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

This weeks’ episode is a must-listen to if your child uses technology and screens of any sort and your spending energy managing your kids’ screen time. My guest this week is Dr. Devorah Heitner, an expert on young people’s relationship with digital media and technology. Devorah is the author of Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World and founder of Raising Digital Natives, and her mission is to cultivate a culture of empathy and social/emotional literacy. Devorah did a fascinating TEDx talk a few years back called The Challenges of Raising a Digital Native, which I highly recommend you check out.Today Devorah and I talk about kids’ relationship with screens, everything from the specific challenges related to screens and technology for differently wired kids to how we as parents can start being effective mentors for our child when it comes to helping them develop healthy screen habits. I asked Devorah the big questions I hear all the time from parents, like how much time spent on screens is too much, does the type of activity ours kids are doing make a difference when setting limits, and much more.An expert on young people’s relationship with digital media and technology, Dr. Devorah Heitner is the author of Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World and founder of Raising Digital Natives. Her mission is to cultivate a culture of empathy and social/emotional literacy. She has a Ph.D. in Media/Technology & Society from Northwestern University and has taught at DePaul and Northwestern. She is delighted to be raising her own digital native. Things you’ll learn from this episode Why it’s important that we focus on tech literacy in our kids rather than specific apps The most common challenges for differently wired kids when it comes to their relationship with technology and “managing” their screen time How we might use their skills and interest in tech to bridge into areas of strength The challenges stemming from schools’ increasing reliance on technology in a 1 to 1 capacity Whether or not there is true value in online or virtual social relationships Why our role as parents should be that of mentor when it comes to our child’s relationship with screens The difference between tech savvy and being wise about technology Why all screen media isn’t created equal—it’s important to discriminate between the way our kids use media How much “screen time” is too much? What are goals should be in helping our kids become wise technology consumers Strategies to start using to become a positive “screen” mentor for our children  Resources mentioned for managing kids’ screen time Raising Digital Natives (Devorah’s website) Phonewise Boot Camp  Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World by Dr. Devorah Heitner Support the showConnect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

My guest today is Zach Morris, a semi-frequent guest of this show. I always love my conversations with Zach, so I was so happy to bring him back to talk about somatic therapy, and how this modality can be especially powerful in supporting differently wired kids struggling with anxiety and depression and recovering from both big and little T trauma. In our conversation, we get into the Polyvagal Theory, what somatic therapy is, what it looks like in practice with kids, the underlying power of somatic healing, and how it can help kids develop resilience, even in the face of stressful situations.  Zach Morris is a thought leader in education. He is committed to helping people increase compassion, collaboration, and learning. Zach supports individuals, families, and organizations who aim to develop a greater sense of safety and empowerment in themselves, in their relationships, and in their communities.Gently guiding humans through the resistance they encounter is at the core of Zach’s work. He is inspired by the science of how people learn and change, and he aims to translate this to help individuals and communities improve awareness, communication, and structural support. Zach has 10+ years experience in the classroom, ranging from inner-city public school to rural therapeutic boarding school, and from non-traditional private school to individual co-op homeschool. Zach now serves as a learning consultant and communication coach, and he is most at home in the mountains of Montana, where he lives and works. Things you’ll learn from this episode What Zach has been seeing among neurodivergent kids in response to the disruption of the past few years What the Polyvagal Theory is and how the sympathetic system works when our flight, freeze, fight, or fawn response is activated What “little t” traumas are and these may reflect the experience of many neurodivergent kids What somatic therapy is and how it helps kids foster and develop resilience around stressful situations Examples of what “discharging” looks like How we can help our kids begin connecting the dots between their feelings and their actions Why there is a relationship between neurodivergence and trauma, and how profound sensitive experiences makes one more open to somatic therapy  Resources mentioned for somatic therapy & kids Zach Morris’ education consulting and family support home, Alive at Learn The Center for Nonviolent Communication (Marshall Rosenberg’s Global Organization) Educator Zach Morris on Supporting our Kids in Transforming Their World View (podcast episode) Nonviolent Communication, Whole-Person Learning, and Neurodiverse Students (podcast episode) Peter Levine Mona Delahooke on the Power of Brain-Body Parenting (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Dr. Ann-Louis Support the showConnect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this special kid’s POV edition of the podcast, Asher and I share our best tips and strategies for making travel run more smoothly and having successful vacations with neurodivergent kids. As much as many families and their children may love going on vacation, the change in routine, different foods, shifting expectations, and new stimuli can even turn a trip to “The Happiest Place on Earth” (Disneyland) into one full of stress, anxiety, meltdowns, and other challenges. And while we know this rings true for pretty much any and every family, for parents raising differently wired kids, the extremes highs and lows can bigger.In this episode, Asher and I share what we’ve learned over the years when it comes to making sure everyone’s needs and expectations on any given vacation are met, or at the very least, addressed, and walk listeners through the different schedules and planners we’ve we incorporated into our vacation prep.  Things you’ll learn from this episode The benefits of talking through and getting clear on expectations (for all members of the family) prior to leaving for a vacation A strategy for using the collaborative problem solving approach to identify, address, and pre-solve concerns ahead of time How to make departure day go more smoothly The benefits of exploring and researching aspects of a vacation time well in advance of the trip (including accommodations, activities, etc.) A strategy for using written schedules coupled with frequent reviews during a vacation keeps everyone’s expectations in check The benefits of bringing a child into the planning process (and letting them determine some of what will happen on vacation) Why it’s useful to work with your child to discover what they need most on vacation and then incorporating it into your daily plan (ie: rest, chill time, etc.)  Resources mentioned for successful vacations with neurodivergent kids Download a PDF of our Family Goals Worksheet Download a PDF of our Vacation Concerns Worksheet Download a PDF of our Daily Vacation Planner Worksheet Look at our Departure Plan whiteboard Support the showConnect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today’s episode is all about social skills, but from an updated lens that really speaks to the lived experiences of today’s kids. My guest is writer and journalist Catherine Newman, and we’re going to dive into her new book, What Can I Say? A Kids Guide to Super Useful Social Skills to Help You Get Along and Express Yourself.What Can I Say is aimed at kids ages 10 and up, and it includes practical and accessible advice to help kids and teens learn social skills, including everything from introduce themselves, express empathy, be persuasive, and apologize to compromise, ask for help, be grateful, and comfort a friend.In this conversation, Catherine and talk about why learning social and interpersonal skills are more important than ever for our kids, despite the fact that their lives are evolving to include more time spent online. We also talk about the climate for social emotional learning and ways parents and educators can to reinforce the social skills our kids are learning. Catherine Newman is the author of the memoirs Catastrophic Happiness and Waiting for Birdy, the middle-grade novel One Mixed-Up Night, the kids’ craft book Stitch Camp, the how-to books for kids How to Be a Person and What Can I Say? and the novel We All Want Impossible Things (forthcoming, Harper, November 2022). She edits the non-profit kids’ cooking magazine ChopChop, writes the etiquette column for Real Simple magazine, and is a regular contributor to the New York Times, O, The Oprah Magazine, Parents magazine, Cup of Jo, and many other publications. She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, with her family. Things you’ll learn from this episode Why it’s still important to learn social skills and interpersonal skills even though our kids’ lives are evolving to include more time spent online Why it’s important to spend time learning social skills just as we would learn any other type of skill like algebra or singing The importance of learning interpersonal skills that focus on empathy, setting boundaries, being curious, and being supportive and inclusive of people with different identities How OT can help neurodivergent kids grow up with advanced social emotional skills What parents and educators can do to support and reinforce the social skills they are learning  Resources mentioned for how kids can learn social skills Catherine Newman’s website Catherine on Instagram What Can I Say? A Kids’ Guide to Super Useful Social Skills to Help You Get Along and Express Yourself by Catherine Newman How to Be a Person: 65 Hugely Useful, Super-Important Skills to Learn before You’re Grown Up by Catherine Newman Support the showConnect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Margaret Webb helps parents find more peace in parenting the child they didn’t expect when they were expecting, and part of her work is supporting parents survive summer break. Many parents (and not just parents raising differently-wired kids) limp across the finish line of a long school year only to find themselves facing the stress of summer — new schedules and routines, different expectations, wants, and needs for everyone in the family, and lots of other changes.In our conversation, Margaret shares her personal strategy for not only surviving summer break, but thriving. She walks us through her Summer Survival Skills Package, a free toolkit comprised of MP3s and worksheets