Autistic and ADHD Kids Parenting Strategies: Every Brain is Different

Samantha Foote & Lauren Ross | Parenting Neurodiverse Kids
  • 5.0 (30)
  • 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. Why Your Child Falls Apart After Vacation (And What to Do About It) | Ep. 172

    6d ago

    Why Your Child Falls Apart After Vacation (And What to Do About It) | Ep. 172

    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

    23 min
  2. Why Family Vacations Feel Hard with Autistic and ADHD Kids (And What Actually Helps) | Ep. 171

    Jun 22

    Why Family Vacations Feel Hard with Autistic and ADHD Kids (And What Actually Helps) | Ep. 171

    Download the Guide to Raising Your Neurodivergent Child: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Connect with Samantha: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/   Samantha and Lauren discuss how to help vacations go more smoothly for neurodivergent kids by prioritizing safety, predictability, and regulation over nonstop activities. They explain how vacations disrupt routine, sensory input, and expectations (new places, foods, people, airports, planes, theme parks, beaches), which can overwhelm autistic and ADHD children. They recommend preparing kids in advance with photos, maps, videos, itineraries, visual schedules, and honest communication about uncertainty; using supports like airport assistance (Sunflower lanyards, practice tours, early boarding); and building recovery time with hotel breaks, quiet spaces, and rest days. They suggest creating an escape plan or safe word, avoiding forced socialization, packing sensory tools and familiar items, watching early signs of overload, and adjusting parental expectations so everyone ends the day regulated, safe, supported, and connected.   00:00 Vacation Reality Check 01:17 Why Vacations Overwhelm 03:19 Sensory Overload Hotspots 06:11 Chill Trips Still Hard 08:04 Boost Predictability 11:44 Over Communicate Plans 13:06 Build Recovery Time 17:39 Create an Escape Plan 21:56 Pack Sensory Supports 24:25 Adjust Vacation Expectations 25:55 Bring Familiar Comforts 27:13 Spot Overload Early 28:06 Wrap Up and Recap 29:33 Resources and Farewell   Connect with Samantha Foote! Website: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent

    30 min
  3. Dance as Self-Care for Parents with Annett Bone | Ep. 170

    Jun 15

    Dance as Self-Care for Parents with Annett Bone | Ep. 170

    Samantha and Lauren welcome dance artist and creative coach Annett Bone to discuss dance as self-care—especially for stressed parents raising neurodivergent kids. Annett shares that returning to dance at 43 after a 20-plus year hiatus helped her heal and that dance can be expression, creativity, processing, release, or a way to get out of your head. She encourages starting with the end in mind, then taking small, realistic steps, sometimes just a few minutes alone with music, without fear of judgment. The conversation offers practical ideas like family dance parties, using Just Dance for guidance, exploring movement one body part at a time, and combining movement with writing, drawing, senses, and imagery like animals or weather. Annette invites listeners to DM her “brain” on Instagram for a free customized 20-minute movement session and mentions her podcast, The Dancepreneuring Studio.   Connect with Annette: www.instagram.com/annettbonewww.AnnettBone.com.   Connect with Samantha: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Get the Free Ultimate Guide to Parenting Your Neurodivergent Child: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/   00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:54 Why Dance Matters 01:49 Dance as Self Care 03:48 Busy Moms Start Small 07:33 Easy Ways to Begin 10:17 Creative Movement Games 12:28 Classes and Dance Styles 15:00 Dance for Every Body 19:06 Final Tips and Mindset 21:21 Where to Find Annette 23:18 Rapid Fire Fun Question 24:18 Wrap Up and Takeaways Connect with Samantha Foote! Website: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent

    25 min
  4. The Neurodivergent Family Road Trip Survival Guide | Ep. 169

    Jun 8

    The Neurodivergent Family Road Trip Survival Guide | Ep. 169

    Connect With Samantha: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Join the Neurodivergent Parenting Community: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/membership   Samantha and Lauren introduce a multi-part series on road tripping, focusing in this episode on strategies for smoother car travel, especially for kids with autism. They explain why road trips are hard-loss of routine and predictability, sensory overload, limited autonomy, sibling noise conflicts, motion sickness, and movement needs—and emphasize that success is about regulation, not perfection. Tips include planning seating ahead of time, packing comfort items and regulation tools first (headphones, sunglasses, weighted items, fidgets), keeping snacks and water accessible, using GPS timing to reduce “are we there yet,” creating visual roadmaps/schedules, practicing expectations, building in movement breaks, and watching early meltdown signs.   00:00 Summer Chaos Intro 00:47 Road Trip Series Setup 01:54 Why Road Trips Are Hard 04:06 Pre Trip Car Plan 05:43 Predictability With GPS 07:54 Sensory And Sibling Noise 10:32 Devices And Offline Options 11:57 Movement Break Strategies 15:14 Visual Roadmaps And Packing 19:07 Meltdown Prevention And Repair 20:52 Games And Entertainment Ideas 23:57 Validate And Parent Regulation 26:23 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

    27 min
  5. How to Help Your Child With Dyslexia and Dysgraphia with Daniela Feldhausen | Ep. 168

    Jun 1

    How to Help Your Child With Dyslexia and Dysgraphia with Daniela Feldhausen | Ep. 168

