Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence!
Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence is a parenting podcast for caregivers raising children with ADHD and learning differences. Hosted by educational therapist and ADHD coach Jenny Drennan, it offers evidence-based strategies, expert interviews, and practical tools. Episodes focus on reducing power struggles, supporting emotional regulation, strengthening executive function, and building calmer, more connected relationships. The show translates ADHD research into clear, compassionate, actionable guidance for real life.
Episodes
10 Ways to Fight Homework Boredom for Kids with ADHD
Does homework seem to become a battle before your child even gets started?
For students with ADHD, boredom can be a major barrier to starting and completing homework. Tasks that feel repetitive, unclear, overwhelming, or uninteresting can be especially difficult for an ADHD brain to engage with.
And what looks like a lack of motivation may actually be something more complicated.
Your child may not
How Family Rituals Help ADHD Kids Feel Connected, Secure, and Supported
Life gets busy.
Between school, homework, work schedules, activities, appointments, transportation, social media, and everything else competing for our attention, families can spend a lot of time together without actually having many opportunities to connect.
And during the preteen and teen years, parents may feel that connection changing even more as friends and independence become increasingly i
How Parent Involvement Can Help Your ADHD Child Thrive at School
As parents, we have a powerful influence on how our children experience school and learning—even as they get older and become more independent.
In this episode of Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence!, Jenny talks about why parent involvement still matters for children with ADHD and other neurodivergent learners, and how to stay connected without taking over.
Parent involvement isn’t about monit
IEP Advocacy: When Parents Should Bring in a Special Education Advocate or Attorney with Richard Isaacs
Navigating an IEP can feel overwhelming—especially when you’re not sure whether your child is actually getting the support they need.
When should you bring in a special education advocate?
When might you need an attorney?
And does bringing outside support into an IEP meeting automatically make things adversarial?
In this episode of Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence!, Jenny talks with Richard
Why Your Teen With ADHD “Doesn’t Care” About School—and What Actually Builds Motivation
Does your teen with ADHD seem like they simply don’t care about school?
Maybe they’re missing assignments, settling for lower grades than they’re capable of, procrastinating until the last minute, or shrugging and saying, “Whatever.”
It’s easy to interpret that behavior as laziness or a lack of motivation.
But there may be much more happening underneath.
In this episode of Parent Your ADHD Child w
Twice-Exceptional Kids: How to Build Confidence by Focusing on Strengths with Sam Young
Does your child seem years ahead in one area and years behind in another?
Maybe they can explain incredibly advanced ideas but forget assignments. Perhaps they can talk endlessly about history, coding, science, or another passion—but struggle socially, emotionally, or academically in ways that don't seem to match their intelligence.
Your child may have what is known as a twice-exceptional, or 2e,
4 Ways to Help Your ADHD Child Manage Stress, Overwhelm & Academic Pressure
School pressure. Social pressure. Activities. Friendships. College planning. Family expectations.
For many kids and teens, it can feel like there's always something they should be doing—and for students with ADHD, managing all of those demands can become especially overwhelming.
In this episode, Jenny Drennan breaks down what stress can actually look like in children and teens and shares four prac
Why Parent Involvement in School Matters: How to Support Your ADHD Child’s Learning Without Taking Over
You may hear “parent involvement” and immediately picture volunteering in an elementary classroom or attending every school event.
But involvement can look very different—especially as your child gets older.
In this episode, Jenny talks about the powerful role parents play in shaping their child’s relationship with school and learning. Your child may not always show it, particularly during the tee
Is Your Anxiety Affecting Your Child With ADHD? How to Stop the Cycle of Worry, Control, and Rescue
Sometimes the things we do because we love our children—checking, reminding, rescuing, fixing, planning, and protecting—can unintentionally make it harder for them to develop confidence and independence.
For parents who already experience anxiety, raising a child with ADHD can amplify those instincts even more.
In this episode, Jenny discusses how parental anxiety can influence the emotional clima
Helping Your ADHD Child Build Friendships & Navigate Social Challenges
Why can a child with ADHD make friends but have a much harder time keeping them?
Friendships require far more executive function than we sometimes realize. Reading social cues, taking turns in conversations, remembering to respond to texts, making plans, handling changes, managing disappointment, and understanding someone else’s perspective can all be challenging for children and teens with ADHD.
Why ADHD Kids Take Criticism So Personally and How Parents Can Respond
Does your child become defensive, angry, tearful, or overwhelmed whenever you offer feedback even when you are trying to be gentle?
Children with ADHD often experience more correction, redirection, and reminders than their peers. Over time, they may begin expecting criticism, which can make even small comments feel like rejection or personal failure.
In this episode, Jenny explains why criticism c
Back-to-School Strategies for ADHD: 5 Ways to Create a Smoother Transition
The transition back to school can feel exciting, overwhelming, and unpredictable—sometimes all at once.
