The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast 1KHO 613: Kids Are Hurting Because of the World We Gave Them | Mike McLeod, GrowNow ADHD
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Nov 6, 2025 In this engaging discussion, Mike McLeod, an Executive function and ADHD specialist from GrowNow ADHD, highlights the pressing mental health crisis among youth. He emphasizes the negative impact of screens and permissive parenting on children's executive functioning. Mike advocates for outdoor play over screen time, sharing how unstructured activities foster resilience and creativity. He also proposes reallocating therapy budgets toward community engagement and parent coaching, calling for a shift to authoritative parenting that balances love with limits.
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Parent Training Over Talk Therapy
- Parent training is the most evidence-based treatment for ADHD and executive dysfunction.
- Talk therapies are common but often ineffective when parents remain permissive and screens stay in play.
Unplug Screens And Avoid Reacting
- Limit and control screen access because screens are a primary dopamine source that fuels negative attention-seeking.
- Unplug by walking away from conflict and not reacting to dysregulated behavior to remove the child's power source.
Two Kids, Two Futures
- Mike contrasts two children: one who earns screens after homework and one who plays outside often with peers.
- He asserts the outdoor-playing child will have stronger executive functioning and long-term success.
