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Parenting with Impact

Parenting with Impact

Elaine Taylor-Klaus and Diane Dempster 312 Episodes Aug 19, 2026

Elaine Taylor-Klaus and Diane Dempster, co-creators of ImpactParents.com, host this podcast for parents and professionals guiding complex kids, teens, and young adults. They draw from personal and professional experience raising children with challenges like ADHD, anxiety, and depression. The show features leading experts and offers practical strategies for lasting change, emphasizing a coach-approach to parenting. Listeners can expect real-life tools to empower their children to become capable, independent adults.

Episodes

EP280 SODA: The Four Ways Parents Get Reactive (And How to Recognize Them)
EP280 SODA: The Four Ways Parents Get Reactive (And How to Recognize Them) Aug 19, 2026 1363 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 (hell
EP279 Why Won't My ADHD Kid Just Start? A New Theory of Motivation
EP279 Why Won't My ADHD Kid Just Start? A New Theory of Motivation Aug 12, 2026 1969 Ever look at your ADHD kid and think, "I know they want to do well — so why can't they just get started?" This week, cognitive engineer and ADHD coach Jeff Copper joins Elaine to break down a completely new way of understanding motivation and executive function. You'll learn why "unmotivated" is almost always the wrong word, why extra time isn't the accommodation
EP278 High-Conflict Divorce to Co-Parenting Peace: A Real Success Story
EP278 High-Conflict Divorce to Co-Parenting Peace: A Real Success Story Aug 5, 2026 2281 High-conflict divorce can feel like a life sentence — especially when you're fighting over your child's health and well-being, and neither parent will budge. In this episode, Elaine sits down with Alanah, an attorney and civil rights advocate, who shares how she transformed a near-litigation co-parenting nightmare into a working relationship built on mutual respect and collaboration. Ala
EP277 Why Systems Fail—And What Actually Works for Complex Kids
EP277 Why Systems Fail—And What Actually Works for Complex Kids Jul 29, 2026 1603 You’ve tried the systems recommended for helping complex kids—reward charts, planners, new morning routines—and they’re just not sticking for your kid. It isn’t that you’re using bad systems, it's that often we’re starting with the solution before we understand the problem. In this episode, Elaine and Diane unpack why systems and structures are the last piece of the parenting puzzle, not the
EP276: Shifting Expectations for Complex Kids: How to Meet Them Where They Are
EP276: Shifting Expectations for Complex Kids: How to Meet Them Where They Are Jul 22, 2026 1398 Are you holding your complex kid to expectations that weren't built for their brain? In this episode, Elaine Taylor-Klaus and Diane Dempster dig into one of the most misunderstood concepts in parenting neurodiverse kids: shifting expectations—not lowering or eliminating them. You'll learn why the gap between expectation and reality is the root of most conflicts, the reasons why your comp
EP275: Positivity and Communication: The Second Cornerstone of Parenting Complex Kids
EP275: Positivity and Communication: The Second Cornerstone of Parenting Complex Kids Jul 15, 2026 1433 Being nice and being positive aren't the same thing—and if you're parenting a complex kid, that distinction matters. In this episode, Elaine Taylor-Klaus and Diane Dempster dig into the second Sanity School® cornerstone: positivity and communication. They cover why resilience more than intelligence influences success, what the "independence pyramid" is built on, and how the way
EP274: How to Activate Your ADHD Child's Brain: Executive Function, Emotions & Motivation
EP274: How to Activate Your ADHD Child's Brain: Executive Function, Emotions & Motivation Jul 8, 2026 1517 Your brilliant kid can't get out the door in the morning, falls apart over homework, and goes from fine to completely overwhelmed in seconds. You want to help them out, but it feels like you've tried everything and nothing sticks. In this episode of Parenting with Impact, Elaine Taylor-Klaus and Diane Dempster break down what's actually happening in your child's brain, and why
EP273: Parenting Ahead of the Problem with Dr. Ross Greene
EP273: Parenting Ahead of the Problem with Dr. Ross Greene Jul 1, 2026 1773 When rewards, punishments, and consequences aren’t working, it may be time to ask new questions. In this episode, Dr. Ross Greene explains why challenging behavior isn’t usually a sign of defiance or poor motivation, but a signal that a child is struggling with expectations they cannot yet meet. He introduces the Collaborative and Proactive Solutions mode and explains how shifting from behavior ma
EP272: How To Build the School Support Kids with ADHD Need to Thrive with Jenny Drennan
EP272: How To Build the School Support Kids with ADHD Need to Thrive with Jenny Drennan Jun 24, 2026 2067 Getting your child through school should not feel like navigating a maze, but for many parents, it does. When learning differences, executive function challenges, or other school struggles are a factor, it can be hard to know which supports will actually work and how to find ones that will be a good fit. In this episode, educational therapist Jenny Drennan unpacks the differences among tutors, coa
EP271: Late Diagnosed ADHD in Women: When Life Finally Makes Sense with Liz Lewis
EP271: Late Diagnosed ADHD in Women: When Life Finally Makes Sense with Liz Lewis Jun 17, 2026 2053 What happens when years of overwhelm, self-doubt, and burnout finally start to make sense? For many women, ADHD goes undiagnosed for decades, leaving them navigating impossible expectations and blaming themselves for struggles they never understood. In this episode, Liz Lewis explores how a late diagnosis can change how you see your past, your relationships, and yourself, while reminding us that A
EP270: How To Help Young Adults with ADHD Find the Right Support with Dr. Zachary Gershon
EP270: How To Help Young Adults with ADHD Find the Right Support with Dr. Zachary Gershon Jun 10, 2026 2054 Wanting to support your growing ADHD kid and knowing how to support them are often two very different things. As teens and young adults push for independence, even well-meaning advice can feel controlling, creating more resistance and disconnection. In this episode, Dr. Zach Gershon explains why peer support and community can be life-changing for young adults with ADHD, and how parents can shift f
EP269: What do PDA & ODD Have to Do with the Nervous System? - Rabbi Shoshana
EP269: What do PDA & ODD Have to Do with the Nervous System? - Rabbi Shoshana Jun 3, 2026 1815 What if behaviors that look defiant are actually signs of a nervous system under threat? In this episode, Rabbi Shoshana unpacks PDA, also known as Pathological Demand Avoidance or Pervasive Drive for Autonomy, and explains how nervous system sensitivity, autonomy, and co-regulation shape behavior in neurodivergent kids. She explores why traditional approaches often fail, how aspects of modern lif

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