In this episode of The ADHD Parenting Podcast, hosts Ryan Wexelblatt and Mike McLeod explore what it means to “step into your parental authority.” Drawing from research and clinical experience, they discuss how authoritative parenting—balancing warmth with structure—helps children with ADHD develop self-regulation, emotional safety, and independence. The hosts challenge social media’s rebranding of permissive parenting as “gentle” or “compassionate” and explain why consistency, clear expectations, and calm modeling are key. They also tackle the fears many parents have about being “too firm,” offering practical examples of how to set limits with empathy and predictability while nurturing connection and confidence in their children.
Find Mike @ www.grownowadhd.com & on IG
Find Ryan @ www.adhddude.com & on Youtube
{{chapters}}
[00:00:00] Start
[00:00:30] Introduction to stepping into parental authority
[00:02:00] Research on parenting styles and ADHD outcomes
[00:05:30] Authoritative parenting defined and linked to lower ADHD symptoms
[00:07:30] Permissive parenting and its long-term effects
[00:11:00] Importance of limits, boundaries, and consistency
[00:14:30] Modeling calm behavior for emotional regulation
[00:17:00] When a child controls the home environment
[00:18:30] Why parents are misled about effective ADHD treatment
[00:20:00] Social media’s influence on permissive parenting
[00:22:00] Risks of permissive parenting for ADHD kids
[00:24:30] Practical ways to step into parental authority
[00:26:00] Predictability and routines for emotional safety
[00:29:30] Shifting to high empathy with high expectations
[00:32:00] Preparing ADHD kids for independence and adulthood
[00:33:00] Behavioral parent training as an evidence-based solution
[00:34:30] Reassurance for parents stepping into authority
[00:36:30] Closing and listener invitation
