Autistic and ADHD Kids Parenting Strategies: Every Brain is Different

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

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/annettbone
www.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

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

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

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