Climbing Fish Parenting

Dr. Kristi Clarke
  • 4.9 (9)
  • CRIANZA

Your kid isn't broken. Your parenting isn't broken. Sometimes, we're just asking our fish to climb trees. If you're an exhausted parent who's tried everything and nothing has worked—this podcast is for you. You're carrying guilt about your parenting. Your child's behaviors don't respond to the typical strategies. The advice from books, friends, and even professionals just... doesn't fit. Here's what I need you to know: You're not failing. You're just using the wrong map. I'm Dr. Kristi, a psychologist and behavior analyst, and I help parents understand their child's unique wiring and use strategies that actually work. Whether your child has a diagnosis or you just know they're wired differently—whether it's ADHD, ASD, anxiety, sensory sensitivities, or they're just... not like the parenting books describe—this is for you. No fluff. No shame. Just practical, evidence-based guidance from someone who gets it. Each episode gives you real strategies for real challenges—meltdowns, school struggles, bedtime battles, and everything in between. This is where we stop asking fish to climb trees and start helping them swim.

  1. HACE 1 DÍA

    The Resentment You Don't Want to Admit

    It's 8:47 PM. You've been awake since 5:30. The morning started with a 45-minute battle over wrong socks. Homework took two hours. Bedtime is still not done. And somewhere in that exhausted, tight-chested moment, you feel it—that burning thought: This is not fair. Immediately followed by gut-punch guilt: What kind of parent resents their own child? Here's what I need you to know: resentment doesn't mean what you think it means. It doesn't mean you're failing. It doesn't mean you don't love your child. It means you're carrying more than any one person should carry alone—and your nervous system is waving a red flag. In this episode, you'll discover: Why resentment is one of the most common—and least talked about—experiences for parents of neurodivergent kids, and why almost no one warns you it's coming The invisible labor that makes parenting a child who's wired differently fundamentally harder (cognitive load, emotional labor, physical labor, and advocacy labor—all at once) The gap between the parenting you imagined and the parenting you're actually doing, and why it's okay to grieve that Why love and resentment can absolutely coexist—and what it actually means when both are present at the same time How the guilt spiral keeps you stuck, and what to do instead What resentment is actually signaling—the three things it's almost always pointing to The body sensations of resentment, and why learning to catch them early changes everything Four concrete steps for responding to resentment without drowning in shame By the end of this episode, you'll understand that resentment isn't proof you're a bad parent—it's information about what you need. And you'll have a framework for listening to it instead of hiding from it. Resources mentioned: Sign up for the newsletter at www.climbingfishparenting.com/newslettersignup for this week's exclusive Swim Strategy content. Your kid isn't broken. Your parenting isn't broken. Sometimes we're just asking our fish to climb trees. That's what we fix here.

