Journey With Me Through ADHD: A podcast for kids

Have you ever heard that we need to stay CURIOUS before FURIOUS!? If not, you have heard it now and I want you to write it down as a daily reminder in both responding to others and being more kind to yourself!  In this episode, we will explore this whole idea of calming your mind by maintaining a posture of curiosity in the face of bordom or other situations that trigger that nervous system or make those thoughts race!  Listen in as we practice self-reflective questions that will ignite curiosity and curb bordom!  Have you checked out our May sponsor yet!? CALM STRIPS is a fantastic sensory tool for the whole family that your curious mind can use to find calm. It's residue free, which is great for every surface and it's water resistent, so you can take them with you on your waterbottle too! They continually have new colors and styles to choose from, while also offering an option to customize a unique sensory tool just for you! It would make a wonderful teacher gift too!! Visit www.calmstrips.com to learn more!  You can also visit me at www.katelynmabry.com for more resources, or to connect with me if you're interested in a FREE coaching consultation! I LOVE working 1:1 with kiddos two while we take transformational steps that are helpful for the whole family!    Intro music credit: http://uppbeat.io/t/andrey-rossi/seize-the-day License code: BYYN10YF2HHNY3YO  

"We are hard-wired to connect with others, it's what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, without it, there is suffering." ~Brene Brown (social worker, world renowned speaker). This is how God desiged us, we are created for CONNECTION!  Do you agree!? Sometimes we CRAVE connection, but have a hard time creating it!  I know I do and have a daily experience with this too! When I feel connected, I feel more regulated, when I feel disconnected, I start to spiral into dysregulation!  Bottom line, disconnection leads to dysregulation in all areas of life!  The good news is that we CAN takes steps toward more intentional connection...Let's practice these three steps... FIGURE out if you in fact are disconnected... Are you feeling distant from others? Are you feeling irritable or just plain funky at home or at school? Are your grades dropping? If so, throw up the red flag of disconnection... NOW WHAT? FIND a way to connect... Ask trusted adult or green light friends to hang out, email teachers pictures from your weekend to connect with when you get back to school, invite others to do something your intereste drived brain loves to do with you!  FALL into the HABIT of intentionall connecting with others... Make plans with green light friends or trusted adult ahead of time to create playful opportunities throughout the week.  When we are intentional with connection, we can stay on top of our regulation and just overall feel better from day to day!!  Reach out to me through my website www.katelynmabry.com to share your connection story.  Also check out our sponsor Calm Strips @ www.calmstrips.com. These fantastic calming tools are a great addition to your household and classroom settings. They are residue free and water resistant, so they are create for all surfaces. These sesory tools are great for your whole family to use! I know we love them and I know you will too!    Intro music credit: #uppbeat http://uppbeat.io/t/andrey-rossi/seize-the-day License code: BYYN10YF2HHNY3YO

Do you have thoughts that race like a really fast car and you find yourself worried about things near and far!? If so, you are not alone and so many of us have these thoughts and feelings too!  In this episode, we will practice capturing that first thought that is spiraling us into a state of worry! We will practice speaking truth to that thought, regulate to find calm, and then release the thought so that it can be reframed to a thought that will take us down a road of less worry and more hope for the future! I also share a sneak peek of some pages from a book I am working on... Practice makes progress and I know all of us have different levels and experiences with this thing called Anxiety, but I also know that you can intentionally take steps to grab hold of control over those thoughts driving those intense feelings! Let's do it together, one step at a time!  Some great tools to embed into this practice are CALM STRIPS! These residue-free, water resistant sensory strips are great for the whole family to use on any surface and in any space. You can put it on your favorite water bottle, on a desk, i-pad, phone, in your car, or anywhere else worry may strike! You can even customize them to meet your thought needs! Check them out at www.calmstrips.com to start your collection at home and school!  Reach out to me at www.katelynmabry.com to learn more about the current book I have available, "Hi, It's Me! I have ADHD." You can also contact me if your kiddo would like to share some of their ADHD journey with their peers! Kids love hearing from other kids with beautiful, brilliant, busy brains! Have a great day! Love you all!    Intro music credit: #Uppbeat http://uppbeat.io/t/andrey-rossi/seize-the-day License code: BYYN10YF2HHNY3YO