designed to help struggling parents have a summer that works for the whole family.Margaret Webb is a certified Master Life Coach, parenting coach, nature-based coach, former teacher, wife and mother. As a life and parenting coach, she weaves together her experience as an elementary education teacher with the tools she’s learned in Martha Beck’s Life Coach Training, Sagefire Institute’s Nature-Based Coach Training, and what she’s applied to her own life as a mom of a child with special needs. Things you’ll learn from this episode How “reality versus expectations” creates unnecessary stress for many parents over the summer Why having “leadership energy” as a parent can help a family thrive The importance of getting clear on both your personal needs as a parent and your child’s needs and wants for the summer break What scheduling, mapping, and tracking have to do with surviving summer holidays How focusing on our own experience and fostering personal self-care actually supports our children Why nature can be so restorative for parents raising differently-wired kids How to envision your ideal day as a way to begin creating a more peaceful reality  Resources mentioned for surviving summer break  Margaret Webb’s Summer Survival Skills Package — download link The Families That Can’t Afford Summer – New York Times article Finding Peace in Parenting the Child You Didn’t Expect – Tilt Parenting Podcast Episode 1​ Support the showConnect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week I'm talking about Dr. Devon Price, a social psychologist, professor, author, and proud autistic person, and the author of the new book, Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity.  In this conversation, Devon and I talk about what masking is, what it looks like, and whether it is something that autistic people choose to do or not. We also talk about why masking is more complex for people of color, the relationship between masking and gender, and what integration looks like for a neurodivergent person. Devon Price, PhD, is a social psychologist, professor, author, and proud Autistic person. He is the author of Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity. His research has appeared in journals such as the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, and the Journal of Positive Psychology. Devon’s writing has appeared in outlets such as the Financial Times, HuffPost, Slate, Jacobin, Business Insider, LitHub, and on PBS and NPR. He lives in Chicago, where he serves as an assistant professor at Loyola University Chicago’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies. Things you’ll learn from this episode What “masking” is, what it looks like, and why most often it’s not a conscious choice Why the decision to mask or not mask is more complex for autistic people of color Devon’s thoughts on the recent explosion of neurodivergent kids coming out as trans and the relationship between masking and gender Devon’s take on ABA therapy and alternatives ways of supporting autistic kids Considerations regarding language in the neurodivergent and disability community What integration is and what it looks like for a neurodivergent person Strategies for ways parents can help their autistic children move through the world more authentically without masking How Devon see our society currently changing in neurodivergence awareness and inclusion  Resources mentioned for Unmasking Autism Devon Price on Medium Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity by Devon Price, PhD Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price, PhD Devon Price on Instagram Devon Price on Twitter We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation by Eric Garcia How Unmasking Leads to Freedom for Autistic and Other Neurodivergent People (NPR Life Kit Interview) Autism in Black / Maria Davis Pierre Autistics Against Curing Autism Autistic Self-Advocacy Network Fidgets and Friends / Tiffany Hammond on Instagram Queer Vengeance Support the showConnect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever wondered if your child can have an IEP and/or accommodations in college? My guest for this episode, Elizabeth Hamblet, has the answer to this and many more questions about the high school to college transition for differently wired students.Elizabeth began her career as a high school special education teacher and case manager, and then worked as a learning disabilities specialist at Simmons College and Rutgers University. She is now a learning specialist at Columbia University, where she helps students with time management, organization, reading, and study skills. She also offers programs to families and professionals on transition to college for students with disabilities, speaking locally and at national conferences.This episode is about the transition to college for a differently-wired student, from the point of view of an educator and consultant who specializes in helping atypical kids be successful before, during, and after this transition.Elizabeth has worked as a learning disabilities specialist in college disability services offices for two decades. In addition to working at a university, she is a nationally-requested speaker on preparing students with disabilities for successful college transition. Hamblet is the author of Seven Steps to College Success: A Pathway for Students with Disabilities and a concise guide on transition, and her work has appeared in numerous journals and online platforms. She offers advice and information on her website at www.LDadvisory.com and shares resources on numerous social media platforms. Things you’ll learn from this episode The