    19 min
  2. You Might Also Like: Raising Us: A Parenting Podcast

    HACE 1 DÍA · CONTENIDO EXTRA

    You Might Also Like: Raising Us: A Parenting Podcast

    Introducing How to Raise a Child Who Believes in Themselves | Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson | A Kids Co. from Raising Us: A Parenting Podcast. Follow the show: Raising Us: A Parenting Podcast Impostor syndrome in kids is more common than we think, and how parents respond to self-doubt can shape their children’s confidence for life. Joining host Elise Hu is Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson as she reflects on her built resilience and found motivations throughout her life. Justice Jackson shares her best strategies for combating impostor syndrome, and finding community in a new space after becoming the first Black woman to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States. She and Elise reflect on practical parenting tips touched in Jackson’s New York Times bestselling memoir Lovely One, now adapted for young adults, and gives words of advice for getting our kids to persevere and sometimes, simply try. Key Takeaways: Listen to, engage with, and encourage your kids to help build their confidence. Reframe hard times or hard work as opportunities for growth. Find community in new spaces to help build belonging and resilience. Acknowledge and celebrate your successes to remind yourself of your value. Remember where, what, and who got you to where you currently are as a method for combatting impostor syndrome. ⏱️ Timestamps: Keep the conversation going at home with our FREE Conversation Kit companion guide: https://delivery.shopifyapps.com/-/bfb5b229d1abd51e/dd80edeb27002d41 New episodes every Tuesday: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AKidsCo Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raising-us-a-parenting-podcast/id1552286967 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2bIRVxM8hbriNxydkSv6VG Or wherever you get your podcasts. 🔗 START HERE 📌 Get free weekly conversation kits: https://akidsco.com/pages/raising-us 📌 Browse A Kids Co. books that pair with episodes: https://akidsco.com 📌 Follow Elise Hu: https://www.instagram.com/elisewho ABOUT THE SHOW Raising Us | Parenting Podcast for Kids, Tweens, & Conscious Caregivers Award-winning journalist Elise Hu (TED Talks Daily, Forever35) hosts Raising Us, a parenting podcast for grownups raising Big-Question Kids. From puberty and identity to tech and body image, each episode gives you tools to spark real conversations with the kids in your life. Created by A Kids Co. (a family media company) the show blends expert-backed insights with real, lived experiences featuring trusted doctors, educators and purpose-driven public figures sharing age-appropriate advice so you don't have to wing the hard stuff. Follow on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AKidsCo Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/raising-us-a-parenting-podcast/id1552286967 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2bIRVxM8hbriNxydkSv6VG Or wherever you get your podcasts. If you like parenting podcasts like Good Inside with Dr. Becky, The Longest Shortest Time, Raising Good Humans or Ask Lisa, this podcast is for you. Topics Covered on Raising Us: Parenting kids and tweens Mental health for kids Talking to kids about racism, identity, and inclusion Screen time and social media Puberty, anxiety, and big feelings Building emotional intelligence in families Conscious and values-driven parenting Elise Hu parenting podcast A Kids Co. podcast series Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.

  3. 23 FEB

    When Your Child Refuses Medication: What's Really Happening and What Actually Works

    My child needs medication—for ADHD, for anxiety, for whatever—but they won't take it. I've tried hiding it in food. I've tried rewards. I've tried consequences. We battle every single morning and I don't know what to do. Sound familiar? Underneath that battle is so much guilt—guilt that you can't get your child to do something that's supposed to help them, guilt that you're fighting over healthcare, guilt that maybe if you were a better parent, this wouldn't be so hard. Let me say this clearly: medication refusal is not a parenting failure. It's a skill deficit, a sensory challenge, or a communication breakdown—and once you identify which one it is for your child, you can actually fix it. In this episode, you'll discover: The two-part framework that solves 95% of medication refusal: skill and buy-in How to teach pill swallowing systematically using shaping (from sprinkles to Tic Tacs to actual pills) Alternative delivery methods when your child isn't ready to swallow pills—and the critical mistake parents make when mixing medication with food Why buy-in problems look different for younger kids versus tweens and teens (and what actually works for each age) The conversations that reduce resistance more than any argument ever will When to let your teenager try going without medication (and how to do it safely with clear parameters) How to identify whether your child's refusal is primarily a skill problem or a buy-in problem—and what to do about it this week By the end of this episode, you'll understand the two most common reasons medication refusal happens and have specific solutions for each. Resources mentioned: Sign up for the newsletter at www.climbingfishparenting.com for this week's exclusive content on the system piece—how to make medication automatic instead of something you have to remember every morning.  Your kid isn't broken. Your parenting isn't broken. Sometimes we're just asking our fish to climb trees. That's what we fix here.

    13 min

  4. 16 FEB

    Morning Routines for Tweens and Teens: When They 'Should Know Better'