    Connect with Samantha: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/ Join the Neurodivergent Parent Community: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/membership Samantha and Lauren interview Daniella Feldhausen, a former DC attorney who founded Kids Up Reading Tutors after earning a master’s in special education and focusing on helping children with reading and spelling challenges, including dyslexia and dysgraphia. Daniella explains that her team tailors one-on-one, high-dosage tutoring (multiple sessions per week) based on a detailed skills evaluation rather than relying on a diagnosis, aiming to help students catch up quickly and build confidence. 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:46 How Kids Up Works 03:43 Confidence and Family Wins 05:25 Dyslexia vs Dysgraphia 08:49 Hidden Struggles in Older Grades 10:42 First Steps for Parents 13:01 It Is Never Too Late 19:01 IEPs and School Limits 23:20 Resources and Where to Find Daniella 24:46 Fun Question and Farewell 25:43 Host Highlights Wrap Up   Connect with Daniela: Website: www.KidsUpReadingTutors.com LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/daniela-feldhausen-kidsupreadingtutors/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/KidsUpReadingTutors/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/kidsupreadingtutors/   Connect with Samantha Foote! Website: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent

    26 min
  6. Why Good Kids Get Bad Grades: Becoming Your Child’s Ally with Linda Silbert | Ep. 167

    May 25

    Why Good Kids Get Bad Grades: Becoming Your Child’s Ally with Linda Silbert | Ep. 167

    Join the Neurodivergent Parenting Community: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/membership Connect with Dr. Linda Silbert: https://stronglearning.com/   Samantha and Lauren interviews Dr. Linda Silbert of Strong Learning Incorporated about supporting neurodivergent learners and reframing bad grades as symptoms rather than reasons for punishment. Dr. Silbert urges parents to stop blaming children or schools, become detectives about root causes (academic, social, emotional, bullying, sensory, or anxiety), and approach teachers and IEP meetings collaboratively. She emphasizes repairing parent-child friction by apologizing, listening, and teaching practical study skills in short, effective bursts rather than long sessions, noting that stress can make students “blank” during tests. Dr. Silbert describes gamifying reading intervention, using card-deck games, fluency activities, and plays aligned with Orton-Gillingham, to reduce anxiety, build confidence, and improve reading, and shares resources including her new book Why Good Kids Get Bad Grades.   00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 00:40 Grades Are Symptoms 02:57 Homeschool and Nervous System 05:20 IEP Advocacy and Collaboration 07:11 Bullying and Emotional Fallout 11:10 Repairing Parent Child Trust 14:30 Study Smarter Not Longer 16:30 Gamified Reading Breakthrough 19:39 Play Based Learning Tools 21:13 Resources and Where to Find 22:09 Fun and Closing Reflections 23:06 Hosts Wrap Up Takeaways 28:51 Reading Counts Any Format 30:05 Final Goodbye   Connect with Samantha Foote! Website: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent

    30 min
  7. Why Your Child Holds It Together at School, Then Explodes at Home (And How Masking Plays a Role) | Ep. 166

    May 18

    Why Your Child Holds It Together at School, Then Explodes at Home (And How Masking Plays a Role) | Ep. 166

    Join the Neurodivergent Parenting Community: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/podcast Samantha and Lauren discuss how neurodivergent children may mask at school or other settings: suppressing stims, sensory distress, and authentic behavior to appear “typical” and then have meltdowns at home because home feels safest, a pattern also described as after-school restraint collapse. They emphasize that these explosions are nervous system and stress responses, not manipulation, and that chronic masking drains executive functioning and can leave kids in fight-or-flight. The episode outlines signs a child may be struggling at school (shutdowns, irritability, control-seeking, sibling conflict, isolation, increased PDA behaviors, avoiding help, and even not using the bathroom) and suggests ways to reduce nervous system load and improve safety at school through sensory-friendly routines, supportive accommodations, authenticity at home, and self-advocacy skills, while avoiding forced eye contact, dismissing concerns, over-scheduling, and rewarding extreme compliance.   00:00 Masking Recap 01:02 Why Home Meltdowns Happen 02:15 What Masking Looks Like 03:43 Executive Function Burnout 06:26 After School Restraint Collapse 06:59 Signs of Distress at School 09:20 Signs Your Child Masks 11:31 Reduce Load Before School 13:40 School Supports That Help 15:39 Stop Rewarding Compliance 16:47 Build Authenticity at Home 17:17 Teach Self Advocacy 17:41 What Not To Do 19:35 Connection Over Correction   Connect with Samantha Foote! Website: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent

    19 min
  8. Why Your Child ‘Falls Apart’ at Home (But Not at School) | Ep. 165

    May 11

    Why Your Child ‘Falls Apart’ at Home (But Not at School) | Ep. 165

    Connect with Samantha: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Join the Neurodivergent Parenting Community: https://www.everybrainisdifferent.com/membership   Samantha and Lauren open by discussing mom guilt and the importance of giving yourself grace when you miss commitments, lose your cool, or have hard parenting moments, emphasizing that apologies and tomorrow-as-a-reset matter. They then explain masking: children, especially neurodivergent kids, may hold it together at school and unravel at home because home is emotionally safe, not because parents are doing something wrong or the child is being manipulative. They describe how cognitive fatigue (executive-function demands), emotional exhaustion (managing expectations, social stress, fear of trouble, rejection sensitivity), and sensory overload (noise, lights, clothing discomfort) accumulate during the day, leaving kids with no capacity for even small demands like “How was your day?” They note masking can also differ between co-parents, and suggest school accommodations (movement, no forced eye contact, IEP/504 supports) and coping skills, with next week focused on making school feel safer.   00:00 Welcome and Mom Guilt 01:03 Grace and Repairing Moments 03:05 What Masking Looks Like 07:17 Why Home Meltdowns Happen 09:26 School Accommodations 12:15 Safe Parent and Coparenting 14:42 The Cost of Masking 20:06 Sensory Overload Stack 22:51 You Are the Safe Place 24:22 Community Support and Wrap Up   Connect with Samantha Foote! Website: https://everybrainisdifferent.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everybrainisdifferent YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@everybrainisdifferent

    24 min
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About

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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