Chaos & Caffeine - ADHD Parenting Podcast

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Ever notice how your ADHD kid can’t start homework alone—but magically focuses the second you sit nearby? Or how you suddenly become productive when someone else is in the room?
That’s not coincidence. That’s body doubling—and it’s one of the most powerful (and misunderstood) tools for ADHD brains.
In this episode of Chaos & Caffeine, I’m joined by Maria DelCorso, ADHD coach and founder of New Agenda Coaching, to break down what body doubling really is, why it works for both kids and adults with ADHD, and how ADHD parents can use it without micromanaging, nagging, or burning themselves out.
We talk about:
What body doubling is (and what it’s definitely not)
The neuroscience behind why ADHD brains regulate better with another person present
How body doubling supports executive function, emotional regulation, and task initiation
Practical ways to use body doubling with ADHD kids for homework, chores, and routines
Why body doubling isn’t “dependency”—it’s scaffolding success
How parents with ADHD can finally stop doing everything the hard way
If you’re parenting a child with ADHD—or realizing you might have ADHD yourself—this episode will change how you think about productivity, support, and success.
Because sometimes the solution isn’t another strategy… it’s not doing it alone.
Connect with Maria 👉 New Agenda Coaching
This Month's Sponsors:
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Hallowell Todaro ADHD & Behavioral Health Center 
A strength-based practice co-founded by Dr. Edward Hallowell that actually gets ADHD. They offer evaluations, therapy, coaching, medication management, and parent support that focuses on what’s strong about your kid, not just what’s hard.  
✨ Social Thinking 
Social learning that helps kids, teens, and adults understand the why behind social behavior, not just memorize a checklist of “correct” moves. Their tools, curricula, and resources teach social cognition, perspective-taking, flexible thinking, and real-world problem-solving.
📱 Talkspace 
Therapy that fits real life. With Talkspace, you can message or chat with a licensed therapist right from your phone, no face-to-face required. Perfect if you’re shy, anxious, overwhelmed, or just communicate better in writing. 
🎒 Miacademy 
An online learning platform that makes school feel less like a daily power struggle. With engaging videos, games, quizzes, and built-in rewards, Miacademy helps K-8 kids stay motivated while giving parents tools to track progress without hovering. 
🛒 Insight Family Market
A thoughtfully curated marketplace created by an educator and parent who actually gets neurodivergent families. Insight Family Market brings together sensory-friendly clothing, adaptive tools, educational supports, and wellness essentials that are chosen with real life in mind — not trends or quick fixes. 
Join Our Newsletter and Find All of Our Faves! 
📧 Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected].
Support the show

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What if medication wasn’t the first step—but one of many options?
In this episode of Chaos & Caffeine, I’m joined by Dr. Amber Brooks, a functional neurology expert who helps families understand what’s really happening beneath their child’s ADHD symptoms.
We talk about why so many parents hesitate to start medication, what steps families can take before going that route, and how a more natural, integrative approach can reduce chaos without adding pressure, guilt, or unrealistic expectations.
Dr. Brooks breaks down how nervous system regulation, brain function, and root-cause support can play a powerful role in helping ADHD kids feel calmer, more regulated, and better supported—at home and at school.
This episode is especially for parents who:
Want to explore ADHD support beyond medication
Feel overwhelmed by conflicting advice
Are trying to make thoughtful, informed decisions for their child
Need reassurance that there is no “right” or “wrong” path—only the one that fits their family
We also discuss how to know when it may be time to bring medication into the conversation—and why that choice doesn’t mean you failed or gave up.
If you’re craving clarity, calm, and a plan that actually respects your child’s brain, this conversation is for you.
Connect with Dr. Brooks 👉 Healing Roots Pediatrics
This Month's Sponsors:
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Hallowell Todaro ADHD & Behavioral Health Center 
A strength-based practice co-founded by Dr. Edward Hallowell that actually gets ADHD. They offer evaluations, therapy, coaching, medication management, and parent support that focuses on what’s strong about your kid, not just what’s hard.  
✨ Social Thinking 
Social learning that helps kids, teens, and adults understand the why behind social behavior, not just memorize a checklist of “correct” moves. Their tools, curricula, and resources teach social cognition, perspective-taking, flexible thinking, and real-world problem-solving.
📱 Talkspace 
Therapy that fits real life. With Talkspace, you can message or chat with a licensed therapist right from your phone, no face-to-face required. Perfect if you’re shy, anxious, overwhelmed, or just communicate better in writing. 
🎒 Miacademy 
An online learning platform that makes school feel less like a daily power struggle. With engaging videos, games, quizzes, and built-in rewards, Miacademy helps K-8 kids stay motivated while giving parents tools to track progress without hovering. 
🛒 Insight Family Market
A thoughtfully curated marketplace created by an educator and parent who actually gets neurodivergent families. Insight Family Market brings together sensory-friendly clothing, adaptive tools, educational supports, and wellness essentials that are chosen with real life in mind — not trends or quick fixes. 
Join Our Newsletter and Find All of Our Faves! 
📧 Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected].
Support the show

