Executive Functioning, ADHD & Autism: 5 Ways to Teach Accountability Without Shame
THE AUTISM ADHD PODCAST
Put down the garbage bag of blame
Holly introduces the garbage bag metaphor to show how parents and kids pass shame instead of solving problems.
When adults tell autistic or ADHD children to be more accountable — to take more responsibility, to stop making excuses, admit when they're wrong — I understand exactly where that's coming from. The fear underneath it is real. The exhaustion is real.
But here's what I also know: when we demand accountability and responsibility through shame, we're not teaching our neurodivergent kids anything. We're just making them feel bad about who they are.
In this episode, I'm getting honest about something most of us don't talk about — the massive gap between what parents mean when they say "accountability" and what their autistic or ADHD child actually hears. And I'm going to show you what real accountability looks like for neurodivergent kids. It doesn't involve a giant, heavy bag of shame and blame. It involves understanding, curiosity, and problem solving — together.
I've been the parent standing in front of my child saying, "You need to take responsibility." I thought I was teaching him something essential. What I was actually doing was handing him a bag of garbage and calling it a life lesson. This episode is for every parent and teacher who has done the same. And for every therapist working with autistic and adhd children and their families.
In this episode, you'll learn:
- Why demanding accountability from autistic and ADHD kids often backfires — and what's actually happening when a child "refuses to take responsibility."
- The garbage bag metaphor: what happens when shame and blame get passed back and forth between parent and child — and how to put it down
- Real examples and what actually helped
- 5 ways to teach real accountability without shame, including how to separate the action from the person, how to use curiosity instead of blame, and how to teach missing skills without saying "you should know this by now."
- Why "I forgot" and "she was bothering me" are not excuses — they're a child trying to communicate
- What happens to neurodivergent kids who grow up in a shame-based accountability culture — and why it matters
- How to repair it when you've already shamed your child in the name of responsibility (because you will, and have I)
- What therapists need to ask when a parent says their child needs to be more accountable
This episode is for you if:
- You're a parent of an autistic child and/or ADHD child who struggles with responsibility, follow-through, or "making excuses."
- You're a therapist, school counselor, or psychologist supporting neurodivergent children and their families
- You grew up being told you made excuses — and it still weighs on you.
Sincerely, Holly Blanc Moses, The Mom/Neurodivergent Therapist
P.S. I've got more goodness for you!
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About Holly Blanc Moses
Holly Blanc Moses is a neurodivergent psychologist, speaker, consultant, continuing education provider, and host of The Autism ADHD Podcast, Autism ADHD TV, and parent masterclasses.
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