December 16, 2025
December 9, 2025
It’s December, which means every channel is airing ads depicting families reconnecting, friends embracing, and strangers sharing joyful interaction. But what happens if our own experiences don’t match the scenes being thrown at us? What if the noise of holiday celebration is distressing to our neurodivergent children? Or the idea of parties – even among our closest people – stir up anxiety rather than pleasure?
If we approach the holiday season thoughtfully, with appreciation for our kids’ different needs, we can enjoy this time of year and help our family and friends do so, as well. Read on for tips to help prepare children of all ages, extended family, and yourselves for a season focused on patience, acceptance, and hopefully a little fun.
November 18, 2025
This past week I had the pleasure of joining a multitude of ADHD coaches, therapists, educators, and doctors, as well as individuals who have ADHD and/or care for people with ADHD, at the 2025 ADHD International Convention in Kansas City, MO. I left the three-day event with respect for those among us who process the world differently and a renewed commitment to supporting parents who are raising neurodivergent children.
As I listened to speakers, participated in workshops, and met creative, empathic practitioners and parents, I was both validated by experiences from my own family journey and introduced to new perspectives and avenues to support this community.
November 4, 2025
When one of my sons was a preteen, we met with the director of a weekend program to see if he would match with the group. This meeting took place around the same time the world was debating whether vaccines caused autism, and my son surprised me by raising the topic. He told the program director he was offended by the conjecture that vaccines induce autism for two reasons. First, as a scientist, he was bothered that people confused causation and correlation. Second, as an autistic person, he was hurt that some parents would choose to risk their children contracting a potentially deadly disease like measles over ending up like him.
October 28, 2025
Parents, can you relate:
It’s homework time. The clock is ticking, and your child is stuck. They don’t know how to complete an assignment (or study for a test or apply for a job). You want to help, so – with the best intentions – you offer suggestions, reminders, and little nuggets of wisdom, all meant to provide support for your struggling child. But rather than delivering relief and momentum, your efforts yield only anger, resentment, and obstinate refusals.
October 21, 2025
In 2007, my sons and I were featured in a television news segment about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and its genetic link. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) had just published a “Science Update” regarding a gene variant found in ADHD teens, and a news outlet thought a family with four ADHD sons would put a human face on the report that emphasized ADHD’s hereditability.
We all thought the report was pretty funny: My husband has ADHD and all of his sons have been diagnosed with ADHD. We had little doubt that genetics was at play in our family.
If you’re a parent with ADHD, read on for some simple systems all parents – especially those with ADHD -- can implement for easy and effective parenting.
September 30, 2025
My husband and I have been married for 32 years. We have raised four sons. All four of our sons fall under that great big umbrella called “neurodiversity,” so we have seen our fair share of discord! The key isn’t that we always agree on how to deal with challenges, but rather that we are able to navigate our own differences of opinion with respect and care.
Unfortunately for one of our sons, we learned the hard way what happens to our children when parents aren’t able to work collaboratively to address a child’s problem.
If your family is struggling because mom and dad have drastically different opinions about how to nurture your neurodiverse children, read on for important tips to help you bridge the gap and support your children along the way.
August 20, 2025
Raising four sons, I have been through a lot of “first days of school” — 68, if you can imagine that. For my neurodiverse kids, transition can be especially challenging, which meant the first Tuesday after Labor Day carried particular weight in our home. All those new beginnings have brought with them some important learning moments. The most important lesson, one that rang true every single year: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” It may sound intense, but Benjamin Franklin was a wizard of wisdom.
August 5, 2025
When my boys were young, we were lucky to enjoy family vacations, creating memories that have grown with us over the years. And yet, vacationing with our neurodiverse kids took planning and thoughtful deliberation. We needed to consider our boys’ emotional comfort as much as any desire for new adventures, exotic locales, or squeezing every minute out of our itineraries.
It took some time, but we found great ways to maximize the fun and minimize the anxiety. Read on for suggestions that may help as you plan a late summer getaway of your own.