88. Understanding your child’s brain-based differences
Release Date: 04/07/2025
ResponseABLE Parenting
This episode I share a new strategy I’ve been using when the boys are stuck in fight mode. The past week our kids have been extra super spicy and with the extra spice, my go-to strategies just weren’t cutting it. I share what I did instead and how that shifted everything for both kids!! JOIN S.T.U.C.K. to S.T.R.O.N.G. For years our ADHD kids need us to be their “external world” until their internal skills are solid. But we can’t do that when OUR internal world is stuck, shaky, and under-skilled. I help you create internal safety and strength so the external chaos doesn’t phase...
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I don’t know about you, but Mother’s Day can feel like a bust. I don’t know if I’ve truly ever had a Mother’s Day that WOWed me. *Sorry Charlie* But honestly, I’ve also never spoken up about what my expectations are and what specific needs I want met. In this episode I share my hot take on revamping Mother’s Day for next year! FREE GUIDES! Discover how PLAY can rapidly transform unwanted behavior and restore peace in your home in this free training! Make sure you grab my Free Guide to Managing Meltdowns: 4 steps to get you through your kid’s meltdown without...
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I’m not sure why it took me so long to think of parenting like this 😂but when I was in my workout class today it struck me. We have such a positive association with the pain and growth of a workout, but we have such a negative association with the pain and growth in parenting. Why? Well a huge part of that is the neural programming around each area. And I talk all about that in this week’s episode! JOIN S.T.U.C.K. to S.T.R.O.N.G. What you're getting: 20 video lessons giving you specific strategies, mindset shifts, neural reprogramming tools, communication prompts, family...
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In this episode I share the $h!t storm that was my spring break. Not to excuse the behavior that resulted, but to share that you are absolutely not alone in the challenge that comes with parenting a strong-willed ADHD child. Today we talk about guilt and how guilt can keep us stuck in a never ending loop of self deprecation, loathing, disappointment, and reactivity. AND how we can move away from this pattern into a new and stronger way of parenting. JOIN S.T.U.C.K. to S.T.R.O.N.G. What you're getting: 20 video lessons giving you specific strategies, mindset shifts, neural...
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In this episode I specifically address the challenges that PLAY can bring to parents of strong-willed kids (SWK) or our neurodivergent kids. I share the differences I experience with my children and a “hack” that is allowing me to dial in and be more strategic with my ADHD / strong-willed kid. This has been helping us so much and I really hope you use it too! Don’t forget to grab my PLAY WEBINAR (in the “Free Guides" section) where you can get dozens of strategies to help you as well! APPLICATION FOR THE PARENTING BREAKTHROUGH CIRCLE This small group coaching opportunity will...
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Unconsciously we are setting ourselves up for failure over and over again with our kids. We head into each and every interaction with stored emotions in our bodies telling us whether or not we should be guarded or open. In this episode I share the foundational step to shift this pattern in our bodies. How you can instantly increase your tolerance level and support yourself to a better outcome. APPLICATION FOR THE PARENTING BREAKTHROUGH CIRCLE This small group coaching opportunity will help you break through your negative patterns, beliefs and toxic cycles with yourself and your...
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In this episode I address whether or not I believe empathy is a sign of weakness. Or “weak parenting.” Elon Musk has been in the news saying “the fundamental weakness of western civilization is Empathy.” However I think it’s one of the biggest strengths for humanity. When we can SEE each other, when we can seek to understand each other we are in fact stronger. Both personally and as a nation. I invite you to listen and think about how you were shown empathy as a child and how that’s impacted your ability to show empathy as a parent. And if you’re ready to start...
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In this episode I share the 5 reasons I see that gentle parenting isn’t working for you. These are what I’m seeing across comments, questions I get asked weekly, my client’s perspectives and community members. And I want to acknowledge that it’s hard to transition from one parenting style to another. Especially one that forces us to look at our own stuff vs. focus on our children’s behavior. I hope this brings some insights and of course please connect with me if you are called to work together. I would really love to connect with you and see how coaching or my...
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This episode is a wonderful conversation discussing how we as parents can shift our focus, our reactivity and the lens in which we view our children with brain-based differences. You get to hear from expert Eileen Devine on how she approaches parenting frustrating behaviors from a skill deficiency lens vs an intentional defiant lens. I hope you enjoy this conversation and feel hopeful in how we can start to shift as parents with our children whose brains function differently. Bio: Eileen Devine is a licensed clinical social worker and founder of Brain First Parenting. She lives in Portland,...
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This episode answers a question I got over on Instagram. If you don’t follow me there please connect at @ ResponseABLEparenting This parent was really struggling with their toddler falling on the ground and using their weight against them in the middle of a tantrum. We’ve all been there, when we say no to something and our toddler all the sudden goes completely dead weight and falls to the ground in a full meltdown. This can be very triggering, embarassing and frustrating. I share how we can soften in these moments by understanding our children’s developmental abilities and...
info_outlineThis episode is a wonderful conversation discussing how we as parents can shift our focus, our reactivity and the lens in which we view our children with brain-based differences. You get to hear from expert Eileen Devine on how she approaches parenting frustrating behaviors from a skill deficiency lens vs an intentional defiant lens.
I hope you enjoy this conversation and feel hopeful in how we can start to shift as parents with our children whose brains function differently.
Bio:
Eileen Devine is a licensed clinical social worker and founder of Brain First Parenting. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband and two teenage children, one of whom lives with a serious brain-based difference. She has over 20 years of clinical experience and for the last dozen of those years, has focused solely on supporting parents who have kids with neurobehavioral conditions. In addition to her clinical work with parents, she facilitates dozens of workshops and trainings each year for parents, teachers, and mental health professionals and is a trainer for the Center for Adoption Support and Education’s (C.A.S.E.) accredited Training for Adoption Competency (TAC) Program, where she instructs other clinicians across the state of Oregon on what it means to be an adoption and foster competent therapist. https://www.eileendevine.com/
FREE GUIDES!
Make sure you grab my Free Guide to Managing Meltdowns: https://responseableparenting.ck.page/meltdown
4 steps to get you through your kid’s meltdown without snapping!
Do you find yourself yelling more often than you want? Does it feel like yelling is the ONLY way to get through to your kids? But it makes you feel awful? You absolutely need my Free Guide To Stop Yelling: https://responseableparenting.ck.page/yelling
This guide will walk you through the process of staying regulated and give you tools to use during high stress moments.
Does it feel impossible to access playful, connected strategies when you’re not getting the cooperation you need in the moment? Grab this free guide where I share 70 play based starter phrases!
https://responseableparenting.kit.com/play
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The community is now OPEN!!! Inside the Community you’ll have access to me DAILY through DM’s and the Discussion board. Share your questions, ask me the tricky stuff and get the support YOU need. You’ll have WEEKLY Q&A opportunities to get personalized support where I can help you connect the dots and have a clear path forward in your parenting. You also have access to my entire workshop library, dozens of bite sized lessons, OH! And you have immediate access to my signature course “The Strong-Willed Language Series!” Here you get my BEST and most effective tips on how to stay regulated when triggered, how to understand your child more and speak their language so you can gain more cooperation, drastically reduce power struggles, feel more connected and more!
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VIRTUAL MEETUP!
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Join here: https://responseableparenting.ck.page/meetup
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