parenting
  • Semiweekly

Feeling overwhelmed by the complexities of raising a neurodivergent child? Full-Tilt Parenting is here to help. Hosted by parenting activist and author Debbie Reber, this podcast is your go-to resource for navigating life with ADHD, autism, learning disabilities, PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance), giftedness, and twice-exceptional (2e) kids. With expert interviews and candid conversations, you'll discover practical solutions for things like school challenges and refusal, therapy options, and fostering inclusion, social struggles, advocacy, intense behavior, and more — all through a strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming lens. Whether you're struggling with advocating for your child at school or seeking ways to better support their unique needs, Debbie offers the guidance and encouragement you need to reduce overwhelm and create a thriving, joyful family environment. It's like sitting down with a trusted friend who gets it. You’ve got this, and we’ve got your back!

  1. 1d ago

    (Best Of) Dr. Devon Price on "Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity"

    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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  2. 4d ago

    Kirsten Jones on Parenting and Coaching the ADHD Athlete

    Author, podcaster, and mental performance coach Kirsten Jones joins us to talk about youth sports, and how something that should offer kids opportunities for play, connection, movement, and growth has increasingly become a high-pressure world focused on performance, specialization, and achievement. We look at how youth sports culture has changed, why kids are being pushed to specialize and compete at younger and younger ages, and what that pressure can mean for their mental health, identity, and relationship with sports. We also talk about the role we play as parents, how easily our own hopes and investment can become tangled up with our child’s athletic experience, and what we can do to protect their joy, keep sports developmentally appropriate, and help them build an identity that extends far beyond their performance on the field or court.    About Kirsten Jones Kirsten (Keer-stin) is a Hall of Fame NCAA Division I volleyball player, 15-year NIKE executive, motivational speaker, Mental Performance Coach, author of the best-selling book, Raising Empowered Athletes, and host of the award winning podcast, “Raising Athletes” (#5 on Feedspot in Youth Sports). She works with athletes, parents, coaches and administrators, helping them identify their pain points, amplify their strengths and reach their individual and collective team and leadership goals. Kirsten’s super power is getting people out of their heads and into their bodies, allowing them to feel their best and perform beyond what they believed possible. Kirsten and her husband, Evan, have raised three athletes (ages, 25, 22 and 20). Two sons, who became DI basketball players and a daughter who played volleyball through high school. Kirsten understands the pressure, excitement and oftentimes anguish that comes with the roller coaster ride that is youth sports. Buckle up! Things you'll learn from this episode  How youth sports have become increasingly intense, with early specialization, travel teams, and a pro-sports mindset filtering down to younger kids Why the real value of sports lies in building resilience, self-regulation, confidence, and the ability to handle setbacks How pressure, over-scheduling, and a focus on rankings and achievement can contribute to burnout and kids leaving sports altogether Why parents can become overinvested in their child’s athletic path and how fear, identity, and financial investment can make stepping back difficult How neurodivergent athletes benefit from flexible, inclusive coaching that recognizes different ways of learning, communicating, and moving Why focusing on friends, fun, and fundamentals can help families choose programs that keep kids wanting to come back season after season Resources mentioned Kirsten Jones’ website Raising Empowered Athletes: A Youth Sports Parenting Guide for Raising Happy, Brave, and Resilient Kids by Kirsten Jones Kirsten on Instagram Kirsten on LinkedIn Raising Good Athletes on Apple Podcasts Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose by Jennifer Wallace A Conversation with Dr. Peter Gray About Restoring Childhood (Tilt Parenting podcast) Restoring Childhood: How to Set Kids Free in the Age of Anxiety by Dr. Peter Gray Parents are turning one of the best things for kids’ mental health into one of the worst (CNN article) Revenge of the Tipping Point: Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering by Malcolm Gladwell Dr. Özgür Bolat on Why Rewards Backfire and the Real Science of Motivating Kids (Tilt Parenting podcast) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  3. Nov 6

    (Best Of) Author Alfie Kohn On Practicing Unconditional Parenting

    I was thrilled to have the chance to talk with Alfie Kohn about parenting and differently wired kids and dig into the concepts that many consider highly provocative and controversial because in many ways they are a radical departure from more traditional approaches to parenting, praise, rewards, punishments, discipline, and motivation. If you haven’t been exposed to Alfie’s work before, I encourage you to listen with an open mind and curiosity. Some of the concepts he shares today may challenge your ideas about raising kids, but if you know me, I deeply believe there is value is reconsidering everything we thought we knew about parenting. After having this conversation with Alfie, I became even more aware of things I was doing that I wanted to tweak as a way to better support Asher’s growth, and I’ve already noticed a difference in what’s happening in my family dynamic. I hope you get out a lot out of our conversation.   Alfie Kohn writes and speaks widely on human behavior, education, and parenting. The author of fourteen books and scores of articles, he lectures at education conferences and universities as well as to parent groups and corporations. Kohn’s criticisms of competition and rewards have been widely discussed and debated, and he has been described in Time magazine as “perhaps the country’s most outspoken critic of education’s fixation on grades [and] test scores.”   Things you’ll learn from this episode What “unconditional parenting” looks like Why Alfie believes a goal of raising compliant kids is misguided What the science says about rewards and punishments and why they tend to lead to the opposite result we’re going for The potential downsides of positive reinforcement and “praise” in relation to supporting our children’s development and personal growth The difference between love and unconditional love, and why the latter is what we want our children to feel The importance of focusing on long-term versus short-term goals for our children Alfie’s advice for where parents can start today when it comes to working toward a more unconditional parenting approach Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  4. Nov 3

    Anya Kamenetz on the Fight for Special Education in America

    Debbie talks with education reporter Anya Kamenetz about her six-episode limited podcast series produced in collaboration with Understood, Zero Reject, and why special education is at a crossroads in the US. They trace how special education evolved from exclusion and institutionalization into a civil rights framework, and how underfunding, staffing shortages, and policy shifts shape families’ experiences today. About Anya Kamenetz  Anya Kamenetz is an award-winning journalist, author and podcaster. She covered education for many years including for NPR, where she co-created the podcast “Life Kit:Parenting.” Her last book was The Stolen Year: How COVID Changed Children’s Lives, and Where We Go Now. Kamenetz is currently an advisor to the Climate Mental Health Network, working on new initiatives at the intersection of children, well-being, education and climate change.Her next book, forthcoming from Bloomsbury in 2027, is about mental health and emotional resilience in a world of crisis. Her newsletter on these topics is “The Golden Hour.”  Things you'll learn from this episode  Why special education is a civil rights issue and how disability rights protections affect millions of students and families How family-led advocacy and legal challenges led to the creation of IDEA and the rights students have today Why staffing shortages, limited placements, and inadequate resources can prevent schools from meeting students’ needs How the Office for Civil Rights helps families address disability discrimination and why changes in federal oversight matter Why teachers are often caught between wanting to support students and lacking the training, resources, and support to do so How universal design for learning, evidence-based instruction, accessible technology, and better teacher support can create more inclusive schools Resources mentioned Zero Reject Podcast Anya Kamenetz’s website Anya on Twitter 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) NPR Ed Blog The Art of Screen Time: How Your Family Can Balance Digital Media and Real Life by Anya Kamenetz Education Attorney Catherine Michael on IEPs, 504s, and Accommodations (Tilt Parenting podcast) Dismantling Ableism in Schools and Shifting Toward Universal Design for Learning, with Heather Clarke (Tilt Parenting podcast) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  5. Oct 30