real story behind if, and how, colleges and universities support their differently wired students The difference between accommodations and services in the university setting Whether or not universities recognize IEPs and 504 Plans How to find the best university for your child when it comes to how well their needs will be supported How students can best set themselves up for success throughout the application process What Elizabeth says are the most important factors for ensuring a successful transition from high school to college What parents with younger children can be working on today to support this transition in the future  Resources mentioned for accommodations in college Elizabeth Hamblet’s website LD Advisory From High School to College: Steps to Success for Students with Disabilities by Elizabeth Hamblet Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Landmark College Beacon College Understood.org Bonus Content / Interviews from Elizabeth’s Book  Support the showConnect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What is dyscalculia? If you’re wondering if your child has this often misunderstood math disability, this episode is for you. My guest is Laura Jackson, a mom, writer, and advocate who helps families struggling with dyscalculia move from confusion and overwhelm to understanding and connection. Laura’s passion is to provide advocacy, coaching, and encouragement for overwhelmed parents and discouraged children who feel alone in their journey with dyscalculia.In this conversation, Laura shares insights from her new book, Discovering Dyscalculia: One Family’s Journey with a Math Disability, which was inspired by her own family’s journey of getting her daughter’s diagnosis, how they navigated working with the school, and finding strategies that work for her beyond her education. Laura also shared many, many strategies and resources for parents who want to learn more about dyscalculia and the early signs that they can look out for if they suspect their child might be struggling with it.Things you’ll learn from this episode What the early signs of dyscalculia are that parents can look out for How Laura navigated the journey of getting her daughter evaluated at school and what she did to help educate the special ed department about dyscalculia Why some schools avoid suggesting an evaluation to parents but instead wait for parents to ask for their child to be evaluated Laura’s favorite researchers and resources on dyscalculia Examples of the adjustments Laura made at home to accommodate her daughter  Resources mentioned for discovering dyscalculia Laura Jackson’s website Discovering Dyscalculia: One Family’s Journey with a Math Disability by Laura Jackson Laura’s online class for parents: Your Dyscalculia Adventure Download a free chapter of Discovering Dyscalculia Ronit Bird, Dyscalculia Specialist Ronit Bird’s YouTube channel Dr. Schreuder / Dyscalculia Services The Dyscalculia Network Support the showConnect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Devon MacEachron, a clinician, researcher, author, and speaker who specializes in assessing and supporting twice-exceptional, or 2e, learners founded a private psychology practice in New York City where she meets the psychoeducational, assessment, and education planning needs of the families of bright learners. Her mission is to help position these awesome students to achieve their goals and dreams, and to help parents feel confident their doing their best for their children. And that’s what we get into in this episode. Devon MacEachron, PhD provides comprehensive neuropsych and psychoeducational assessments focused on discovering the student’s unique profile of cognitive strengths and weaknesses and identifying how individual differences impact learning, achievement as compared to ability, social, emotional, and behavioral functioning, and interests and affinities. As a specialist in twice-exceptional and gifted learners, dyslexia, ADHD, Asperger’s, and academic motivation with a positive psychology focus on strengths and interests, Dr. Devon is an expert diagnostician who provides an actionable game-plan to families enabling students to achieve their highest potential. Things you’ll learn from this episode How 2e or “twice exceptional” is defined How parents can recognize when something is “off” with their child or they suspect they may be 2e Why it’s important to look at a child’s behavior and their environment when doing a neurological assessment What the optimal age is for an assessment to determine if a child is twice exceptional Why there usually isn’t a good school option for kids who are 2e How parents can best support their twice-exceptional children, even if they are in a traditional school setting  Resources mentioned for supporting 2e learners Dr. Devon MacEachron’s website Email Dr. Devon Dr. Devon on Facebook Dr. Devon on Twitter Cattell-Horn-Carroll Theory of Intelligence Bright Not Broken: Gifted Kids, ADHD, and Autism by Diane M. Kennedy and Rebecca S. Banks The Mislabeled Child: Looking Beyond Behavior to Find the True Source and Solutions for Children’s Learning Challenges by Brock Eide Support the showConnect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Child and adolescent psychotherapist, parenting educator, public speaker, and writer Katie Hurley, LCSW, talks about supporting stressed out kids and adolescents, and the current state of kids' and teens' mental health. Connect with Tilt Parenting Visit Tilt Parenting Take the free 7-Day Challenge Read a chapter of Differently Wired Follow Tilt on Twitter & Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices