Autistic and ADHD Kids Parenting Strategies: Every Brain is Different

Samantha Foote & Lauren Ross | Parenting Neurodiverse Kids
  • 5.0 (31)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to Every Brain is Different, the podcast designed for parents raising kids with Autism, ADHD, and other neurodiverse conditions. Discover practical parenting strategies, expert insights, and real-life stories that highlight the strengths and challenges of neurodivergent individuals. Join us to connect with a supportive community of parents, gain tools to help your child thrive, and celebrate the unique ways every brain works. If you're looking for inspiration, effective parenting strategies, or simply a sense of connection, tune into Every Brain is Different and join a community that truly understands. Website: www.everybrainisdifferent.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent TikTok: www.tiktok.com/everybrainsidifferent YouTube: www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent

  1. 3d ago

    Out of the Box Parenting: How to Teach Your Neurodivergent Child to Cook | Ep. 184

    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

    Out of the Box Parenting: How to Teach Your Neurodivergent Child to Cook | Ep. 184

  2. Sep 14

    What to do When You Face Judgement With Your ADHD/Autistic Child | Ep. 183

    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

    What to do When You Face Judgement With Your ADHD/Autistic Child | Ep. 183

  3. Sep 7

    How to Make Sensory Friendly Hygiene Routines for Your Neurodiverse Child | Ep. 182

    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

    How to Make Sensory Friendly Hygiene Routines for Your Neurodiverse Child | Ep. 182

  4. Aug 31

    How to Talk to Your Autistic Boys About Puberty | Ep. 181

    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

    How to Talk to Your Autistic Boys About Puberty | Ep. 181

  5. Aug 24

    Why Your PDA Child Isn’t Being Defiant and How to Support Them (Ep. 143 Rerun)

    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

  6. Aug 17

    What are Non-Traditional Therapies? | Ep. 179

    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

    What are Non-Traditional Therapies? | Ep. 179

  7. Aug 10

    What to Expect When Your Child Needs an Evaluation (ADHD, Autism, and More) | Ep. 178

    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

    What to Expect When Your Child Needs an Evaluation (ADHD, Autism, and More) | Ep. 178

  8. Aug 3

    Embracing Your Different Ability with Katey Fortun | Ep. 177

    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

    Embracing Your Different Ability with Katey Fortun | Ep. 177
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Welcome to Every Brain is Different, the podcast designed for parents raising kids with Autism, ADHD, and other neurodiverse conditions. Discover practical parenting strategies, expert insights, and real-life stories that highlight the strengths and challenges of neurodivergent individuals. Join us to connect with a supportive community of parents, gain tools to help your child thrive, and celebrate the unique ways every brain works. If you're looking for inspiration, effective parenting strategies, or simply a sense of connection, tune into Every Brain is Different and join a community that truly understands. Website: www.everybrainisdifferent.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent TikTok: www.tiktok.com/everybrainsidifferent YouTube: www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent

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