Raising ADHD: Real Talk For Parents & Educators

Dr. Brian Bradford & Apryl Bradford
  • 5.0 (9)
  • Parenting

Raising a child with ADHD can feel overwhelming—meltdowns, school struggles, medication decisions, and the constant fear you’re doing it wrong. Raising ADHD is the podcast for parents and teachers who want clarity, strategies, and real-life support. Hosted by Apryl Bradford, M.Ed. (former teacher and ADHD mom) and Dr. Brian Bradford, D.O. (Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist), this show cuts through the myths and misinformation about Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Together, Apryl and Dr. Bradford bring both lived experience and clinical expertise to help you: Understand what ADHD really is (and isn’t)Navigate school challenges and partner with teachersMake sense of medication options without the jargonSupport your child’s strengths while tackling everyday strugglesFeel less alone and more empowered on this journey Each week, you’ll hear practical tips, the latest insights from the field, and conversations that validate what you’re living through. Whether you’re dealing with emotional outbursts, executive function challenges, or the stigma that still surrounds ADHD, you’ll find real talk and real help here. If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Am I doing this right?”—this podcast is your answer.  Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical or psychiatric advice and should not replace professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider. Always seek the advice of your physician or other licensed professional with any questions you may have regarding your child’s health or behavior.

  1. 4d ago

    Impulsive Behavior in ADHD: Why Your Child Has No Pause Button and How to Build One

    Send us Fan Mail Impulsive behavior in ADHD kids isn't defiance, it's a delayed pause button. What's happening in the brain, the three types of impulsivity, and an 8-step way to help. ____________________________________________________ Your child does something so far past logic that you're left staring at the mess asking "why would you do that?" Here's the hard truth: they don't know either. Their brain generated "go" before it could generate "stop." I open with a powdered-sugar snowstorm in my kitchen, because impulsive behavior in ADHD kids is one of the most maddening things to parent. In this episode I break down what impulse control actually is (response inhibition), why the ADHD brain's pause button is delayed and underpowered, and the three types of impulsivity you're seeing at home and school. Then I walk you through an 8-step stop-and-think system you can teach in calm moments and prompt in hot ones, plus the environment tweaks that cut impulsive behavior fastest while the skill is still building. The reframe: a child who cannot pause cannot use the skills they already have. Inside this episode What impulse control really is, and why Peg Dawson and Dr. Russell Barkley call it the foundation the other executive function skills depend on.What's happening in the ADHD brain: the weaker, later stop signal and the role dopamine plays.The three types of impulsivity: verbal, motor/behavioral, and emotional, and how they show up at different times of day.The core reframe: your child isn't the kid who never thinks, they're the kid whose brain needs help building a pause.Why you teach the pause in calm moments and prompt it in hot ones, never mid-meltdown.The 8-step stop-and-think system, from picking one behavior to praising the pause instead of perfection.Why pairing the pause with a physical body cue helps the brain insert the delay.The environment changes that reduce impulsive behavior fastest while the skill develops.Your one-week plan: one behavior, one pause script, three calm practice reps.Timestamps 00:00 Why impulse control feels impossible  02:07 The powdered sugar morning story  03:55 What impulse control really means  08:10 The ADHD brain and the weak stop signal  12:21 The three types of impulsivity  14:55 The reframe: skills need a pause  16:29 Teach a pause script in calm moments  19:50 The 8-step stop-and-think system  27:33 Reduce risk by changing the environment  29:01 Your weekly plan and closing encouragement Read the full transcript https://www.buzzsprout.com/2531405/19488732-impulsive-behavior-in-adhd-why-your-child-has-no-pause-button-and-how-to-build-one/transcript Resources mentioned Free Executive Function Check-In quiz, to see where your child is strong and weak: raisingadhd.org/quiz One thing to do next Take the free Executive Function Check-In to find out whether impulse control is one of your child's weaker skills, and see how your profile compares to theirs. Get it at raisingadhd.org/quiz. Resources and related episodes Ep27: Executive Function Skills and ADHD, Why Your Child Can't "Just Do It" Ep31: ADHD Meltdowns vs Tantrums Ep36: Your ADHD Child Isn't Trying to Drive You Crazy Find me on Instagram: @raisingadhd_org Hosts I'm Apryl Bradford, a former classroom teacher with a master's in education and mom raising a child with ADHD, alongside my husband Dr. Brian Bradford, a child and adolescent psychiatrist.

