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

Former teacher, reading specialist, teacher and parent educator, and coach, Heidi Nord, joins the show for a conversation about dyslexia. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Parent coach Zach Morris joins Debbie to answer a listener question about whether or not to relocate from a big city to a less stressful environment and one with access to nature, in order to preemptively support a child's mental health. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In a world overflowing with information and complexity, critical thinking isn't just a useful skill; it's an essential life raft. From navigating complex interactions to making informed decisions, our children need the ability to think critically now more than ever. But what does that really mean? And how can we as parents nurture this skill in our children? I invited author and Brave Writer founder Julie Bogart back to the show to help us answer these questions and to talk about her new book, Becoming a Critical Thinker: A Workbook to Help Students Think Well in an Age of Disinformation.In this conversation, we got into so many things. And as you’ll hear, I could have talked to Julie for hours. But for this episode, you can expect to hear Julie’s thoughts on how and why we can foster critical thinking in our children, how considering multiple perspectives and incorporating diverse viewpoints leads to better problem-solving, what parents can do to encourage self-awareness, open-mindedness, and curiosity, and much more.About Julie BogartJulie Bogart is known for her common sense parenting and education advice. She’s the author of the beloved book, The Brave Learner, which has brought joy and freedom to countless home educators. Her new book, Raising Critical Thinkers, offers parents a lifeline in navigating the complex digital world our kids are confronting.Julie’s also the creator of the award-winning, innovative online writing program called Brave Writer, now 22 years old, serving 191 countries. She home educated her five children, who are globe-trotting adults. Today, Julie lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, and can be found sipping a cup of tea while planning her next visit to one of her lifelong-learning kids.Things you'll learn from this episode Why critical thinking is essential to navigate complex issues and make informed decisions How considering multiple perspectives and incorporating diverse viewpoints leads to better problem-solving and policy-making How parents can play a crucial role in fostering critical thinking skills in their children by encouraging self-awareness, open-mindedness, and curiosity Why traditional models of authority and obedience in parenting are being replaced by a more collaborative and respectful approach that values children's reasoning and autonomy How the Becoming a Critical Thinker workbook helps students develop skills such as vetting sources, analyzing data, and considering multiple perspectives Why engaging in perspective-taking and tolerance can help neurodivergent kids deconstruct ideas and accept other points of view  Resources mentioned for Helping Kids Become Critical Thinkers Julie Bogart’s Brave Writer website Julie Bogart’s Blog at Brave Writer Brave Writer Writing Blitz Brave Writer Podcast Becoming a Critical Thinker: A Workbook to Help Students Think Well in an Age of Disinformation by Julie Bogart Raising Critical Thinkers: A Parents’ Guide to Growing Wise Kids in the Digital Age by Julie Bogart The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning, and Life by Julie Bogart Julie Bogart on Instagram Julie Bogart on Facebook Julie Bogart on Twitter Julie Bogart on Moving Through Writing Resistance for Differently Wired Kids (Tilt Parenting podcast) Herman Kahn Noam Chomsky The Vow (HBO Documentary series) Killing Us Softly documentary (Jean Kilborne)   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Debbie Reber, founder of Tilt Parenting and a visionary in parenting advocacy, shares her inspiring journey towards supporting parents of differently wired children. She reflects on her diverse background, including work with UNICEF and Nickelodeon. Debbie discusses the challenges of homeschooling after moving to Amsterdam and the vital role of community in parenting. She emphasizes the importance of inclusive language and celebrates the creation of resources like the Differently Wired Club, aimed at fostering a positive space for neurodivergent families.

Parent coach Margaret Webb joins Debbie to answer a listener question about how to best create a sense of safety in a child's nervous system when they are being aggressive or physical, while also protecting oneself in that moment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever felt paralyzed by all the “stuff” involved in charting a path and advocating for your child? I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s put off calling the insurance company or establishing a relationship with a new health care provider because at the time it felt too overwhelming and daunting. But what if there was a resource that provided everything parents and caregivers need to know about navigating all the complex, but critical, aspects of raising a neurodivergent child? How great would that be?I’ve got some good news for you! Today’s guest, Kelley Coleman, has created that resource — it’s her brand new book called Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your Guide to the Essential Systems, Services, and Supports. Kelley’s book draws upon over a decade of experience, including her own experience parenting a child with multiple disabilities. It’s an honest, relatable, actionable roadmap to the practicalities of parenting a disabled child, featuring personal stories, expert interviews, and the foundational information parents need to know about topics including diagnosis, school, doctors, insurance, financial planning, disability rights, and what life looks like as a parent caregiver.In this conversation, Kelley, a feature film development executive turned author and advocate for parent caregivers and individuals with disabilities, shares so many insights from her book, including the difference between being a parent and being a caregiver, strategies for navigating Insurance, working with medical teams, and other daunting systems, future care planning, and so much more.Seriously, Kelley has created SUCH an incredible resource in this book, because she’s researched, and mapped, and made simple and doable the key things and tools parents need to stop wasting unnecessary time, money, and stress as they navigate this journey.Enjoy the episode, and please share it with others who would benefit from Kelley’s insight and positive approach so that they can spend less time filling out forms, and more time loving their children exactly as they are. About Kelley ColemanKelley Coleman is a feature film development executive turned author and advocate for parent caregivers and individuals with disabilities. Her book Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your Guide to the Essential Systems, Services, and Supports draws upon over a decade of experience, including her own experience parenting a child with multiple disabilities. Kelley lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two boys, and her son’s trusty service dog. Things you'll learn from this episode What the difference is between parenting and caregiving and why it’s an important distinction to make What some of the most common challenge nondisabled parents face embracing disability in their children Why it’s critical that parents and caregivers have access to practical information (and why it’s so hard to find) Strategies for navigating Insurance, working with medical teams, and other daunting systems Why financial planning is so important and how to get started The benefits of connecting with experts and disabled leaders in the disability community  Resources mentioned for Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child Kelley Coleman’s website Everything No One Tells You About Parenting a Disabled Child: Your Guide to the Essential Systems, Services, and Supports by Kelley Coleman Kelley Coleman on Instagram Kelley Coleman on Facebook Emily Ladau’s website Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally by Emily Ladau Activist Emily Ladau on Demystifying Disability (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Judy Heumann (disability rights activist) Rebecca Cokley (disability rights activist) After Revealing He Couldn’t Read, Former Convict Is Inspiring Others on TikTok — Here’s How (People Magazine article about Oliver James) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kelly Hirt, a public school elementary school teacher and the parent of a homeschooled 2e child shares her strategies for "boosting" exceptional children to they can thrive in school and in life.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