Do you love a good mystery!? I know I do, but sometimes it's hard to find a book that keeps meet engaged and wanting to read more... I hope you will jump into this exciting book series with me, that was written for our busy brains and has a main character that shares a busy brilliant brain just like you and I do!  In this episode, you will meet Author, Diana Renn, who has a passion for bringing a good mystery to life and connecting with readers who may be struggling to be seen or understood! Diana shares some details of her first two books, "The Owl Prowl Mystery" and "Trouble at Turtle Pond." You will love the story line of both books and they act as great read alouds, bedtime stories, or even books to read to get more minutes in to grow your brilliant brains!  CONNECTION is what we all crave and it is what you will find with this book series! Go to www.dianarennbooks.com to learn more about this awesome book and find some fabulous follow up resources that will help you dive in even deeper!  I'm so excited for you to check out our May sponsor, Calm Strips! These handy sensory sensations can go with you anywhere as they are reusable and are safe to stick to water bottles, tablets, desks at school and home. Kids love to collect and trade these, while using them to both focus and find calm!! Visit www.calmstrips.com to find the pattern that speaks to you!!! You can also visit me at www.katelynmabry.com to connect and share your journey with me too! I look forward to hearing from you!!  Intro music from #Uppbeat http://uppbeat.io/t/andrey-rossi/seize-the-day License Code: BYN10YF2HHNY3YO

Do you ever find friendships tricky or being in social settings sticky!? If so, you are not alone! In this episode, we will piggyback off of becoming more self aware in these social situations and we will talk about how to find our voice and self-advocate for what we need with friends and in other social settings!  We are bringing back the 3 R's when it comes to self-advocacy... Recognize when you have a need Regulate when overwhelmed/triggered Respond once thinking brain is back online to what you may need in that situation (space, a break, movement, quiet, etc...) We also disuss the importance of being mindful and recognizing what your friends need...like active listening, space bubbles, space and an explanation to explore!? The more we can practice putting a voice to how we think and feel, followed by sharing our needs, the more aware our friends and others will be to help them be more prepared to respond best to support you too!  Let's continue putting on the armor of unconditional confidence in those social settings too! "WHAT CAN I CONTROL!? My thoughts, effort, attitude, and how I treat others!" You can visit me at www.katelynmabry.com for more resources or to connect with me to share future episode ideas. I would love to hear from you!  Make sure you check this month's sponsor, StoryMii! This soothing app will transform your reading experience!! It will open up the world of imagination and allow your child to create stories that they will get excited to read again and again as it's designed to entertain their beautiful, busy brain! Visit www.miiapps.com and plug in ADHD10 to experience 1 month of story creation for FREE!    Intro music from #uppbeat (free for creators) http://uppbeat.io/t/andrey-rossi/seize-the-day License code: BYYN10F2HHNY3YO