  2. Jun 29

    ADHD Parenting Burnout: The 3 Stages, the Signs, and What Actually Helps

    Send us Fan Mail ADHD parenting burnout is real, and it's not the same as being tired. The three stages, why parents of ADHD kids burn out faster, and five research-backed ways to recover. __________________________________________________ You keep saying you're just tired. A good night's sleep should fix it, but it doesn't, and the moment your kid walks in the door your tank hits empty. That's not tired. That might be burnout, and there's a real difference. If you've felt stressed, checked out, or burned out from parenting, this one's for you. I break down what ADHD parenting burnout actually is (and what it isn't), the three research-backed stages, and why parents of kids with ADHD are over four times more likely to experience it. Then I walk through the emotional, physical, and behavioral warning signs, and five research-backed ways to start recovering in the life you actually have. The big reframe: your well-being isn't separate from your child's outcomes. It's part of the treatment plan. Inside this episode The real difference between stress and burnout, and the simple test that tells them apart.The three stages of parental burnout: physical and emotional exhaustion, emotional distancing, and loss of fulfillment.Why burnout is distinct from depression, and why that distinction changes what helps.Why ADHD families burn out faster: the hidden regulation load, the invisible mental load, social isolation, and the disproportionate weight mothers carry.What burnout looks like emotionally, physically, and behaviorally, including the snap-and-guilt loop.Five research-backed ways to recover: behavioral strategies, self-compassion, the right community, nervous system regulation, and micro recovery over macro recovery.Dr. Kristin Neff's three-line self-compassion practice you can do in the moment.The sticky-note brain dump that clears mental load when everything feels urgent.Why naming burnout is itself the first action step that lowers stress for your whole family.Timestamps 00:00 What you'll gain from this episode 01:45 Stress vs burnout, and why they're not the same 04:04 The three stages of parental burnout 08:47 Why ADHD families are uniquely vulnerable 17:52 The emotional, physical, and behavioral warning signs 20:44 Five research-backed ways to recover 34:05 Reducing your load with tools and respite 36:34 The reframe, a listener shout-out, and next steps Read the full transcript https://www.buzzsprout.com/2531405/19408255-adhd-parenting-burnout-the-3-stages-the-signs-and-what-actually-helps/transcript Resources mentioned ARCH National Respite Network, to find and fund temporary relief care by state: archrespite.org One thing to do next Get short, practical Raising ADHD™ reframes in your inbox each week, the kind you can read in under five minutes and use the same day. Join my email list at raisingadhd.org. Resources and related episodes Ep19: Stop Sitting in Mom Guilt, How to Repair With Your ADHD Child After You Lose It Ep23: ADHD Without Medication, What Actually Works Ep28: How to Discipline Kids With ADHD, What the Research Says Actually Works Find me on Instagram: @raisingadhd_org Hosts I'm Apryl Bradford, a former classroom teacher with a master's in education and mom raising a child with ADHD, alongside my husband Dr. Brian Bradford, a child and adolescent psychiatrist.

