Parenting with Impact

Elaine Taylor-Klaus and Diane Dempster
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The Parenting with Impact Podcast with Elaine Taylor-Klaus and Diane Dempster, co-creators of ImpactParents.com, inspires parents and professionals guiding complex kids, teens and young adults all over the world to become capable, independent adults. ImpactParents.com is an online community, award-winning blog, and direct service provider for parents and professionals. Elaine and Diane are certified professional coaches with their own lived experience raising children with complex challenges such as ADHD, anxiety, depression, learning disabilities, gender identity issues, and more. Drawing from both personal and professional experience, they teach and inspire parents and professionals to raise and empower complex kids with confidence and calm. Scroll down for links and to download a free parenting guide. The Parenting with Impact Podcast will:Feature leading experts, bringing you cutting edge information to address your child’s challengesTeach you real-life, practical strategies for creating lasting changeDemonstrate how a coach-approach can improve all of your communications, one conversation at a time For the essentials of ImpactParent's coach-approach to parenting, download a free parenting guide at: ImpactParents.com/Podcast Find out about Sanity School®, a program for Parents, at: https://impactparents.com/programs-offerings/parent-training-sanity-school/ For information about professional continuing education: https://impactparents.com/for-professionals/  Visit Impact Parents at: https://impactparents.com/

  1. 1d ago

    EP287 After the Diagnosis: Raising a Neurodivergent Child

    When your child gets a diagnosis, the next question for most parents comes fast: now what? Author, professor, and adoptive mom Nefertiti Austin joins Elaine Taylor-Klaus to talk about raising her spirited, neurodivergent daughter. They cover the "pinball of parenting," the expectations that didn't work out, and the moment she stopped trying to squeeze her kid into a box she'd never fit and started encouraging the person she was. They also get honest about adoptive parenting and what happens at school when race is added to neurodivergence. If you're wondering what comes after diagnosis—or if diagnosis wasn’t the fix you’d hoped it would be—this one's for you. What to expect in this episode: A diagnosis is a starting point, not an endpoint. The real work begins with the question "now what?"Therapies and tools can help, but expecting them to change everything in a few months sets everyone up for failure. at your child's pace, and asking them directly "is this working for you?" builds progress that lasts.When adults insist a child fit into a box they'll never fit, both parent and child get hurt. Trusting your instincts and following your child's lead can change everything.Kids of colour with brain differences are often labeled negatively before anyone considers an assessment, so parents and educators need to give every child the benefit of the doubt. About Nefertiti Austin Nefertiti Austin is an adjunct professor of History and African American Studies, a speaker, and the author of two books exploring race, motherhood, and neurodiversity. Her newest book, She's Just Spirited, offers a lens into parenting a neurodiverse girl — navigating schools, therapists, and the emotional terrain of raising a child whose spirit is worth protecting at every turn. Connect with Impact Parents: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactparentsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ImpactParentsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/impactparents

    EP287 After the Diagnosis: Raising a Neurodivergent Child

  2. Sep 30

    EP286 New ADHD Diagnosis? What We Wish We'd Known Sooner

    Something's going on with your kid. Maybe you have a diagnosis, maybe you don't, but it feels like someone should be able to help you make it all easier. In this episode of Parenting with Impact, Elaine and Diane look back at what they wish they'd known when they started parenting their own neurodivergent kids: how it’s a long game, how you'll end up as the expert in your child, and why it’s so important for relationship to come first. If you're at the start of your ADHD parenting journey (or wish you could start over), hit play—then pass it along to a parent who needs it. What to expect in this episode: You'll learn why an ADHD diagnosis is the start of a long-term journey, and why setting that expectation early reduces overwhelm.You'll hear why parents have to become the expert in their own child, and how that helps you educate and advocate with schools and providers.You'll see why how you show up (calm or escalating) shapes your child's experience more than any single strategy.You'll get a practical approach to deciding whether and how to tell your child about their diagnosis.You'll learn why kids thrive when parents believe they're going to be okay, and why the relationship is the foundation of everything else. Download free guide: Top 12 Tips To Help Your Complex Kids Connect with Impact Parents: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactparentsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ImpactParentsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/impactparents