In this solocast, Debbie Reber answers a listener question about how to navigate family vacations and travel with a young child who is tied to routine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I’ve been a longtime fan of Kim and Penn Holderness, who I’ve had a parasocial relationship with for years as I love to consume and share their funny music videos, vlogs, and skits. And in more recent years, it’s exciting to see them talking openly and with humor and authenticity about Penn’s ADHD and how together, Kim and Penn navigate their marriage and raising kids in their mixed neurotype household.All that say, I loved having a chance to sit down with Kim and Penn to talk about their brand new book, out next week, called ADHD is Awesome: A Guide to (Mostly) Thriving with ADHD, which they wrote because they are on a mission to reboot how we think about ADHD by taking us inside their ADHD world, and all highs, lows, and moments in between. I think what I loved about their book, and this conversation, the most is that Kim and Penn are real and open about how beautiful, and yes, messy, it can be to navigate family life as a person with ADHD or as someone married to an ADHDer. And so in today’s conversation, that’s what we hear about — how Penn has learned to hack himself to manage his ADHD-related challenges, the ways in which ADHD has enriched their family life, how Kim has reframed her thinking and approach to support Penn’s executive function challenges and be an “ADHD whisperer” while also taking care of her own emotional and mental well-being.After listening to this episode, I highly recommend you go to their Instagram or YouTube and check out their content. Their first book together, Everybody Fights, about how couples can fight better and end your arguments feeling closer, more loved, and better understood, came out in 2021. The book we’re talking about today, ADHD is Awesome, comes out April 30. About Kim and Penn HoldernessKim and Penn Holderness have been married for sixteen years. For seven of those years, they have chronicled their marriage and their family with funny music videos, vlogs, skits, and a podcast. Their videos have resulted in over a billion views and 4.5 million followers across social media.Penn and Kim honed their storytelling skills with twenty-five combined years in the TV news business. Today, they own their own company, Holderness Family Productions, where Kim is Chief Executive Officer and Penn is Chief Creative Officer.As well as creating content for their channels, they also work alongside brands and agencies to shape product launches and marketing campaigns. Their book about improving communication in marriage was released March 30, 2021.Penn and Kim live in Raleigh, North Carolina, with their children, Lola and Penn Charles, and fluffy dog, Sunny. Things you'll learn from this episode How Penn navigated being diagnosed with ADHD in college and how that impacted his understanding of self and identity The power of “operation mindset shift” and reframing ADHD traits as strengths How Kim came to understand how Penn’s brain wiring impacted his executive functioning How Penn has “hacked” himself to manage his ADHD symptoms and challenges The power of empathy, comfort, and connection when navigating a mixed neurotypes relationship What some of the “upsides” are for friends and family members of people with ADHD  Resources mentioned for How ADHD is Awesome in Love & in Life The Holderness Family ADHD is Awesome: A Guide to (Mostly) Thriving with ADHD by Kim and Penn Holderness The Holderness Family Podcast ADHD is Awesome Book Trailer (YouTube) Everybody Fights: So Why Not Get Better At It? by Kim and Penn Holderness Dr. Ned Hallowell Dr. Ned Hallowell on How Parents Can Best Support Their Children with ADHD (Tilt Parenting podcast) Dr. Emily King Learn with Dr. Emily (podcast) ADHD 2.0: New Science and Essential Strategies for Thriving with Distraction - from Childhood Through Adulthood by Dr. Ned Hallowell Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood through Adulthood by Dr. Ned Hallowell and Dr. John Ratey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tilt Founder Debbie Reber talks about the importance of having a self-care practice, and shares her best strategies for making self-care a regular part of daily life.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