    Your child is thirteen, fourteen, fifteen years old. Old enough to have a phone. Old enough to want independence. Old enough that well-meaning relatives keep asking, "Why can't they just get themselves ready?" And you're watching your teenager—who can recite entire dialogue sequences from their favorite shows, who navigates complex video game strategies—completely unable to get out the door without you directing every single step. Here's what I need you to know: your teenager absolutely can need routine support at thirteen or fifteen or seventeen, and it's not because you've coddled them or failed to teach independence. It's because executive functioning skills develop on a slower timeline in kids who are wired differently—sometimes significantly slower. In this episode, you'll discover: Why executive functioning can lag 30% behind chronological age (and what that means for your brilliant but disorganized teen) The shame spiral that makes everything worse—and why tweens and teens resist help even when they desperately need it The fundamental shift from control to collaboration that changes the entire morning dynamic The one question that transforms nagging into partnership: "What support do you need to get ready this morning?" Why teaching self-advocacy is more important than forcing independence Practical strategies for different support levels—from initiation struggles to working memory deficits The critical difference between support and enabling (and why support needs to last longer than you think) By the end of this episode, you'll understand why your teenager still needs routine support and how to provide it without nagging or micromanaging. Resources mentioned: Sign up for the newsletter at www.climbingfishparenting.com/newslettersignup for this week's exclusive phrase that eliminates nagging. Plus, registration closes February 18th at midnight for the live training on February 19th and 21st—your last chance to build a morning routine system that works for YOUR child's age and specific challenges. Enroll here: www.climbingfishparenting.com/MorningRoutineSystem Your kid isn't broken. Your parenting isn't broken. Sometimes we're just asking our fish to climb trees. That's what we fix here.

    18 min

  5. 9 FEB

    The One Morning Routine Mistake That's Sabotaging Everything Else

    You've tried teaching the skills. You've tried building routines. And it still falls apart every single morning. Here's what you're missing: you're trying to do too much at once. When I ask parents to walk me through their morning routine, they list fifteen tasks. Then I ask which of those fifteen things their child can do independently right now, and the answer is usually one. Maybe two. Sometimes zero. That's the problem—you're not trying to teach a morning routine. You're trying to teach fifteen separate skills simultaneously while also getting out the door on time. In this episode, you'll discover: Why "scope creep" is destroying your morning routine (and how every problem becomes another task you add) The skill acquisition reality: why your child's brain literally cannot learn fifteen complex skills at the same time How to ruthlessly prioritize down to the three non-negotiables that actually matter The three questions to ask about every task to decide what stays and what gets cut Why simplifying to 3-4 essential tasks creates more progress than managing 15 tasks ever will The parent mindset shift from "lowering standards" to "strategic sequencing" By the end of this episode, you'll understand exactly why your routine keeps falling apart and what to change immediately to start seeing skills actually stick. Resources mentioned: Sign up for the newsletter at www.climbingfishparenting.com for this week's exclusive strategy about the best time to start a new routine—it cuts your teaching time in half. Plus, registration opens this THURSDAY, Febuary 12th for the live training on February 19th and 21st where Dr. Kristi will help you build a complete morning routine system from the ground up, customized for YOUR child's specific wiring. Sign up here: www.climbingfishparenting.com/MorningRoutineSystem Your kid isn't broken. Your parenting isn't broken. Sometimes we're just asking our fish to climb trees. That's what we fix here.

    14 min

  6. 4 FEB

    Why Traditional Morning Routine Charts Fail Kids Wired Differently

    If you've created a beautiful visual schedule—laminated cards, Velcro, pictures for every step—and your child is still melting down every morning, wandering off mid-routine, or standing in their underwear twenty minutes after being told to get dressed, I need you to hear this: That chart isn't failing because you did something wrong. It's failing because visual schedules are step three of a process, and everyone told you they were step one. In this episode, you'll discover: Why visual schedules are reminder systems, not teaching tools (and why that distinction changes everything) The fifteen hidden skills required just to "get dressed"—and why your child isn't being defiant when they can't do it independently The critical difference between a skill deficit and a performance deficit (and why misidentifying this sets everyone up for failure) The three-step process that actually builds morning routine skills that stick Why traditional parenting advice skips the two most important steps—and how to fill in those gaps A real-life example of transforming a forty-two-step disaster into a routine that actually works By the end of this episode, you'll understand exactly why that beautiful chart isn't working and what actually needs to happen before visual schedules can help. Resources mentioned:  Sign up for the newsletter at www.climbingfishparenting.com for this week's exclusive framework that will help you know exactly when your child is ready for step three. Plus, mark your calendar for the live training on February 19th and 21st where Dr. Kristi will walk you through building morning routine skills that actually stick—with step-by-step implementation for YOUR child's specific challenges. Your kid isn't broken. Your parenting isn't broken. Sometimes we're just asking our fish to climb trees. That's what we fix here.

