Atypical Kids, Mindful Parents Blog

My kid is already looking a little bit like a vampire frog after just 2 days of spring break. Yeah, he’s been on his iPad way more than I think is healthy, and that’s bringing up all the guilt, and also the dread… because I know this much ROBLOX disregulates him. This much dopamine-rich screen time would disregulate ANYONE. Yesterday I was working, so I couldn’t really help it. I cut myself slack, especially since there was another parent at home who COULD have taken him out for a walk.

But instead of taking care of yourself mentally, emotionally, and physically... You’re bogged down with everyone else’s needs. Your body hurts and your energy is depleted. You know you’re headed for burnout, but you can’t seem to motivate yourself. The people we care about will always have needs. There will always be something urgent pulling on our attention. And we still have to take care of ourselves. If not for us, for them.

This is the kind of support I wish I had when Ocean was younger. I’m grateful to have it now, and a community of parents I can lean into, who get it. If you want that, this is truly your last call. We start today at noon EST. JOIN

less ignoring and more connection If your kid doesn't respond unless you're yelling, and you've tried punishments and consequences but nothing seems to change, please join me and Amy Weber LCSW for a small group coaching program just for parents raising neurodivergent kids. When you join and do the work, you’ll create less yelling and more connection in your neurodiverse family. Maybe not every time, but more often. You tried treating your kid the way you were raised, and that flopped.

I feel like confetti should pop out of your device right now! I'm so excited about From Conflict to Cooperation, in collaboration with Amy Weber, LCSW, that kicks off tomorrow! But is it for everyone? No. Would investing in our parent coaching program cause you financial hardship? Can you never make the live coaching calls on Fridays at noon EST? Do you see other parents of neurodivergent kids as strangers? Then you won't feel comfortable sharing.

We parents don’t have all the answers. When your kid is stuck, unmotivated, or overwhelmed, it’s hard to think straight. I understand how frustrating that can be, and how hard it is to keep calm when you aren’t sure how to help. We just want to DO SOMETHING to fix it! If you aren’t able to raise your kid as you were raised, because it just hasn’t worked, you may feel powerless as a parent. That’s understandable. You don’t want to yell and intimidate, but you’re at a loss.

Have you read my friend Amy Weber’s article on motivation yet? Here’s quick tip from it that you can try right away: Regulated and connected kids do well: ”Before giving a direction, sit next to your kid and chat for 10 minutes. Show genuine interest in whatever they’re doing. It can make the transition from fun activity to a hard/boring activity a little easier.” -Amy Weber Amy is a licensed clinical social worker in Brooklyn, New York, and co-founder of Speak, Learn, and Play.

Register Now Do any of these sound familiar? “My 3-year-old won’t do anything that I ask them!” “My 7-year-old won’t do any homework or chores!” “My teen doesn’t take their grades seriously!  They just don’t care about their future!” If you want answers, read Amy Weber’s new blog: Motivation:  What Is It, Why Doesn’t My Neurodivergent Kid Have It, and What Can We Do? “Some days we might have more internal motivation because we’re excited about what we’re working on.

We can’t let our kids get away with it… or CAN we? Here’s a mindfulness practice and a parenting script to help you stop walking on eggshells and start leading by example. Join us for Unstuck & Understood: How to use connection to motivate your neurodivergent kid. Don’t miss the invite below! Sure, behavior is communication, but if your kid is saying something inappropriate, or acting rude, something must be done, right? We can’t just let them get away with bad behavior, can we?

Do you have a love hangover? Sometimes I hear Hallmark platitudes disguised as meditation and it pisses me off. It feels unrealistic for many parents who are struggling with real systemic inequity, and it can be alienating. That’s not what meditation is about. Even mettā meditation, which is a practice of giving ourselves loving kindness and then extending it out, is not supposed to be sappy or unattainable. You don’t need to be calm before you begin, because you are already ready, just as you are.