  3. Jun 22

    ADHD Summer Survival: 5 Things Saving My Life Right Now

    Send us Fan Mail Surviving summer with an ADHD kid? Here are five small, real-life things saving my sanity right now, plus a pep talk for when nothing feels like it's helping. ________________________________________________________________ It's week five of summer and you're holding on for dear life. Same. Here are the small, ordinary things keeping me afloat this ADHD summer, and why noticing what's working can shift a hard season. This one's a little different. Instead of a behavior or a strategy, I'm sharing the five things quietly saving my life this summer: independent outdoor play, my beloved air fryer, a hands-on project that gets me out of the house, nighttime reading, and a grab-and-go protein breakfast. Some are big, some are tiny, all of them are real. Underneath the list is a practice I want you to steal for any hard season with an ADHD kid: pausing long enough to notice what's actually holding you up, not just what's going wrong. I close with a pep talk for the parent who feels like nothing is saving their life right now. Inside this episode The practice of asking "what's saving my life right now," and why we rarely stop to notice what's working.Why independent outdoor play is a win for your kid's confidence and your own mental break.The air fryer (and paper plates) that make fast, low-cleanup summer meals possible when you work from home.Why a hands-on project of my own in a different space gives me a reset without needing a full day off.Reading at night as a no-guilt escape, no deep literary credit required.The grab-and-go high-protein breakfast that takes the morning off my plate.A mini pep talk and the one-small-thing practice for when it feels like nothing is helping.Timestamps 00:00 Week five of summer and holding on for dear life  01:02 Why noticing what works matters, and the practice behind this episode  02:51 Independent outdoor play  07:10 Fast, low-cleanup meals with the air fryer  09:59 A hands-on project of your own for a reset  12:20 Reading as a nightly escape  13:59 A high-protein breakfast shortcut  15:59 A pep talk for when nothing feels like it's saving your life  18:26 The one small thing to notice today Read the full transcript https://www.buzzsprout.com/2531405/19372851-adhd-summer-survival-5-things-saving-my-life-right-now/transcript Mentioned in this episode The Lazy Genius Podcast with Kendra Adachi, the inspiration for this format One thing to do next Get short, practical Raising ADHD™ reframes in your inbox each week, the kind you can read in under five minutes and use the same day. Join my email list at raisingadhd.org. Resources and related episodes Ep10: ADHD and Friendships, Why Your Child Struggles to Fit In Ep34: The Best Daily Routine for a Child With ADHD (Summer Edition) Ep9: The ADHD Bedtime Battle Find me on Instagram: @raisingadhd_org Hosts I'm Apryl Bradford, a former classroom teacher with a master's in education and mom raising a child with ADHD, alongside my husband Dr. Brian Bradford, a child and adolescent psychiatrist.

  4. Jun 15

    Traveling With ADHD Kids: How to Plan a Vacation That Doesn't End in Meltdowns with Mary Katherine Brooks