    EP286 New ADHD Diagnosis? What We Wish We'd Known Sooner

  3. Sep 23

    EP285 Parenting a Young Adult With ADHD: A Real Success Story

    When it comes to parenting a complex kid, the change you've been working towards often shows up over years, not overnight. In this week’s episode, Elaine and Diane sit down with longtime ImpactParents member Andrea Osborne for a success story about parenting her ADHD daughter from the diagnosis she received after middle school through her big leap into college. Andrea gets real about letting go, grieving the kid she thought she'd have, and learning to lead with acknowledgment instead of correction. If you've ever wondered how things can feel like a mess and like you’re making real progress at the same time, this one's for you. Give it a listen. What to expect in this episode: Andrea Osborne shares how her ADHD diagnosis journey with her daughter began after a difficult middle school experience and evolved through high school, the pandemic, and the transition to college.Listeners will hear a practical reframe for staying connected to a young adult child: giving them room to lead while remaining close enough to offer support when it's needed.The episode offers a clear example of leading with acknowledgment before correction, and why that shift changes the tone of a parent-child relationship.Andrea describes the process of grieving the child she expected in order to make room to fully embrace the child she has, a theme she and the hosts return to throughout the conversation.The conversation shows how caregiving for a parent with dementia and parenting a child with ADHD can draw on the same coaching tools and the same core skill: letting go of what you can't control. Download free guide: Top 12 Tips To Help Your Complex Kids Connect with ImpactParents:  InstagramFacebookLinkedInSubstack

    EP285 Parenting a Young Adult With ADHD: A Real Success Story

  4. Sep 16

    EP284 Why Neuroinformed Workplaces Keep Their Best People

    Ever notice your team runs smoother than your household, or vice versa? Elaine sits down with her husband and colleague David Taylor Klaus (DTK Coaching) to unpack how parenting and leadership draw on the same skills and why understanding neurodiversity at work isn't just kind — it's good business. They dig into masking, quiet quitting, retention, and why "all boats rise" when workplaces are designed for how brains actually work. If you've ever wondered how the coach-approach you use at home could change your team at work, this one's for you. Listen now, and find out how to bring a neuroinformed approach to your workplace. What to expect in this episode: How neurodiversity shows up the same way at home, at work, at school, and in clinics — and why that matters for parentsHow masking damages people emotionally and physically, and what "quiet leaving" looks like in practiceWhy onboarding is one of the most underused tools for supporting neurodivergent employees and family members alikeThe idea that designing for neurodivergence benefits everyone — "all boats rise"How the same communication and trust-building skills that work at home can transform a team, and vice versa About David Taylor-Klaus  is a Master Certified Coach, speaker, and author on a mission to unearth and unleash the personal mastery of entrepreneurs and senior executives. Since 2008, DTK has empowered his tribe to take an active, intentional, and dynamic role in their development and create the kind of life rhythm that enables them to build profitable businesses, raise thriving families, and live wildly fulfilling lives. His best-selling new book “Mindset Mondays with DTK: 52 Ways to REWIRE Your Thinking and Transform Your Life" is available on Amazon. Connect with Impact Parents: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactparentsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ImpactParentsLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/impactparents

    EP284 Why Neuroinformed Workplaces Keep Their Best People

  5. Sep 9

    EP 283 Why It Takes 17 Years for Research to Reach Your Kid's Doctor

    Ever leave a doctor or therapist appointment thinking, "They were smart and kind — and still had no idea what to do to help my kid"? Elaine Taylor-Klaus and Diane Dempster explain why that happens: it takes an average of 17 years for research to make it into everyday practice, and many professionals working with neurodivergent kids simply haven't received the training yet. In this episode, they unpack the shift from a "diagnose and treat" model to an "identify and support" approach, and introduce the NeuroInformed Institute — a new training pathway for parents and professionals alike. Tune in for a clear-eyed look at why you're often ahead of the curve, and what you can do with that. What to expect in this episode: Why an average 17-year research-to-practice gap can leave parents feeling unsupported by professionalsHow the diagnostic understanding of ADHD and autism has evolved — and where it still falls shortThe shift from "diagnose and treat" to "identify and support"Why coaches and parents are often ahead of clinical trainingWhat the NeuroInformed Institute offers professionals and parents Download free guide: Top 12 Tips To Help Your Complex Kids Connect with ImpactParents:  InstagramFacebookLinkedInSubstack

    EP 283 Why It Takes 17 Years for Research to Reach Your Kid's Doctor

  6. Sep 2

    EP282 How to Reconnect With a Disconnected Kid (Part 3)