    (Best Of) Julie Bogart on Helping Kids Become Critical Thinkers

    In a world overflowing with information and complexity, critical thinking isn't just a useful skill; it's an essential life raft. From navigating complex interactions to making informed decisions, our children need the ability to think critically now more than ever. But what does that really mean? And how can we as parents nurture this skill in our children? I invited author and Brave Writer founder Julie Bogart back to the show to help us answer these questions and to talk about her new book, Becoming a Critical Thinker: A Workbook to Help Students Think Well in an Age of Disinformation. In this conversation, we got into so many things. And as you’ll hear, I could have talked to Julie for hours. But for this episode, you can expect to hear Julie’s thoughts on how and why we can foster critical thinking in our children, how considering multiple perspectives and incorporating diverse viewpoints leads to better problem-solving, what parents can do to encourage self-awareness, open-mindedness, and curiosity, and much more. Things you'll learn from this episode Why critical thinking is essential to navigate complex issues and make informed decisions How considering multiple perspectives and incorporating diverse viewpoints leads to better problem-solving and policy-making How parents can play a crucial role in fostering critical thinking skills in their children by encouraging self-awareness, open-mindedness, and curiosity Why traditional models of authority and obedience in parenting are being replaced by a more collaborative and respectful approach that values children's reasoning and autonomy How the Becoming a Critical Thinker workbook helps students develop skills such as vetting sources, analyzing data, and considering multiple perspectives Why engaging in perspective-taking and tolerance can help neurodivergent kids deconstruct ideas and accept other points of view Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  6. Oct 27

    Why Food Advice Falls Apart for Neurodivergent Families and What Actually Helps

    Functional nutrition practitioner and ADHD life coach Amy Jones joins me to talk about something that can be surprisingly complicated in neurodivergent families: feeding ourselves and our kids. Amy explains why the challenge for so many neurodivergent people isn’t knowing what we’re “supposed” to eat, but figuring out how to actually make nourishment happen when executive function, sensory preferences, appetite changes, decision fatigue, and low-capacity days are part of the picture. We also talk about supporting blood sugar, making food more visible and accessible, reducing mealtime stress, and creating simple, low-friction systems that make eating more doable for both kids and adults.   About Amy Jones Amy Jones is a Certified Functional Nutrition Practitioner, Certified ADHD Life Coach, and Certified Teacher who spent nearly 20 years in education before moving into functional nutrition and ADHD coaching. She supports neurodivergent adults, parents, and overwhelmed families who are struggling with food, energy, executive function, and daily functioning. Amy is also a late-diagnosed ADHD adult and a mom of two neurodivergent kids, including a son with ASD and ADHD, which shapes her understanding of food, routines, capacity, and family life. Her work focuses on the gap between what people know would support them and what they can actually access in daily life. Through functional nutrition, ADHD-informed coaching, and practical food systems, Amy helps families understand why feeding themselves and their kids can become harder when ADHD, decision fatigue, sensory load, appetite changes, and low-capacity days affect daily functioning. Amy is the creator of the Accessible Nourishment Framework and WTF’s for Dinner, a food system designed to reduce food-related decision load and make nourishment more manageable. Things you'll learn from this episode  How ADHD, dulled interoception, and stimulant medication can make hunger cues easy to miss until irritability, brain fog, or dysregulation shows up Why combining protein, fat, and fiber can support steadier blood sugar and more consistent energy throughout the day How standard nutrition advice can create too much executive function load for neurodivergent people and families Why micro shifts, meal assembly, and pairing new habits with existing routines can make nourishing ourselves more doable How respecting sensory preferences and safe foods reduces mealtime pressure and supports a healthier relationship with food Why making food visible and accessible and using shortcuts like standing grocery orders, meal kits, and planned takeout can provide essential scaffolding on low-capacity days Resources mentioned  Amy Jones website Your Guide to What To Do When Food Feels Like Too Much Amy Jones on Instagram Amy Jones on Facebook Amy Jones on Threads Amy Jones on LinkedIn Amy Jones on Pinterest Amy Jones on YouTube Amy Jones on TikTok The Joy of Cooking Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  7. Oct 23

    (Best Of) Akilah Richards on Raising Free People: Unschooling as Liberation and Healing Work

    I really enjoyed exploring unschooling, deschooling, freedom, and liberation with Akilah Richards, host of the Fare the Free Child podcast and author of the book Raising Free People: Unschooling as Liberation and Healing Work. I reached out to Akilah after seeing her TED talk, which led me to her book, and then her podcast, and I knew I wanted to invite her to join me in conversation. A recurring theme in this podcast, and in Tilt, is doing our own inner work as parents, and I love how Akilah talks about relating our own reparenting to freedom, decolonization, and liberation. Akilah shares her personal story of going from traditional schooling to unschooling to deschooling, and how she and her husband came to consider the idea of raising free people, what that means, and how they’ve navigated the realities of making unconventional choices that can sometimes make other people uncomfortable. She also shares how they think about the success and what a fulfilled life looks like for her family, as well as how her work aimed at decolonizing parenting has resonated with people worldwide. You'll learn: What it means to be raising a “free child” and why it can be a threatening or uncomfortable concept for many people What “mad question asking” is and how parents can use it to get unstuck How unschooling is tied to decolonization What “deschooling” is versus “homeschooling” and “unschooling” What “confident autonomy” is and why Akilah considers that a hallmark of “success” in her children How Akilah and her partner dealt with the barriers (social, cultural, and more) when they chose the unschooling path for their family What a “savor complex” is and how it can transform the family experience Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