    16 min

  7. 26 ENE

    Building a Support System When You Feel Totally Alone

    If you're parenting a child who's wired differently and you feel completely alone in it, that's not random and it's not your fault. Maybe family doesn't understand why you do things differently. Maybe friends stopped inviting you places. Maybe you can't find a babysitter who can handle your child's needs, so you haven't had a break in months—or years. Here's the truth: you're not supposed to do this alone, but the support you need looks different than what most people offer. In this episode, you'll discover: Why parents of kids who are wired differently predictably end up isolated (and why it's damaging your capacity to parent) What support you actually need versus what people think you need How to ask for help specifically (so people can actually say yes) Where to find your people—the ones who already speak your language Why some "support" is actually draining you—and how to fire people from your team How to protect your energy by letting go of relationships that deplete you By the end of this episode, you'll know exactly how to build a support system that can actually help you sustain this marathon—even if it looks nothing like other parents' support systems. Resources mentioned: Sign up for the newsletter at www.climbingfishparenting.com for a specific script for asking for help that makes it easier for people to say yes—plus instant access to the Frustration Tolerance Scripts & Practice Guide. Your kid isn't broken. Your parenting isn't broken. Sometimes we're just asking our fish to climb trees. That's what we fix here.

    17 min

  8. 19 ENE

    Your Nervous System Matters Too: Co-Regulation Starts with Self-Regulation

    "Just stay calm." "Be the calm in the storm." Easy to say, impossible to do when you're already depleted from co-regulating through three transitions before breakfast, making seventy decisions, and absorbing your child's anxiety all morning. Here's the truth: you can't lend your child a calm nervous system if yours is running on empty. And trying harder to "stay calm" when you're already dysregulated? That's not a reasonable expectation—it's not even biologically possible. In this episode, you'll discover: Why your child's nervous system is constantly scanning yours for cues of safety or danger What's happening in your body when chronic stress shrinks your "window of tolerance" How to notice your early warning signs before you're already yelling or shut down The micro-moments of regulation (30 seconds to 2 minutes) that actually work in real-time Why repair after dysregulation matters more than perfect calm When you need professional support for your own nervous system (and why that's not weakness) By the end of this episode, you'll understand what's actually happening in your body when your child is dysregulated, why "just stay calm" doesn't work, and what you need to do to regulate yourself so you can help regulate your child. Resources mentioned: Sign up for the newsletter at www.climbingfishparenting.com for a specific regulation technique that works in under 60 seconds—plus instant access to the Frustration Tolerance Scripts & Practice Guide. Your kid isn't broken. Your parenting isn't broken. Sometimes we're just asking our fish to climb trees. That's what we fix here.

    17 min
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Your kid isn't broken. Your parenting isn't broken. Sometimes, we're just asking our fish to climb trees. If you're an exhausted parent who's tried everything and nothing has worked—this podcast is for you. You're carrying guilt about your parenting. Your child's behaviors don't respond to the typical strategies. The advice from books, friends, and even professionals just... doesn't fit. Here's what I need you to know: You're not failing. You're just using the wrong map. I'm Dr. Kristi, a psychologist and behavior analyst, and I help parents understand their child's unique wiring and use strategies that actually work. Whether your child has a diagnosis or you just know they're wired differently—whether it's ADHD, ASD, anxiety, sensory sensitivities, or they're just... not like the parenting books describe—this is for you. No fluff. No shame. Just practical, evidence-based guidance from someone who gets it. Each episode gives you real strategies for real challenges—meltdowns, school struggles, bedtime battles, and everything in between. This is where we stop asking fish to climb trees and start helping them swim.

Información

  • Creador
    Dr. Kristi Clarke
  • Años de actividad
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodios
    25
  • Clasificación
    Apto
  • Copyright
    © 2025
  • Mostrar sitio web
    Climbing Fish Parenting