    Send us Fan Mail Traveling with an ADHD child without the meltdowns is possible. A travel expert shares how to plan Disney, cruises, and trips that actually feel like a vacation. ______________________________________________________________ The thought of planning a vacation with your ADHD kid makes your stomach clench, so you either skip it or push through and come home needing a vacation from your vacation. There's a third option. In today's episode, I'm sitting down with travel expert Mary Katherine Brooks (MK) of MK's Magical Adventures, who designs vacations for families with ADHD, autism, and other complex needs. We cover why the "one perfect trip" pressure backfires, how to build margin into a Disney day so nobody melts down, why cruises and all-inclusives fit neurodivergent families so well, the truth about Disney's DAS pass, and a simple reset for when a day goes sideways. If you've looked at the logistics of traveling with an ADHD child and decided it wasn't worth it, this conversation is the reframe that makes vacation feel possible again. What you'll learn Why planning a trip with an ADHD child feels paralyzing, and the mindset shift that makes it doable.Why a rough trip is a data point for next time, not a reason to give up on travel for good.How to build margin into every day, and a full margin day into the week, so the trip actually feels restful.Why Disney deluxe resorts double as a safety feature for kids who bolt, plus how early entry and extended evening hours help ADHD families.Why cruises and all-inclusives work so well for neurodivergent kids: built-in structure paired with real voice and choice.The reality of Disney's DAS pass (Disability Access Service) and why you can't build a whole trip around it.A simple in-the-moment reset plan for when a vacation day starts going off the rails.Why a human travel advisor beats AI for planning, since AI is often years behind in the travel space.Timestamps 00:00 The vacation that leaves you needing a vacation from your vacation  02:27 Apryl's travel story: 40 states, a Greece flight, and the summer trip that never happened  04:16 Meet MK and the families she designs trips for  06:30 For the parent who's already given up on travel  06:43 The Christmas analogy: a bad trip is a data point, not a verdict  10:09 MK's planning process, from first call to hour-by-hour itinerary  13:21 Why "hit the ground running to get your money's worth" backfires  18:03 What your kid actually remembers, and it isn't the rides you skipped  20:49 What a well-paced ADHD-friendly week looks like, and why margin matters  26:09 Why cruises and all-inclusives fit neurodivergent families  28:08 The best destinations and trip formats, and why they work  29:30 A real ADHD itinerary: early entry, deluxe resorts, and VIP tours  35:17 Accommodations to ask for, and the truth about the DAS pass  40:00 A simple reset when a vacation day goes off the rails  44:13 MK's one big takeaway for tired parents  45:54 How to connect with MK One thing to do next Grab MK's best travel tips in one free, easy download so you don't have to hold it all in your head. Get it at raisingadhd.org/37. Read the full transcript https://www.buzzsprout.com/2531405/19332968-traveling-with-adhd-kids-how-to-plan-a-vacation-that-doesn-t-end-in-meltdowns-with-mary-katherine-brooks/transcript About our guest Mary Catherine Brooks (MK) owns MK's Magical Adventures, a travel agency she founded in 2022 that plans vacations for families with ADHD, autism, food allergies, and other complex needs. She grew up with ADHD herself and builds trips around how your family's brains and bodies actually work.  Instagram: @mks_magical_adventures  Website: mksmagicaladventures.com (book a consultation call directly from the site) Coming up next week What's saving my life right now. An honest roundup of the tools, tricks, and small finds making life with an ADHD kiddo easier this season. Hit follow so it lands the moment it drops. Resources and related episodes Free travel tips download: raisingadhd.org/37  Last week's episode on dopamine-seeking and sensory-seeking behavior  Ep34: The Best Daily Routine for a Child With ADHD (Summer Edition)  Find Apryl on Instagram: @raisingadhd_org Hosts Apryl Bradford, former classroom teacher with a master's in education and mom raising a child with ADHD, alongside Dr. Brian Bradford, child and adolescent psychiatrist.

  5. Jun 9

    Your ADHD Child Isn't Trying to Drive You Crazy: Here's What's Really Going On

    Send us Fan Mail Why your ADHD child kicks, hums, and can't sit still, and what to do instead of yelling. A simple reframe for sensory and dopamine-seeking behavior. _________________________________________________________ You're three minutes into the drive home, and your kiddo is already kicking the back of your seat, humming the same three notes on a loop, and poking their sibling until everyone's yelling. You're white-knuckling the wheel, wondering if they're doing it on purpose. They're not. In this episode, we're breaking down the ADHD behaviors that drive parents up the wall: kicking the car seat, rocking in the chair, fidgeting, tapping, stimming, and playing the same song on repeat. She explains why a child with ADHD often can't sit still, what the dopamine reward system and the sensory system are actually chasing in those moments, and why "just stop it" rarely works. You'll learn the difference between dopamine-seeking and sensory-seeking behavior, three quick questions to tell them apart, and a simple weekly experiment that channels the need instead of fighting it. Same kid, same energy, a lot less yelling. What you'll learn Why kicking, rocking, humming, and poking are usually a regulation attempt, not defiance or misbehavior.How the ADHD brain's understimulation drives both dopamine-seeking (chasing interest) and sensory-seeking (chasing movement, pressure, and sound), and why the two usually show up together.Three quick questions to tell whether a behavior is dopamine-driven, sensory-driven, or both.Why the goal is never zero movement, and how to protect people and property while giving the need a better job to do.Real swaps that work: a resistance band on the car seat, a wobble cushion, a car stimulation kit, and "yes here, no there" boundaries.Three decisions you make once and reuse forever: your non-negotiables, your family's okay stims, and a go-to script for high-stress moments.The one-week experiment: one situation, one behavior, one outlet, one sentence.Timestamps 00:00 The after-school car ride every ADHD parent knows  02:55 The anchor reframe: regulation attempt, not moral failure  04:42 A no-degree-required look at the two systems driving the behavior  07:54 Three behaviors we're putting under the lens  10:04 Behavior 1: kicking the car seat  15:28 Behavior 2: rocking and kicking at the table  18:21 Behavior 3: the song on repeat and the sibling poking  21:06 Three quick questions to tell dopamine from sensory  22:24 Three decisions you make once and reuse forever  26:30 Your one-week experiment: one situation, one behavior, one outlet, one sentence  29:10 The reframe to carry into your week Read the full transcript https://www.buzzsprout.com/2531405/19316217-adhd-regulation-in-the-real-world/transcript One thing to do next Get a short Raising ADHD™ reframe in your inbox each week, one you can read in under two minutes and use the same day. Join the email list at raisingadhd.org. Coming up next week Mary Katherine from MK's Magical Adventures is joining me to tackle traveling with ADHD kiddos: how to survive flights, road trips, and routine-wrecking vacations without the meltdowns. Hit follow so it lands the moment it drops. Resources and related episodes Free Executive Function Check-In quiz: raisingadhd.org/quiz  Ep29: How to Manage ADHD Hyperactivity Without Fighting It  Ep31: ADHD Meltdowns vs Tantrums  Find Apryl on Instagram: @raisingadhd_org Hosts Apryl Bradford, former classroom teacher with a master's in education and mom to a child with ADHD, alongside Dr. Brian Bradford, child and adolescent psychiatrist.

