Journey With Me Through ADHD: A podcast for kids

Exploring the impact of ADHD on emotions and behaviors, discussing how hurt can be hidden and projected onto others, addressing the importance of identifying and releasing hurt, and promoting forgiveness to break the cycle of hurt

AHHH! Our ADHD brains CRAVE a daily structured routine, but our busy brains have the hardest time CREATING it!! Some days feel impossible to navigate and this is why getting help to put a structured routine in place is a must!  In this episode, you will learn all about WHY our brain craves a structured routine and HOW we can help our brains find success in this area of struggle!  WHY does your brain love structured routines??? 🌟It PROVIDES organization and predictability, which helps us regulate emotions and feel more externally in control in our environment. 🌟It PREVENTS more frequent conflicts. The predictability helps us find more success in coping with stress and anxiety! 🌟It PROACTIVELY builds skills and habits which makes our busy brain so happy to experience success in those skill and habit areas (chores, activities, meals, etc.) HOWEVER executive function challenges need to be taken into account and accommodations may need to be made in this process of growing more independent in some skills… 🌟It PRODUCES more confidence and improves self-esteem as you can continue to set you kiddo up for success within a structured routine! Plus, if it’s a family affair, they don’t feel singled out!🙌🏽❤️ HOW can you help your brain create a structured routine? 🌟CREATE a daily schedule of events (prepare a predictable plan…limit choices and break big activities into smaller, more manageable things/tasks to do.) 🌟CUSTOMIZE it to you and your child’s need. Include brain breaks, movement activities, visuals, visual timers, even time for being spontaneous… 🌟CONNECT: Continue to check in and connect with your child and self-check if there is a need for flexibility or a need to include what our brains also crave…INTERESTS, NOVELTY, URGENCY, or even a dose of DOPAMINE!! You will hear about all this and more when you listen in! Visit my website www.katelynmabry.com to get on my email list, order a copy of my book, or even reach out and share a topic idea! I am also always looking for kiddos to share on the podcast too! I would love to hear from you! 

" Why fit in when you were born to stand out!" Dr. Suess was on to something with this quote! Too often being "different" is tied to a bad thing and ALL kids struggle with the desire to just want to fit in with their peers. This challenge is greater for those of us with ADHD, because many kids and adults put on masks and try to cover up their unique traits and tendancies to be liked by others.  In this episode, I share my own personal experience of trying to fit in as a kid and then you will hear from 10 and 12 year olds who share their experience with trying to fit in and practicing ways to stand out! This is a great conversation opportunity!  Being your true self will attract authentic/real friends and allow you to gain confidence in the unique way you have been created! Letting your true self shine through your gifts, strengths, traits, and abilities is when you will experience real joy in life with people who get you or love you for who you are!  Go to www.katelynmabry.com to get on my email list! Please contact me with any future epidsode topics or to share a part of your child's ADHD journey. 

A FEW NOTES: Please forgive my audio quality as I experienced difficulty with my microphone this episode, but wanted you to hear from Dr. Kojo! Also, this is a longer episode that you may want to listen to in two parts. Lastly, I have been doing every other week due to family struggles, but I will be starting up with every week again after this week! Thank you all for being here and for listening! I hope it is helpful!  You guys are in for a treat with this episode!! We have the pleasure of hearing from Dr. Kojo Sarfo, who is a mental health nurse practicioner, a psychotherapist, and a social media content creator with over 2 Million followers across his platforms! He creates relatable and educational videos and skits for all to enjoy. Dr. Kojo not only works with individuals with ADHD, but he also lives with an ADHD brain that he is learning about right alongside all of us!  In this episode, you will hear from Dr. Kojo about this struggle with time management and how it effects all areas of his life. He then shares some tools and strategies he puts into place to help with that battle. He also shares his strength of getting things done under pressure and being able to connect with others who have challenges like he does. All of his insights, knowledge, and experience he shares is so valuable. You can find Dr. Kojo Sarfo primarily on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. His handle is @drkojosarfo. Check out my website at www.katelynmabry.com to schedule a FREE coaching consultation, to grab a copy of my book, or to get on my email list for more resources!   

In this episode, the guest, Michelle Lum, a pharmacist and fellow ADHD brain, simplifies the explanation of ADHD medication. She discusses how it can be one piece of armor to navigate environments that are not conducive to a uniquely wired brain. The importance of open conversations about medication, its role in managing attention and staying on task, and the need for personalized medication are emphasized. Listeners are encouraged to explore different strategies alongside medication.

ADHD and procrastination go hand in hand! This is because when we are faced with a task to do, there are a lot of executive function skills needed to start, carry out, and complete that task! There is also the overwhelm factor, avoidance due to fear of failure, or even the mere fact that the task at hand is super boring to our brains!!  In this episode, we will talk about "why" we procrastinate and some steps to take to move from procrastination to productivity! 1. Setting visual timers 2. Breaking tasks into bite size pieces 3. Self-advocate for interests, novelty, urgency, and doses of dopamine. The biggest takeaway is having a conversation about what you procrastinate about and how you can best help your brain battle that tendency to conquor the tasks ahead! What steps do you need to practice in your home or at school to tackle procrastination head on? Sign up for my upcoming newsletters for more resources at www.katelynmabry.com  Email me at katelynmabry4@gmail.com to share episode topic ideas or if your child would like to share on this podcast!   

Do you hear a lot of " I can't" or "I always" or I'm not good at..." Often times our brains can go to the extreme and hang onto the negative! This all or nothing thinking can take you down a slippery slope of fixed negative thoughts that leave you in a bad place mentally and emotionally! That's no fun!!  In this episode, you will hear a skit from actor and fellow ADHD brain Connor DeWolfe who gives examples of what it looks like to live with an all or nothing thought process! You will then learn what all or nothing thinking is and how to combat it with three steps to put into practice!!  1. Identify what is really true. 2. Define what your success looks like. 3. Make bite size goals. The key is to practice these things in all sorts of all or nothing thinking scenarios to exercise your brain to see the silver lining and find hope in those areas of frustration.    I am still looking for friends to share part of their journey with us or to give topic ideas for future episodes! You can visit my website at www.katelynmabry.com for more resources, to order my book, or to message me about a free ADHD coaching consult.

Taking a test has always been a battle for me. How do you feel about taking a test? Growing up, it always made me feel like I wasn't smart enough and it would be so frustrating to feel like I was trying as hard as possible and still the test or even sometimes assignments didn't show my effort! With the testing going on around the US right now, I wanted to share an episode that speaks to the truth that  1. testing does not define you and 2. testing does not determine your capabilities or intelligence!  In this episode, you will hear my daughter and I attempt to turn "You Don't Talk about Bruno" into a song about testing. She then shares her feelings on taking a test and asks about yours! It's so important to have this conversation to be sure that there are no feelings of shame or lack of self-worth/confidence given a low score. It's also important to find fun and creative ways to practice for a test in colorful ways! There is also hope in that each one of you have strengths and gifts that when used to learn something you love, they will lead you through the education you need, to a career you enjoy!  Please email me if you'd like to be a guest on this podcast, or if you have a topic idea to share... katelynmabry4@gmail.com  Visit my website: www.katelynmabry.com  

Our busy brains love technology because it gives us some of the things we crave...It provides a dose of dopamine, it triggers that imaginitive state of mind, and ignites that superpower of hyperfocus as it taps into an interest we have! This sparks joy and even can be a way we find our "calm" at times!  The problem lies when it becomes TOO MUCH! Too much of anything can be dangerous. It can lead to emotional dysregulation, irritabilty, and can affect our sleep (which can heighten ADHD symptoms).  In this episode, you will hear from a few kiddos with ADHD who share how they feel when they are on their favorite technology device. I follow up this common thread of joy filled responses with how we can still enjoy technology while also created boundtries and coming up with a plan for when it is used. Creating a fun contract may be a great way to decrease frustrations with established boundries. Being mindful of technology before bed is the last take away I encourage as a helpful tool as we find ways to calm our mind and body down before falling asleep!  I hope this episode is a helpful conversational tool. Please know that it's meant to act as a jumpstart to finding what works best for your family! Please let me know if you have any questions or share what worked best for you! Sending love and support always!  Visit www.katelynmabry.com  for more resources or to set up a 15 min free consult for ADHD Coaching. Email me directly at katelynmabry4@gmail.com to share topic ideas or if your child would like to share on a future podcast episodes.

April Fools!! For my regular listeners, you may have been wondering if I was going to do an episode this week, but here I am one day late using April 1st as a perfectly good reason to delay the episode;) My daughter, Alayna, joins me in the beginning of this episode as we play off of April fools day and talk about how laughter can be a great form of triggering motivation and joy into areas of struggle as well. Laughter gives a dose of dopamine and gives our mind that joy chemical it needs. Layni shares some ways that she embeds laughter into her day. She also admits that she is "always" finding herself bored! I think many of you can relate to that feeling too!  Boredom is not a symptom of ADHD, but it is a result of our brains neurologically needing more stimulation and entertainment. In this episode I share three ways to combat bordom both at home and at school... 1. Embed/tie interests into activities. Use fidgets to do math or look up a Minecraft article to get reading time in. General boredom can ignite that creativity that is already a gift your mind has. Tap into that creativity and make up a game at home that includes something of interest, etc.  2. Make yourself move! I say "make" because often ADHD paralysis becomes a struggle and you don't "want" to move...but getting creative with movement of ANY kind will battle boredom and also give that dose of dopamine that you are low in.  3. Shorten activities and switch it up! Create novelty in what you do throughout your day. Plan on doing things in shorter time periods (draw for 5 min. Then go outside for 10 min. Next, come in for a snack for 5 more minutes) At school, advocate for changing environments to get work done or encourage teacher to change room around to keep it fresh. Encourage teacher to shorten lesson time periods of presentation as well. I know that can be hard, but super helpful for ALL students. Breaking things into smaller parts is the key! I hope you enjoy this episode! Please email me at katelynmabry4@gmail.com if you'd like me to send questions so your child can share their ADHD journey on this podcast. Check out my website www.katelynmabry.com for more resources or to order a signed copy of my book, "Hi, It's Me! I have ADHD"  Thank you for being here! Love you all!