Shining With ADHD by The Childhood Collective

#212: ADHD and Self-Esteem: How to Help Your Child Feel Good About Who They Are

Feb 2, 2026

Penny Williams, behavior and parenting coach and author of Boy Without Instructions, shares how her own social anxiety shaped her parenting. She introduces the authenticity mirror and practical ways to reflect confidence and pride back to kids. Short rituals, nonverbal cues, and tiny habit shifts help parents notice strengths aloud and let children be themselves.

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INSIGHT

Brains Don’t Need Fixing To Deserve Acceptance

We cannot change the brains our kids were born with, so self-acceptance must be prioritized.
Help children learn to navigate a neurotypical world while feeling good about themselves.

INSIGHT

Words Shape A Child’s Inner Story

What we say to our kids becomes their inner narrative, so our words shape their self-view.
For neurodivergent kids, mirrored messages must reinforce acceptance and confidence.

ANECDOTE

Social Anxiety Shaped Her Parenting

Penny shares her social anxiety led her to push her kids to look 'put together' for acceptance.
She realized she was projecting her fears and had to stop imposing them on her children.

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SHINING WITH ADHD

#212: ADHD and Self-Esteem: How to Help Your Child Feel Good About Who They Are

The Childhood Collective

2/4/2026

SUMMARY

We are talking with Penny Williams, host of the Beautifully Complex podcast, about ADHD and self-esteem. Penny vulnerably shares how her own social anxiety once made her overly critical, driven by a need for her kids to look “put together” as a reflection of her. We explore how letting go of others’ opinions can be a powerful turning point, especially for parents raising kids with ADHD and autism. Penny introduces the authenticity mirror and offers practical ways to reflect acceptance, confidence, and pride back to your child so they can feel good about who they truly are.

MEET PENNY WILLIAMS

Penny Williams is a behavior and parenting coach, author, and educator who supports families raising neurodivergent kids, including those with ADHD, autism, and anxiety. Through her science-informed, compassion-centered SIGNAL Parenting™ framework, she helps parents understand what behavior is communicating and respond with connection instead of punishment.

Penny is the award-winning author of Boy Without Instructions, host of the Beautifully Complex Podcast with over 5 million downloads, and founder of the Regulated Kids Project. Her work has been featured in leading parenting and neurodiversity publications.

At the heart of Penny’s work is one powerful belief: Behavior isn’t the problem — it’s the signal.

LINKS + RESOURCES

Episode #212 Transcript

Penny's Website

Beautifully Complex Podcast

Penny's Instagram

The Childhood Collective Instagram

Have a question or want to share some thoughts? Shoot us an email at hello@thechildhoodcollective.com

Mentioned in this episode:

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