  6. May 28

    Why Consequences Don't Work for ADHD Kids (And What to Do Instead)

    Send us Fan Mail Traditional discipline doesn't work for ADHD kids—here's the brain science why, plus 6 research-backed strategies that do. ________________________________________________________________ Raise your hand if you've ever been told, "You just need to discipline your child more." Or maybe you've thought it yourself: Why won't they just try harder? This isn't that hard. Here's what no one told you: traditional discipline techniques—consequences, punishments, taking things away—don't work for ADHD kids. And it's not because you're doing it wrong. It's because the ADHD brain is wired differently, and the strategies we were all taught assume a brain that doesn't exist in your child. In this episode, Apryl breaks down the actual neuroscience (from Johns Hopkins, Harvard, NIH, and the largest ADHD treatment trial ever conducted) to show you exactly what's happening in your child's brain—and why punishment often makes ADHD symptoms worse, not better. Then she walks you through six discipline strategies that are backed by decades of research and tested in her own ADHD home. You'll learn: Why your child's prefrontal cortex is running up to 3 years behind (and what that means for expectations)The dopamine problem: why consequences don't "register" the same wayTime blindness explained—and why "wait until your father gets home" was never going to workThe 6 discipline strategies that actually work for ADHD brainsWhy the most-tested ADHD intervention has a 92% success rate (and how to use it at home)The one mindset shift that changes everything: from enforcer to executive function coachIf you've tried everything and nothing sticks, this episode will finally explain why—and give you a new playbook. RESOURCES MENTIONED Behavior Breakthrough Week: raisingadhd.org/breakthrough – Kickoff June 7th

  7. May 18

    The Best Daily Routine for a Child with ADHD (Summer Edition)

    Send us Fan Mail What's the best daily routine for a child with ADHD? Not a rigid schedule, but a flexible anchor system. Get the research-backed summer framework that actually works.  ___________________________________________________ School ends, and within 48 hours, your ADHD kid is dysregulated, bored, melting down, and you're wondering how you'll survive until August. Here's why: the school day has been doing invisible work for your child's brain all year. It offloads sequencing, time management, transitions, and task-switching. When summer hits, your child loses both the internal capacity AND the external support at the same time. But the fix isn't a color-coded hourly schedule you'll abandon by day three. It's building flexible anchors your child's brain can latch onto—without making you the full-time cruise director. In this episode, Apryl breaks down the Summer Anchor Framework and the three research-backed non-negotiables that protect your child's brain (and your sanity) all summer long. You'll learn: Why ADHD symptoms spike in summer—and what the research says about preventing itThe Summer Anchor Framework: structure without rigidityThe 3 non-negotiables every ADHD summer routine needs (backed by Harvard research)How to prevent the "summer slide" that consumes your child's entire fall semesterPractical ideas for the daily learning block that don't feel like schoolWhat Apryl's own summer schedule looks like (real-life, not Pinterest-perfect)If you've been dreading summer or white-knuckling your way through it, this episode gives you a framework you can actually stick with. RESOURCES MENTIONED Free resource: Behavior Breakthrough Week waitlist – raisingadhd.org/breakthroughPrevious episode: Managing ADHD Without MedicationSummer Bridge Workbooks Read-alouds: The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies, Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris GrabensteinPractical ideas for the learning block: Math gamesSummer Bridge workbooksReading (or captions-on movie watching)Sidewalk chalk math/shapesRead-alouds with chapter books