    Reconnecting with a kid who's pulled away doesn't have to happen all at once. Elaine and Diane wrap their three-part series on relationship repair by focusing on small, doable steps — texts that don't ask for a reply, sharing popcorn on the couch, asking permission before offering advice. They talk about why their sense of safety (not your good intentions) is what determines whether your kid lets you back in, and how the phrase "up until now" can free you from the guilt spiral so you can actually get started. If you're rebuilding trust with your neurodivergent kid, this series is your roadmap. Catch up on parts one and two if you haven't yet, and let us know: what's one small reconnection move you're going to try this week? What to expect in this episode: Why small, everyday gestures — not big talks — are the best starting point for reconnecting with a disconnected kidThe "up until now" reframe and how it helps parents let go of guilt and blame so they can move forwardWhy their feeling of safety, not your good intentions, determines whether your kid lets you back inHow asking permission before offering advice restores a kid's sense of agencyThe four phases of parenting (director, collaborator, supporter, champion) and why so many parents get stuck in director mode Download free guide: Top 12 Tips To Help Your Complex Kids Connect with ImpactParents:  InstagramFacebookLinkedInSubstack

    EP282 How to Reconnect With a Disconnected Kid (Part 3)

  7. Aug 26

    EP281 When Your Teen Pulls Away: Rebuilding Trust After Conflict

    Does it feel like your kid is pulling away? Always closing their door, avoiding you, or talking to you only when they have to? For neurodiverse families, this shift often comes from normal development colliding with an already taxed parent-child relationship. In this episode, Elaine and Diane dig into where that disconnect happens and what actually works to rebuild trust and connection with your kid. They unpack the shift from "I'm afraid for you" to "I believe in you," and why that one mindset change can transform your dynamic. If you've been feeling shut out, this is your on-ramp back in. What to expect in this episode: Why a teenager pulling away and closing their door is often a normal part of development, not necessarily a red flagHow the parent's role as "director" can create a second layer of disconnection on top of natural individuationA reframe of "trust" as a felt sense of safety and comfort, not just honesty or truth-tellingA practical mindset shift — "I believe in you" instead of "I'm afraid for you" — and why it changes how our kids experience usWhy creating space for an uncertain (but very possible) positive future can help you calm enough to make reconnection possible Download free guide: Top 12 Tips To Help Your Complex Kids Connect with ImpactParents:  InstagramFacebookLinkedInSubstack

    EP281 When Your Teen Pulls Away: Rebuilding Trust After Conflict

  8. Aug 19

    EP280 SODA: The Four Ways Parents Get Reactive (And How to Recognize Them)

    Ever feel like you're spiraling? If it seems like nothing you try is working and you're somehow driving your kid further away, you're not alone—and it's not just about your kid. In this episode, Elaine and Diane dig into the parent experience—the overwhelm, frustration, guilt, and worry that show up when we're raising complex kids, and why noticing our own reactivity (hello, SODA: shut down, offense, defense, avoid) is the first step to showing up differently. If you've ever wondered why you react the way you do, this one's for you. Hit play. What to expect in this episode: Why the parent experience—not the kid's—is often the missing piecAn introduction to SODA: the four common reactive patterns (Shut down, Offense, Defense, Avoid) and how to spot yoursThe difference between being "aware," "alert," and "alarmed,” and why many parents live in alert without realizing itWhy uncertainty, even more than the actual problem, is often what makes parents feel unsafeA reminder that feeling alone in this struggle is a signal worth paying attention to, not a truth about your situation Download free guide: Top 12 Tips To Help Your Complex Kids Connect with ImpactParents:  InstagramFacebookLinkedInSubstack

    EP280 SODA: The Four Ways Parents Get Reactive (And How to Recognize Them)
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About

The Parenting with Impact Podcast with Elaine Taylor-Klaus and Diane Dempster, co-creators of ImpactParents.com, inspires parents and professionals guiding complex kids, teens and young adults all over the world to become capable, independent adults. ImpactParents.com is an online community, award-winning blog, and direct service provider for parents and professionals. Elaine and Diane are certified professional coaches with their own lived experience raising children with complex challenges such as ADHD, anxiety, depression, learning disabilities, gender identity issues, and more. Drawing from both personal and professional experience, they teach and inspire parents and professionals to raise and empower complex kids with confidence and calm. Scroll down for links and to download a free parenting guide. The Parenting with Impact Podcast will:Feature leading experts, bringing you cutting edge information to address your child’s challengesTeach you real-life, practical strategies for creating lasting changeDemonstrate how a coach-approach can improve all of your communications, one conversation at a time For the essentials of ImpactParent's coach-approach to parenting, download a free parenting guide at: ImpactParents.com/Podcast Find out about Sanity School®, a program for Parents, at: https://impactparents.com/programs-offerings/parent-training-sanity-school/ For information about professional continuing education: https://impactparents.com/for-professionals/  Visit Impact Parents at: https://impactparents.com/

Information

  • Creator
    Elaine Taylor-Klaus and Diane Dempster
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    323
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Parenting with Impact
  • Show Website
    Parenting with Impact

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