For children and teens with ADHD, a new school year may bring changes in routines, teachers, expectations, friendships, transportation, homework, and extracurricular activities. These changes can increase anxiety and make it harder for students to manage time, emotions, and responsibilities.
In
Slow Processing Speed in Children: Signs, School Challenges, and Strategies That Help
Your child understands the assignment.
They know the answer.
They may even be one of the strongest thinkers in the room—but they still need significantly more time to respond or finish their work.
That is the reality for many children with slow processing speed.
In this episode of Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence!, Jenny explains:
✨ What slow processing speed actually means
✨ Why it has noth
10 Reasons Kids Lie and How to Encourage More Honesty
Why does my child keep lying—even when I already know the truth?
For many parents, lying can feel personal. It can leave you frustrated, worried, and questioning whether you can trust your child.
But what if the lie is only part of the story?
In this episode of Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence!, Jenny Drennan explores the reasons children and teens lie and why understanding what is happening
3 Research-Backed Ways to Build Your ADHD Child’s Self-Esteem
Is your child constantly comparing themselves to other kids, feeling discouraged by school, or questioning their own abilities?
For many children with ADHD, executive function challenges, and learning differences, everyday struggles can slowly impact how they see themselves. When learning feels harder, organization feels overwhelming, or mistakes seem bigger than they are, self-esteem can take a h
How to Help Your ADHD Child Keep Their Room Clean
Helping your ADHD child keep their room clean can feel like a never-ending battle. Clothes end up on the floor, trash collects on the desk, school papers disappear, and even when you help organize everything, the room may look messy again a week later.
In this episode of Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence!, Jenny shares a compassionate, practical way to help your child build organization skill
When Traditional School Isn’t Working: Exploring One-to-One Education with Fusion Academy
In this episode, we sit down with Cassy Espinosa, Director of Admissions at Fusion Academy Newport Beach and Anaheim Hills, to talk about what personalized one-to-one education can look like for middle and high school students.
Cassy shares how Fusion’s flexible model supports students who may be struggling with school anxiety, executive functioning, learning differences, social-emotional challeng
Are You Helping or Micromanaging? How to Build Independence in Your ADHD Child
Are you constantly reminding your child to start homework, pack their backpack, email their teacher, or stay on top of responsibilities?
Many parents of ADHD kids feel like everything will fall through the cracks if they are not managing every detail. But while micromanaging often comes from love and worry, it can unintentionally keep kids from building the independence, confidence, and executive
7 Ways To Show Your Child They Matter To You
Does your child know they matter to you beyond their grades, behavior, achievements, or performance?
As parents, we love our children deeply. But sometimes, without meaning to, we can send subtle messages that make kids feel like their worth is tied to how well they perform, how much they accomplish, or whether they meet our expectations.
In this episode of Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence!,
How to Make Chores Manageable (and Maybe Even Fun!) for Your Kids
Chores can be a powerful way for kids with ADHD to build responsibility, confidence, independence, and executive function skills—but getting them to follow through can feel frustrating for parents.
In this episode of Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence!, we’re talking about why chores can feel so overwhelming for ADHD brains and how parents can make daily responsibilities feel more doable. You’
What Teacher Report Card Comments May Really Mean for Kids With ADHD
Teacher report card comments can sometimes feel vague, confusing, or even discouraging — especially when you see phrases like “struggles to stay focused,” “makes careless mistakes,” or “isn’t working to full potential.”
In this episode of Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence!, we’re helping parents decode common teacher comments that may point to underlying ADHD, executive function challenges, o
6 Ways to Stay Connected With Your ADHD Teen — Even When They Push You Away
The teen years can feel like an emotional rollercoaster, especially when you are parenting a child with ADHD, executive function challenges, or learning differences. Your teen may seem like they do not want your help, advice, or connection, but the truth is: your relationship still matters deeply.
In this episode of Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence!, we’re talking about why the teenage years
How to Help Your ADHD Child Thrive This Summer Without Overscheduling
Summer can be a much-needed reset for kids, especially children with ADHD, learning differences, or executive function challenges. But how do parents balance rest, structure, social connection, and learning without creating an overscheduled, stressful summer?
In this episode of Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence!, we’re sharing three practical ways to make the most of the summer months while h
7 Creative Organization Strategies for ADHD Kids That Actually Work
Is your child constantly forgetting their backpack, losing papers, leaving clothes everywhere, or struggling to follow through with simple organization tasks? You are not alone — and your child is not trying to frustrate you.
In this episode of Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence!, we’re sharing seven creative, practical, and ADHD-friendly organization strategies that help kids build independen
How Can I Motivate my Child at the End of the School Year?
Spring can be a tricky season for kids with ADHD. After spring break, many students feel checked out, tired, and ready for summer, but this is often the time when school demands increase.
In this episode, we’re sharing four effective ways to help your child reset for the last quarter of the school year so they can finish with more momentum, confidence, and calm.
