Calm Parenting Podcast Should You Medicate? 20 Natural Ways to Help ND & ADHD Kids #543
Dec 10, 2025
Discover effective strategies for helping neurodivergent children thrive without relying solely on medication. Kirk offers 20 tools, emphasizing diet changes, outdoor play, and classroom techniques to improve focus. He advocates for parents to model self-control and reframe hyperactivity as a strength. Learn how to create routines to reduce anxiety and encourage children to advocate for themselves. The discussion includes the ethics of school medication suggestions and practical ways to manage energy and impulse control.
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Lead With Outdoor Sensory Play
- Lead your kids outside and play with them to meet sensory and movement needs before school.
- Prioritize activities like climbing, martial arts, swimming, and gymnastics to provide sensory regulation and focus benefits.
Use Cross-Body Microbreaks
- Use short cross-body movement breaks (Simon Says, chair push-ups) to stimulate both brain hemispheres during class.
- These quick activities provide sensory pressure and improve focus without losing instructional time.
Misbehavior As Brain Stimulation
- Many kids are physiologically under-stimulated and seek stimulation via fidgeting, arguing, or procrastination.
- Recognize those behaviors as attempts to increase blood flow and arousal rather than just misbehavior.