Join Our Newsletter and Find All of Our Faves! 
What happens when your child is diagnosed with ADHD… and suddenly everything about your own life starts making sense?
In this episode of Chaos & Caffeine, I’m joined by Tracy Otsuka, ADHD coach, podcast host, and fellow late-diagnosed ADHD mom, for a conversation that so many parents don’t even realize they’re about to have.
We talk about:
Discovering your own ADHD after your child’s diagnosis
Why so many moms—especially high-achieving, high-masking women—are diagnosed last
The grief, relief, rage, and validation that come with a late ADHD diagnosis
Letting go of shame, perfectionism, and “why can’t I just handle this?”
And the reminder every overwhelmed ADHD parent needs to hear: it’s all going to work out
This episode is for the parent who:
Was “fine” until their kid was diagnosed
Suddenly sees their childhood, burnout, anxiety, and coping strategies in a whole new light
Is trying to parent an ADHD child while re-parenting themselves
Whether you’re newly diagnosed, self-identified, or quietly wondering if ADHD has been the missing piece all along—this conversation will make you feel seen, steadied, and hopeful.
Grab your coffee. Take a breath. You didn’t miss the boat. You’re right on time.
Connect with Tracy 👉 Tracy Otsuka
This Month's Sponsors:
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Hallowell Todaro ADHD & Behavioral Health Center 
A strength-based practice co-founded by Dr. Edward Hallowell that actually gets ADHD. They offer evaluations, therapy, coaching, medication management, and parent support that focuses on what’s strong about your kid, not just what’s hard.  
✨ Social Thinking 
Social learning that helps kids, teens, and adults understand the why behind social behavior, not just memorize a checklist of “correct” moves. Their tools, curricula, and resources teach social cognition, perspective-taking, flexible thinking, and real-world problem-solving.
📱 Talkspace 
Therapy that fits real life. With Talkspace, you can message or chat with a licensed therapist right from your phone, no face-to-face required. Perfect if you’re shy, anxious, overwhelmed, or just communicate better in writing. 
🎒 Miacademy 
An online learning platform that makes school feel less like a daily power struggle. With engaging videos, games, quizzes, and built-in rewards, Miacademy helps K-8 kids stay motivated while giving parents tools to track progress without hovering. 
Join Our Newsletter and Find All of Our Faves! 
📧 Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected].
Support the show

