Full-Tilt Parenting: Strategies, Insights, and Connection for Parents Raising Neurodivergent Children

Pediatric psychologist and author Mona Delahooke talks about her new book "Beyond Behaviors: Using Brain Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children's Behavioral Challenges." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Parent coach Margaret Webb, author of parenting guides, shares valuable insights on supporting autistic children with low self-esteem. She discusses the importance of allowing children time to regulate and embrace solitary behaviors as healthy coping mechanisms. Margaret highlights the 'window shade age,' where kids become aware of their differences, and underscores the necessity of focusing on effort rather than outcomes. The conversation encourages parents to trust themselves and seek support in nurturing their child's self-worth.

My fall season is officially starting today and I’m kicking it off with a conversation with Dr. Billy Garvey on mental health. Billy, a developmental pediatrician with over 20 years’ experience working with children in Australia, met last year while he was traveling around the world on a fellowship to explore the connection between how children are parented and their mental health as adults. One of the outcomes of that fellowship is Billy’s new book, which is called 10 Things I Wish You Knew About Your Child's Mental Health, which he was kind enough to send me an advanced copy of. So I wanted to bring him on the show to talk about that, but really to expand on that initial conversation I had with him but so that you all could be a part of it, too. We covered a lot of ground in this extra long episode, including challenges of accessing mental health support in Australia, the need for true inclusion and what that actually means, the importance of unconditional love for kids, attachment and temperament, the role of self-esteem, and the limitations of certain diagnoses, and much more. About Dr. Billy GarveyDr Billy Garvey is a developmental pediatrician with over 20 years’ experience working with children in a number of settings. He is a senior specialist at one of the largest tertiary pediatric hospitals in the world where he sees families, trains clinicians and other professionals working with children and conducts research in child development and mental health.Dr Billy’s clinical and research interests include child development and mental health, multidisciplinary collaboration, improving health literacy and promoting community engagement to support all families. He holds clinical, advocacy and research roles in government and not-for-profit organizations at a national, state and local level. He is currently undertaking a PhD piloting a model to support child emotional and behavioral development in primary schools and is a Churchill Fellow exploring how social media can be used to support parenting. He is also the founder of Guiding Growing Minds, a social enterprise that aims to give all children the opportunity to reach their potential and live rich and meaningful lives. The Pop Culture Parenting podcast is part of this vision. Things you'll learn Why access to mental health support for children in Australia is a challenge, with long wait lists and limited availability of specialists How unconditional love and support are essential for helping children develop a positive sense of self and navigate challenges, and what that looks like in action Why the younger generation shows promise in driving positive change and embracing neurodiversity How secure attachment and sensitive parenting contribute to promoting healthy child development, and ways attachment can be strengthened over time Why self-esteem is best cultivated through consistent support, celebrating successes, and providing opportunities for growth The negative implications (and unhelpfulness) of diagnoses like oppositional defiance disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD)  Resources mentioned Dr. Billy Garvey’s website Guiding Growing Minds Ten Things I Wish You Knew About Your Child’s Mental Health by Dr. Billy Garvey Pop Culture Parenting (podcast) Dr. Tina Payne Bryson Dr. Mona Delahooke Dr. Dan Siegel Dr. Bruce Perry Thomas Boyce’s The Orchid Child and the Dandelion (Talks at Google) Jurassic Park and Co-Regulation (Pop Culture Parenting podcast) Forrest Gump and Kids Who Are Different (Pop Culture Parenting podcast) Thelma & Louise and Mental Health First-Aid (Pop Culture Parenting podcast) Blade Runner and Neurodiversity (Pop Culture Parenting podcast) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Author and thought leader Jordan Shapiro, PhD, talks about his new book "The New Childhood" and why he believes parents should consider embracing and supporting the role of screens and technology in children's lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There is a lot of misinformation and stigma around neurodivergence that can create extra barriers and challenges for our families. This is especially true for Tourette syndrome, which is often referred to as “the most misunderstood well-known condition,” often the punchline of jokes on late-night TV and sitcoms.Its in large part because of these misconceptions and difficulty accessing resources that my guest today, Michele Turk, found herself at a loss when her 11 year old son Michael was diagnosed with Tourette. In her new memoir, What Makes Him Tic? A Memoir of Parenting a Child with Tourette Syndrome, she writes vulnerably about the challenges they faced as a family in getting the right support, navigating school, social, emotional, and academic challenges, and how she evolved from thinking she had to fix Michael to understanding her job was to accept him and help him do the same. She wanted the world to know he was so much more than the boy who shouted obscenities hundreds of times a day.Because Michele has worked as a journalist for three decades, covering parenting, health, and education for outlets like Parents, Parenting, Elle, USA Weekend, The Washington Post, Brain, Child, and Next Avenue, she was compelled to write about her journey as she was in it, and that close up, honest perspective, blended with ample reporting on Tourette make What Makes Him Tic a compelling and informative read.In this episode, Michele talks with us about the misconceptions about Tourette’s that she came across often in her work as a journalist and her private life as a parent. We also talked about what some of the early symptoms were and how they managed them, how differently she and her husband approached the diagnosis and what it took for them to get on the same page, how her son’s diagnosis impacted her daughter, and more. Things you'll learn How parenting a child with Tourette syndrome be challenging and isolating, and why is it important to trust your gut and seek appropriate medical care What the most common misconceptions of Tourette are What makes navigating the school system so challenging for children with Tourette Ideas for navigating complex sibling dynamics in a mixed neurotype household How finding a passion or interest can help build self-esteem and provide a sense of belonging for children with Tourette  Resources mentioned Michele Turk’s website What Makes Him Tic?: A Memoir of Parenting a Child with Tourette Syndrome by Michele Turk Yale Child Study Center Tic and OCD Program Designated Center of Excellence Debbie and Her Husband Derin Talk About Their Journey of Parenting a Differently Wired Child (Tilt Parenting episode) Tourette Association of America Tourette Association Conference (Tic Con) Dr. Robert King Billie Eilish on Living with Tourette Syndrome (Harper’s Bazaar) How American Idol’s James Durbin Manages Life With Tourette’s and Asperger’s (Tourette Association of America)   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Psychotherapists Heather Turgeon and Julie Wright (The Happy Sleeper) talk about how to handle difficult situations in a way that’s respectful of the child and supports their social and emotional development. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Listen to an episode of Understood.org's podcast "In It," a podcast for families with kids who learn and think differently, hosts Gretchen Vierstra and Rachel Bozek. This episode is called ADHD & Puberty, and features an interview with Dr. Roberto Olivardia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Dr. Jeff Karp, a neurodivergent researcher and author of 'LIT: Life Ignition Tools,' shares his journey from struggling in school to developing innovative strategies for learning. He emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and curiosity, encouraging kids to understand their unique strengths. Exploring how nature influences learning, he discusses creating personal playbooks to enhance life skills and emotional regulation. Dr. Karp's insights are invaluable for parents supporting differently wired children in today's educational landscape.

Dr. Sharon Saline, a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in working with children, adolescents, and families who are dealing with ADHD and other learning disabilities, talks about a child’s emotional journey as they come to understand and accept the way their brain is wired. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Seth Perler, an executive function coach specializing in adolescent behavior, joins to tackle the challenging topic of teen impulsivity and disruptive actions. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the underlying causes behind these behaviors. Listeners learn practical strategies for emotional regulation and effective communication. Seth highlights how collaboration between parents and teens can lead to growth while maintaining boundaries. He also addresses the unique challenges faced by neurodivergent youth and the value of community support.