  8. May 4

    ADHD Executive Function in Real Life: Why Checklists Fail and the Scaffolding System That Actually Works

    Send us Fan Mail ADHD executive function is why your checklist isn't working. Learn how to become your child's GPS and scaffold the skills that actually get things done at home. ________________________________________________________________________ You made the checklist. You laminated it. You hung it on the fridge. Your child used it for two days. Now you're frustrated because they won't even look at it, and you're wondering if anything will ever work. Here's the problem: the checklist was never the issue. Your child's ADHD executive function was. And nobody taught you how to scaffold a tool into a skill. ADHD executive function is the brain's GPS. It's what gets your child from "time to get ready" to actually being ready. Your child has the car, the engine, and the ability to drive. What's missing is the navigation. And handing someone a map when their GPS is broken doesn't fix anything. It just gives them one more thing to forget. In this episode, Apryl shows you exactly what ADHD executive function looks like in real life (including a hilarious melatonin-and-ant-trap story), walks through her actual morning routine step by step, and teaches you the scaffolding system that builds your child's internal GPS over time. You'll learn: What ADHD executive function actually is and why it's the real reason things aren't getting doneThe GPS analogy: Why your child knows WHERE they want to go but can't navigate HOWWhy checklists add one more task to a brain already struggling with working memoryHow to become your child's GPS until their ADHD executive function catches upA real-life ADHD morning routine from start to finish (including the 40-minute breakfast that actually helps)The 3 layers of scaffolding: From full support to independenceHow to scaffold a checklist IF you want to use one (so it actually works)Why consistency builds ADHD executive function faster than any toolWhat to do when ADHD executive function skills slip backAfter this episode, you'll stop blaming the checklist and start building the scaffolding that makes ADHD executive function actually grow. RESOURCES MENTIONED Behavior Breakthrough Workshop Week – raisingadhd.org/breakthroughBlog post: How to Create a Morning Routine That Works for Your ADHD Child - https://raisingadhd.org/morning-routineFree ADHD Executive Function Quiz – raisingadhd.org/quiz

See All (41)

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Raising a child with ADHD can feel overwhelming—meltdowns, school struggles, medication decisions, and the constant fear you’re doing it wrong. Raising ADHD is the podcast for parents and teachers who want clarity, strategies, and real-life support. Hosted by Apryl Bradford, M.Ed. (former teacher and ADHD mom) and Dr. Brian Bradford, D.O. (Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist), this show cuts through the myths and misinformation about Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Together, Apryl and Dr. Bradford bring both lived experience and clinical expertise to help you: Understand what ADHD really is (and isn’t)Navigate school challenges and partner with teachersMake sense of medication options without the jargonSupport your child’s strengths while tackling everyday strugglesFeel less alone and more empowered on this journey Each week, you’ll hear practical tips, the latest insights from the field, and conversations that validate what you’re living through. Whether you’re dealing with emotional outbursts, executive function challenges, or the stigma that still surrounds ADHD, you’ll find real talk and real help here. If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Am I doing this right?”—this podcast is your answer.  Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical or psychiatric advice and should not replace professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider. Always seek the advice of your physician or other licensed professional with any questions you may have regarding your child’s health or behavior.

Information

You Might Also Like