Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence!

As parents, we have a powerful influence on how our children experience school and learning—even as they get older and become more independent. In this episode of Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence!, Jenny talks about why parent involvement still matters for children with ADHD and other neurodivergent learners, and how to stay connected without taking over. Parent involvement isn’t about monitoring every grade or managing every assignment. It’s about showing genuine interest in your child’s learning, communicating with teachers, creating supportive routines at home, and helping your child gradually build the confidence and self-advocacy skills they need to become more independent. Jenny also shares practical ways parents can stay involved throughout the elementary, middle, and high school years—even when volunteering in the classroom is no longer an option. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why your attitude toward school and learning can influence your child Why parent involvement is about much more than grades How staying connected to school can help children feel supported and valued Why communication between parents and teachers is so important How to share struggles teachers may not see happening at home Ways to help older children advocate and communicate with teachers themselves How to create a supportive homework and learning environment Why routines and structure can make schoolwork feel more manageable Simple ways to stay involved in your child’s school community as they get older The goal isn’t to do school for your child. It’s to create a supportive foundation that helps them build confidence, independence, and a healthier relationship with learning. Ready for More Support? Learn more about WeThrive Learning: Visit WeThriveLearning.com to learn more about our educational therapy and ADHD student coaching services. Schedule a Free Consultation: If school, homework, organization, executive functioning, or confidence has become a struggle for your child, schedule a free consultation with our team at WeThriveLearning.com. We’ll learn more about your child and help you determine what kind of support may be the best fit. 👥 Join Our Parent Community: Join our Facebook group, Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence!, for practical strategies, encouragement, resources, and conversations with other parents raising neurodivergent learners.

Navigating an IEP can feel overwhelming—especially when you’re not sure whether your child is actually getting the support they need. When should you bring in a special education advocate? When might you need an attorney? And does bringing outside support into an IEP meeting automatically make things adversarial? In this episode of Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence!, Jenny talks with Richard Isaacs, owner of California Special Needs Law Group, about how families can advocate more confidently within the special education system. Richard breaks down the difference between an advocate and an attorney, explains what happens when families need to move beyond the standard IEP process, and shares why parents should not necessarily wait until their child is in crisis before asking for help. You’ll learn: The difference between a special education advocate and attorney Why advocates can be helpful even when things are going relatively well What parents should monitor after an IEP meeting Why services on paper do not always equal effective intervention How assessments help clarify a student’s needs What compensatory education can mean Why special education disputes may take months to resolve How collaboration can remain part of strong advocacy When it may be time to seek outside support Richard also shares powerful stories of students whose educational paths changed dramatically once their needs were properly understood and supported. The biggest takeaway? You do not have to navigate the IEP process by yourself. Asking questions early can help you better understand your child’s rights, needs, and options. Learn more about WeThrive Learning: WeThriveLearning.com Schedule a free consultation with WeThrive Learning: Visit WeThriveLearning.com to learn more about educational therapy and ADHD/executive-function support. Join our Facebook group: Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence! Learn more about Richard Isaacs and California Special Needs Law Group: CSNLG.com This episode is for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Special education laws and procedures vary by jurisdiction and individual circumstances.

Does your teen with ADHD seem like they simply don’t care about school? Maybe they’re missing assignments, settling for lower grades than they’re capable of, procrastinating until the last minute, or shrugging and saying, “Whatever.” It’s easy to interpret that behavior as laziness or a lack of motivation. But there may be much more happening underneath. In this episode of Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence!, Jenny explains why motivation works differently for many teens with ADHD—and why “I don’t care” may actually mean: “I’m overwhelmed.” “I don’t know where to start.” “I’m afraid I can’t catch up.” “I’m embarrassed.” “I need help but don’t know how to ask.” “This is harder for me than you realize.” You’ll learn why interest, urgency, and positive emotion can influence ADHD engagement, as well as three important ingredients for self-driven motivation: autonomy, competence, and purpose. Jenny also explains why bribes, rewards, and punishments often produce only short-term results and shares practical coaching questions parents can use instead. You’ll walk away with strategies for creating conversations that sound less like: “Why haven’t you done this yet?” and more like: “What’s getting in the way, and what would make this feel doable?” Because the goal isn’t simply getting your teen through tonight’s homework. It’s helping them learn how to understand themselves, ask for help, make a plan, and eventually manage these challenges independently. Learn more about WeThrive Learning: WeThriveLearning.com Schedule a free consultation: Visit WeThriveLearning.com to learn how educational therapy and ADHD/executive-function coaching can support your student. Join our Facebook community: Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence!

Does your child seem years ahead in one area and years behind in another? Maybe they can explain incredibly advanced ideas but forget assignments. Perhaps they can talk endlessly about history, coding, science, or another passion—but struggle socially, emotionally, or academically in ways that don't seem to match their intelligence. Your child may have what is known as a twice-exceptional, or 2e, profile. In today's episode, Jenny talks with Sam Young, founder and Head of School at Young Scholars Academy, about what it really means to be twice-exceptional and why these children are so frequently misunderstood. You'll learn why giftedness and learning differences can coexist, the three ways twice-exceptionality can become masked, and how asynchronous development affects children's academic experiences, friendships, emotional regulation, and confidence. Sam also explains why constantly focusing on deficits can leave children believing something is wrong with them—and what parents can do instead. You'll hear practical ideas for: Identifying and communicating your child's strengths Using interests to build executive-function skills Understanding why kids may fall apart after school Creating more flexibility around how children learn Exploring whether your child may be twice-exceptional Building a supportive team around your child Helping your child develop a strengths-based identity The goal isn't to ignore areas where children need support. It's to make sure their struggles don't become the only story they hear about themselves. Learn more about WeThrive Learning: WeThriveLearning.com Schedule a free consultation: Visit WeThriveLearning.com to explore support for your child through educational therapy and ADHD/executive-function coaching. Join our Facebook community: Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence! Learn more about Sam Young and Young Scholars Academy: YoungScholarsAcademy.org

School pressure. Social pressure. Activities. Friendships. College planning. Family expectations. For many kids and teens, it can feel like there's always something they should be doing—and for students with ADHD, managing all of those demands can become especially overwhelming. In this episode, Jenny Drennan breaks down what stress can actually look like in children and teens and shares four practical ways parents can help their child decompress and regulate during busy seasons. We discuss: Signs your child may be more stressed than they realize Why procrastination and avoidance may be signs of overwhelm How stress and sleep affect executive functioning Why ADHD symptoms can become harder to manage during stressful periods Physical activity as a stress-management strategy Creating an environment that supports decompression Creative outlets that help kids process emotions Relaxation and reflection strategies Helping kids balance academics and extracurriculars Reducing social comparison and social-media pressure Teaching kids how to say no Modeling healthy stress management as a parent Remember: the goal isn't to remove every stressful experience from your child's life. It's to help them recognize stress, respond to it, and gradually build strategies they can carry into adulthood. Need additional support? WeThrive Learning provides virtual one-on-one educational therapy and ADHD/executive-function coaching for students. Visit WeThriveLearning.com to learn more or schedule a free consultation. And join our Facebook community, Parent Your ADHD Child with Confidence!, for more parent education, resources, and support.