Armor Up with Advocacy: Back-to School Armor Series
Aug 21, 2025
Discover the importance of self-advocacy for kids, especially those with ADHD. Learn how to express your needs with confidence, using fun prompts to practice phrases like 'I learn best when I ______.' Equip yourself with your advocacy armor: the helmet of self-knowledge, gloves of bravery, cape of calm, and a backpack full of tools. Embrace challenges, speak up respectfully, and realize that being brave is a superpower. It's all about building the skills that will help you succeed in school and beyond!
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volunteer_activism ADVICE
Ask For What Helps You Learn
Speak up to request what you need so you can learn your best.
Use polite, specific phrases like “Can I have a quiet space to work today?” to advocate.
insights INSIGHT
Start With Self-Knowledge
Knowing your brain is the first step to effective advocacy.
Identify what helps and what makes things harder so you can ask clearly.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Name Concrete Supports
Name specific supports that help your focus, like movement or fidgets.
Tell adults concrete needs such as “I work and listen better when I move around or fidget.”
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Speaking up for what we need can be SUPER hard sometimes, BUT it's such a BIG part of finding success in all settings, especially school. Practicing the art of self-advocacy and navigating how to do so in a respectful way, is a valuable life skill that will carry with you into adulthood.
In this episode we will talk about how you can put on your super-hero armor, knowing what you need and speaking up for yourself like the warrior you are! I share some examples of what that may sound like in that setting and even give some prompts where you finish the sentence to practice your own advocacy! Examples( " I learn best when I ______, Something that helps me is _______, can I please have _______.") I encourage you to practice self-advocacy at home too ( "I feel _____, I need ______."
Let's build your advocacy armor together...
Helmet of self-knowledge- knowing what your brain needs to succeed and what makes things harder. Example: "I work and listen better when I can move and fidget."
Gloves of bravery- "speaking up can feel scary, but I am brave and can do hard things!"
Cape of calm- Take a deep breath before asking for help!" You've got this!
Backpack of tools- Use the tools from the executive function toolbox you've built- Fidgets, visual timers, movement breaks, etc. ( go back and listen to the building my executive toolbox series if you aren't sure what that means!)
Reach out and share your self-advocacy growth stories with me!! You can reach me through my website at www.katelynmabry.com or you can email me at katelynmabry4@gmail.com. I hope to hear from you! Love you all!
Journey With Me Through ADHD: A podcast for kids 