Do you ever feel like "no one understands," or the feeling of not being seen or heard consumes you at home and/or at school!? If so, this episode is for you and you are not alone! Let me be clear...we are not giving excuses...we are giving EXPLAINATIONS to explore!!  This is episode 2 of our self-advocacy series! So go back and listen to last weeks episode for the intro to get the most out of the series! In this episode, we dive deeper into how to be your best self-advocate at home and at school with both words and actions. Now, please know that self-advocacy needs to come with an equal about of respect and kindness in your tone and attitude. Those you love are learning right alongside you! As you explain and explore what works best, do so with love and kindness!  Home is often our safe space to express, however, others ofter don't see the internal struggle, they only see the behavior!  Practice listening to your mind a body! Practice using your words to express your need, " I am having a hard time!" "My brain needs a break, I am going to go outside!" "I need a snack and movement before I start my homework to refuel my mind!"  If words are hard, practice with actions: Zip lips and move feet away space where big feelings are triggered. Play outside or find calm doing something you love in your room or other safe space to feel your feelings!  School can be tricky, but SUPER important to find your voice as so often your behavior or challenges are misunderstood! Identify which tools could be helpful in that classroom/school environment. Practice what to say, when to say, and how to say what you need to succeed at home so that you feel more comfortable doing it at school!  Give a voice to your needs in that school environment: "I am having a hard time focusing, I NEED to move my body so I can come back and find focus again."  Self-advocacy is a skill that can be tricky for kids and adults! But if we practice at a younger age and more often, it will become easier and more of a habit! Don't forget to check out our April sponsor, Story Mii @ http://www.miiapps.com and plug in the code: ADHD10 to enjoy one month free of creating all of the stories your heart desires!! This app will surely ignite your love for reading and bring to life your amazing imagination!! I would love to hear how you and your kiddos like it!!  You can also connect with me through www.katelynmabry.com . Oh and if you're interested in a signed copy of my book for you or your child's classroom, reach out, because I have some on hand that I would love to sign and send to you! Have a beautiful day! Love you all!    Intro music credit:  Music from #uppbeat (free for creators) http://uppbeat.io/t/andrey-rossi/seize-the-day License code: BYYN10YF2HHNY3YO

Do you ever feel like you wish others could look inside your brain to understand you better!? It's our deepest desire to feel seen, heard, and understood...this is why this self-advocacy series is so important!  What is self- advocacy? It's speaking up for oneself and what you need to succeed in different environments! Why is this so important? Because often others don't understand the way our uniquely wired brains work! Some of us look like sitting ducks, masking the day away and paddling like crazy under the surface trying to stay afloat! Others have behaviors that are misunderstood because the internal piece is misunderstood! Because others don't always know WHAT works best for us (what we need in our executive function toolbox or what to pull out of it when!) Because others need to know WHEN there is an internal struggle that needs a tool or strategy in the moment (i.e. taking breaks, breaking tasks into parts, or even a need for noise reduction because of the distractions the noises cause.) Let's take some action steps toward self- advocacy together... Practice speaking up to those closest to you and safest for you! Provide EXPLANATION vs. any excuses  Protect your heart and mind- Sometimes others will choose not to accommodate or hear you in your effort to self-advocate...this is when you put on your armor of unconditional confidence, leaning into what you CAN control... your thoughts, effort, attitude, and how you treat others!  If you enjoy this podcast and would like to learn more about my 1:1 coaching, reach out to me @ www.katelymabry.com . You can also check out my book and follow me on IG for more helpful content! ALSO, if your kiddo would like to practice self-advocating by sharing some of their ADHD journey on a future podcast episode, please reach out and let me know so we can set that up!  Make sure to check out our April Sponsor "StoryMii." This brilliant App was created for the neurodivergent mind to fall in love with reading! It is designed especially for kiddos who struggle with ADHD and dyslexia. This story app brings your child's imagination to life!  My son LOVES it and I know you will too! Go to  http://www.miiapps.com and plug in the code: ADHD10 to recieve free access for 1 month!! Let me know how you like it!    Intro music credit: Music from #Uppbeat (free for creators!) http://uppbeat.io/t/andrey-rossi/seize-the-day License code: BYYN10YF2HHNY3YO

Reading was always a battle growing up! I remember sweating at the thought of being called on in class to read out loud!! YIKES! Is reading a struggle for you too? OR do you enjoy reading like I do as an adult, BUT your interest driven brain has a hard time to find a book/story that holds your attention/interest!? Well, look no further! In this episode, you will hear from CEO and founder Nancy Sun, who shares the brilliant App she built called Story Mii... After her own personal battle she had trying to find something her son would read without a fight, she shares how coupling his creative ideas with AI gave her the idea to build a calming App for kids to create a story of their own OR choose from a library of deliberately written stories that speak to the neurodivergent brain! You are able to create a profile and put stories together, choosing characters, settings, and storylines! My kids are absolutely loving this App and I think you all will too!  The extra cool part is that Story Mii is also our podcast sponsor for the month of April!! WOHOO! Nancy and her team have generously offered a code to give you a month of free App use so you can see if it's a good fit for your family too! Just plug in your email address with the discount code: ADHD10 to get started!  You can also reach out to me at www.katelynmabry.com for questions or other resources. I would love to connect with you! Have a beautiful day! Love you all!  Intro music from #uppbeat http://uppbeat.oi/t/andrey-rossi/seize-the-day License code: BYYN10YF2HHNY3YO