  8. Oct 20

    A Conversation with Jessica Slice About Her Family's Experience with PANS/PANDAS

    Journalist and author Jessica Slice comes back to the show to share her family’s experience with PANS, or pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome, which began when her daughter experienced a sudden and severe change in behavior and functioning following a viral illness. Jessica recently shared her story in a viral article in New York Magazine, and today she takes us deep into what happened to her daughter, the medical dismissal her family encountered, and the long path toward getting a diagnosis and treatment. We also dig into why PANS and PANDAS remain controversial, what researchers believe may be happening in the brain, and what Jessica learned through both her family’s experience and her reporting. And importantly, we talk about what parents can do if their child experiences a sudden, dramatic onset of symptoms that they suspect could be PANS or PANDAS, including where to begin and how to advocate for care. About Jessica Slice  Jessica Slice is a journalist, author, and podcaster. Her book, Unfit Parent: A Disabled Mother Challenges an Inaccessible World was one of NPR’s top books of 2025. She has been published in Modern Love, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the Atlantic, the Guardian, The Globe & Mail, LitHub, Alice Wong’s bestselling Disability Visibility, Slate, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, and more.She’s been featured in Vogue, The New Yorker, PBS, NPR, The Cut, the BBC, etc. She is the co-author of Dateable: Swiping Right, Hooking Up, and Settling Down, This is How We Play, This is How We Talk, and the forthcoming We Belong which was co-authored with the late Judy Heumann. She lives in Toronto with her family. Things you'll learn from this episode  How Jessica’s daughter’s sudden, dramatic loss of functioning after a routine virus ultimately led to a PANS diagnosis Why PANS symptoms can be mistaken for psychosis, autism-related behavior, or other mental health conditions, potentially delaying appropriate care How PANS differs from PANDAS and why infections beyond strep may be associated with sudden-onset neuropsychiatric symptoms What researchers are exploring about immune dysfunction, the blood-brain barrier, and the basal ganglia in understanding PANS Why controversy, conflicting medical guidance, insurance barriers, and treatment costs can make accessing care extraordinarily difficult for families How parents can advocate for evidence-based care, evaluate trustworthy medical information, and keep pushing when their child’s sudden changes aren’t adequately explained Resources mentioned  Life with PANS: When a Virus Causes Psychiatric Symptoms (Jessica’s story in New York Magazine) Unfit Parent: A Disabled Mother Challenges an Inaccessible World by Jessica Slice Jessica Slice’s website Jessica Slice’s Whatever What Is (Substack) Jessica on Instagram Jessica Slice on What We Can All Learn from Disabled Parenting (Tilt Parenting podcast) PANS/PANDAS Physicians Network Page PANS/PANDAS Support Groups Allison Raskin on the Made Visible podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Feeling overwhelmed by the complexities of raising a neurodivergent child? Full-Tilt Parenting is here to help. Hosted by parenting activist and author Debbie Reber, this podcast is your go-to resource for navigating life with ADHD, autism, learning disabilities, PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance), giftedness, and twice-exceptional (2e) kids. With expert interviews and candid conversations, you'll discover practical solutions for things like school challenges and refusal, therapy options, and fostering inclusion, social struggles, advocacy, intense behavior, and more — all through a strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming lens. Whether you're struggling with advocating for your child at school or seeking ways to better support their unique needs, Debbie offers the guidance and encouragement you need to reduce overwhelm and create a thriving, joyful family environment. It's like sitting down with a trusted friend who gets it. You’ve got this, and we’ve got your back!

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