You’ll learn how to help your child
How to Help Your ADHD Child Regulate Emotions Without Power Struggles
Big emotions can feel overwhelming—for kids and for parents.
In this episode, we’re talking about one of the biggest challenges families face: emotional regulation. If your child seems to go from calm to explosive in a matter of seconds, you are not alone. Many parents feel like they’re constantly walking on eggshells, unsure of what might trigger the next outburst.
The good news is that emotional
7 Creative Organization Strategies for ADHD Kids That Actually Work
Does your child struggle with organization, routines, or remembering basic tasks and you are not sure how to help without constant reminders, frustration, or doing it all for them?
If your child constantly forgets where things go, struggles to pack up for school, or becomes overwhelmed by simple routines, you are not alone.
In this episode, we are walking through 7 unique organization strategies t
Helping Your Young Adult Find Their Path with Diane Geller
How can parents support career exploration without taking over? In this episode, we’re joined by educational and career consultant Diane Geller to talk about how parents can help young adults find their path with confidence, curiosity, and increasing independence. We explore why today’s road to adulthood looks different than it did for past generations, what neurodivergent young adults may need al
How to Build Executive Function Skills During Spring Break
Looking for simple ways to build executive function skills in kids during Spring Break? In this episode of Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence!, we share practical, parent-friendly strategies to help children strengthen important life skills like planning, organization, time management, impulse control, and decision-making in a natural, low-pressure way.
You’ll learn how Spring Break can be the
Ways to Help Your Child Struggling with Depression
Depression in teens is rising — and for children with ADHD and learning differences, the emotional weight can feel even heavier.
If your teen seems withdrawn, unmotivated, overwhelmed, or constantly stressed about school, this episode will help you understand what may really be happening beneath the surface.
We explore the connection between ADHD, academic pressure, loneliness, and depression — an
Punishments vs. Consequences: How to Effectively Shape Behavior and Encourage Positive Change
When your child is dysregulated, it’s so easy to react… and blurt out a punishment you don’t even want to enforce. In this episode, we break down the difference between punishments and consequences—and why this distinction matters even more for kids and teens with ADHD. You’ll learn how consequences (natural + logical) can reduce power struggles, protect your relationship, and teach real-life skil
Beyond Medication: An Integrative Approach to Childhood ADHD
What if some of the support your child with ADHD needs could start with what’s on their plate?
In this episode, we’re joined by Sarah Langley, an integrative psychiatric nurse practitioner and founder/co-owner of Child Kind Psychiatry in Beverly Hills. Sarah specializes in nutritional psychiatry for kids and teens—supporting ADHD, anxiety, depression, and more with a balanced, whole-child approach
My Child Doesn't Listen to Me!
Have you ever thought, “My child just doesn’t listen to me!!”? We have been there and know how frustrating that can feel. What if listening struggles aren’t about defiance or disrespect at all?
In this episode, we unpack what’s really happening when kids seem to ignore us. You’ll learn how attention, working memory, auditory processing, energy, and emotional regulation all play a role, especially
How Technology is Affecting our Youth's Mental Health
In this episode, we take a deep—and necessary—look at what’s happening to our children’s mental health in the age of smartphones and social media. Using current research and insights from The Anxious Generation, we explore the alarming rise in anxiety, depression, and emotional distress among kids and teens—and why this shift began in the early 2010s with the widespread adoption of smartphones.
We
How Executive Function Skills Impact Your Child's Day to Day & Home Strategies!
In this episode, we’re diving deep into executive function skills—what they are, why your child may struggle with them, and how you can support their development in ways that feel natural, supportive, and empowering (not like another lesson or lecture).
We break down the core executive function skills—like planning, emotional regulation, self-control, flexibility, and self-awareness—and explain ho
What Are Executive Function Skills and Why Does My Child Struggle With Them So Much?
If you’ve ever wondered why your child seems capable but still struggles with things like getting started, staying organized, managing emotions, or following through, this episode is for you.
Executive function skills are often talked about as a “buzzword,” but behind that term is a powerful explanation for many of the challenges children with ADHD and learning differences face every day. In this
What Is Educational Therapy and How Do I Know If My Child Needs It?
Many parents know their child is bright but struggling and aren’t sure what kind of support truly fits. In this episode, we break down what educational therapy is, how it’s different from tutoring, IEPs, or 504 supports, and how to know whether your child might benefit.
You’ll learn how educational therapists are specially trained to understand how children learn, not just what they’re lea
Why This Podcast Exists (and How It Will Support Your Family)
In this introductory episode, educational therapist and ADHD coach Jenny Drennan shares why Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence was created and what families can expect from the podcast. Jenny explains who this show is for, the topics we’ll cover, and how evidence-based strategies, expert insights, and real-life experiences will help parents better understand ADHD, reduce power struggles, and b
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