Are you ever around friends or groups of people and find yourself overwhelmed, sometimes saying or doing things that later you think, oops!? Well, if so, you are not alone. It can feel overwhelming and overstimulating to be in social situations, often causing our big emotions to spiral or come out sideways! I've got you!  In this episode, we will talk about how being with friends and in social situations can be hard sometimes. We will discuss how we can fine tune that filter that often swings wide open and talk about three action steps we can take to help grow in these social settings!  4 reflective questions to ask to strengthen that filter before you say and do... Is it kind? Is it helpful? Is it true? Does it need to be said? These are questions that strengthen that filter in your head!  Next, we explore 3 things to practice doing in social situations... 1. Practice putting on a space bubble- Plan for the space you and/ or others feel comforable and pretend that there are built in glasses and help you practice looking at others (choose a comfortable facial feature if eye contact makes you feel uncomfortable.) 2. Adjust ears to exercise active listening- Practice a breath and a break when talking with others and ask questions to allow for them to talk and you to listen. 3. Become self aware of when Rejection Sensitive Disphoria (RSD) strikes: Check out podcast episode 9, "ADHD with "Rejection Sensitivity: Feeling deeply about what others think of me" to learn more about what RSD is! We will dive deeper into this topic once more self-awareness is established!  I hope these are helpful takeaways to practice as you enter into different social settings. Don't forget to check out our sponsor's brilliant product, the Gibbon Slackboard (Giboard), to use as a tool for family or friend, fitness and fun! We love it in our home, even at social events, and I know you'd love it in yours too! It will be a friends favorite! www.giboardus.com discount code: ADHD10 Connect with me at www.katelynmabry.com for more resources or to learn more about my 1:1 coaching experience! I would also love to hear from you if your kiddo would like to share an audio clip in a future episode! Kids love to hear from each other!  Intro music from #uppbeat  http://uppbeat.io/t/andrey-rossi/seize-the-day  License code: BYYN10YF2HHNY3YO

Home is where the heart is! This is why we can let ALL of those big feelings out and navigate our many thoughts racing through our heads throughout the day!  In this episode, we will talk about Dr. Ned Hallowell's famous quote, "Living with an ADHD brain is like having a ferrari for a brain, with bicycle breaks! Can you realate!? I know I can! I ask reflection questions, and share some tools and strategies for the home environment to raise awareness in order to moving through your day with less frustration and more clarity!  How does your mind and body feel at home during different parts of your day? What does my mind and body need to succeed at home?  Where do your thoughts take you? How does your body feel if thoughts start to go in a downward spiral? We discuss choosing to drive your thoughts in a direction that will help us learn and grow... Follow a flow- Create visual routines that work best for you (Your brain craves structure, it's just tricky to create it sometimes.)  Figure in breaks (mind and body)- We need to be mindful of our need to refuel our brains throughout the day (rest, movement, nutrients)! Find connections- This will help with regulation, finding calm, and collaboratively problem solving when things feel tricky! If you haven't already, check out the Gibbon Slackboard! It really is a blast for the whole family, while also acting as a great tool for regulation and concentration! Go to www.giboardus.com and plug in the discount code: ADHD10 to add this fantastic tool to you and your family's executive function toolbox!  You can find me at www.katelynmabry.com to check out my resources or reach out if you are interested in exploring my 1:1 coaching experience! I would love to come alongside your family on your journey! Intro music credit: http://uppbeat.oi/t/andrey-rossi/seize-the-day License code: BYYN10YF2HHNY3YO