Join Our Newsletter and Find All of Our Faves!
What if the missing piece in ADHD parenting isn’t more structure, stricter consequences, or better behavior charts—but permission?
In this powerful, grounding conversation, I’m joined by ADHD-informed parent coach and educator Dana Crews to talk about what it really means to see ADHD in full permission—for our kids and ourselves.
Inspired by Dana’s work with CHADD, this episode explores how permission-based ADHD care helps parents move out of constant crisis mode and into something far more sustainable: connection, regulation, and trust.
We unpack:
 – Why control-based parenting often increases meltdowns and power struggles in ADHD kids
 – The difference between permissive parenting and permission-based care
 – How nervous system regulation—not compliance—is the foundation of effective ADHD support
 – What “letting go” actually looks like without sacrificing boundaries
This episode is part of the New Year, Less Chaos campaign—a series designed to help ADHD families reduce overwhelm, lower stress, and build rhythms that actually work in real life.
If you’re parenting a child with ADHD and feel exhausted by advice that sounds good but collapses under pressure, this conversation will feel like a deep exhale. 🎧
Connect with Dana 👉 Second Arrow Coaching 
This Month's Sponsors:
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Hallowell Todaro ADHD & Behavioral Health Center 
A strength-based practice co-founded by Dr. Edward Hallowell that actually gets ADHD. They offer evaluations, therapy, coaching, medication management, and parent support that focuses on what’s strong about your kid, not just what’s hard.  
✨ Social Thinking 
Social learning that helps kids, teens, and adults understand the why behind social behavior, not just memorize a checklist of “correct” moves. Their tools, curricula, and resources teach social cognition, perspective-taking, flexible thinking, and real-world problem-solving.
📱 Talkspace 
Therapy that fits real life. With Talkspace, you can message or chat with a licensed therapist right from your phone, no face-to-face required. Perfect if you’re shy, anxious, overwhelmed, or just communicate better in writing. 
🎒 Miacademy 
An online learning platform that makes school feel less like a daily power struggle. With engaging videos, games, quizzes, and built-in rewards, Miacademy helps K-8 kids stay motivated while giving parents tools to track progress without hovering. 
Join Our Newsletter and Find All of Our Faves! 
📧 Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected].
Support the show

Join Our Newsletter and Find All of Our Faves!
If your ADHD household completely unraveled after the holidays, school breaks, or time off, this episode is for you.
In this kickoff episode of the New Year, Less Chaos series, ADHD educator and parent coach Peggy Gomula joins Chaos & Caffeine to break down why ADHD routines fall apart after breaks and how parents can reset without punishment, power struggles, or burnout.
Peggy’s approach to ADHD parenting is refreshingly different. Instead of focusing on compliance and correction, she teaches families how to lead with connection over correction, understand how ADHD brains actually work, and rebuild routines in a way that sticks — not just in January, but all year long.
In this episode, we cover:
Why transitions and breaks are especially hard for ADHD kids
How to reset routines after holidays, school breaks, and chaotic weeks
What “connection over correction” actually looks like in real life
Practical, ADHD-friendly strategies that work beyond the New Year
These strategies aren’t about perfection. They’re about understanding, flexibility, and creating systems that support ADHD brains even when life interrupts your routines (because it always does).
If you’re an ADHD parent looking for realistic tools, science-backed insight, and zero shame, this episode will help you start your year — or your reset — with more confidence and less chaos. 🎧 
This Month's Sponsors:
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Hallowell Todaro ADHD & Behavioral Health Center 
A strength-based practice co-founded by Dr. Edward Hallowell that actually gets ADHD. They offer evaluations, therapy, coaching, medication management, and parent support that focuses on what’s strong about your kid, not just what’s hard.  If you’re done with shame-based care and ready for science-backed, human-first support for neurodivergent families, head to hallowelltodaro.com. Because ADHD doesn’t need fixing, it needs understanding and the right tools.
✨ Social Thinking 
Social learning that helps kids, teens, and adults understand the why behind social behavior, not just memorize a checklist of “correct” moves. Their tools, curricula, and resources teach social cognition, perspective-taking, flexible thinking, and real-world problem-solving, so your neurodivergent kiddo can navigate friendships, conversations, and social stress with more awareness and less guessing. If you want practical frameworks and language to help your child think socially (not just act like they’re supposed to), check out socialthinking.com.
📱 Talkspace 
Therapy that fits real life. With Talkspace, you can message or chat with a licensed therapist right from your phone, no face-to-face required. Perfect if you’re shy, anxious, overwhelmed, or just communicate better in writing. No waiting rooms. No pressure to perform. Just support that meets you where you are. Visit talkspace.com to start therapy on your terms, because help shouldn’t feel harder than the problem.
Join Our Newsletter and Find All of Our Faves! 
📧 Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Email us at [email protected].
Support the show