Ep. 244: From Burnout to Balance: Supporting Parents Raising Neurodivergent Kids with Leslie Forde

Joining us for this episode of Diverse Thinking Different Learning is Leslie Forde! ​​Leslie is the CEO and Founder of Mom’s Hierarchy of Needs® and soon-to-be published Author of Repair with Self-Care: Your Guide to the Mom’s Hierarchy of Needs. Her business provides evidence-based tools to help moms reclaim their time and well-being from the never-done-list while also helping employers retain working parents and caregivers.

Since March of 2020, over 3,700 parents have participated in her research study (the longest-running of its kind) on the pandemic’s ongoing impact on work, care, and wellness. With more than twenty years in senior leadership and a decade focused on media and technology in childcare, eldercare, mental health, and education, Leslie is a sought-after speaker and consultant. She advises organizations such as HubSpot, Merck, Scholastic, and the Barr Foundation on how to retain and support parents, caregivers, and people of color.

Our conversation explores the growing crisis of parental stress and maternal mental health, which has been made so much worse by a perfect storm of factors such as the lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising costs, shortages in healthcare and childcare resources, and the unique challenges faced by parents of neurodivergent children.

Leslie shares some insights from her extensive research on the topic, explaining how parents, especially mothers, are struggling to balance the demands of caregiving, household management, and careers, often at the expense of their own well-being. The guilt, shame, and lack of flexibility in the workplace make it especially difficult for many parents to ask for the support that they desperately need.

Leslie highlights the critical importance of parents, especially mothers, prioritizing self-care even in small ways to build resilience and model healthy behaviors for their children. She provides practical tips such as identifying a daily "anchor" activity and being mindful of decision fatigue to help parents carve out time for their own mental, physical, and emotional needs.

Our conversation also goes into the direct connection between parents' mental health and their children's wellbeing, and how, by supporting parents, we can have a profound impact on the whole family. This conversation offers a powerful and timely exploration of the parental mental health crisis, with practical insights and solutions that can make a real difference for families!

Want a deeper dive into today’s topic? Join Karen and Leslie for a ChildNEXUS & Mom’s Hierarchy of Needs Joint Discussion; register here!

Show Notes:

[2:41] - Leslie argues that rising costs, long wait times, and poor support leave families emotionally and financially strained.
[4:15] - Leslie points out how coordinating specialists, schools, and daily routines creates an overwhelming, often invisible burden.
[6:13] - Mothers face worsening burnout as post-pandemic losses strip away time, resources, and support systems.
[9:58] - Social conditioning and low workplace safety pressure women into overcommitment despite exhaustion and caregiving needs.
[12:55] - Leslie asserts that many workplaces equate commitment with overwork, leaving parents afraid to ask for flexibility and support.
[15:03] - Leslie points out how parents often feel isolated and ashamed when children struggle academically or socially.
[17:39] - Many mothers feel trapped without partner support or financial means.
[20:51] - Leslie asserts that ignoring self-care leads to burnout that harms health, family, and career stability.
[23:46] - Exhausted parents struggle to engage with energetic children, straining relationships and shared activities.
[25:47] - Leslie argues that parenting requires constant exhausting micro-adjustments, like juggling trains on endlessly shifting tracks.
[28:36] - Dr. Wilson recommends Leslie’s book for guidance.
[29:11] - Leslie advises parents to establish a daily anchor habit and reduce fatigue around making decisions.
[32:57] - Dr. Wilson points out that it's important to support parents of neurodivergent children while also encouraging their own self-care practices.
[33:28] - Leslie agrees and reports that post-pandemic self-care has declined as responsibilities have increased and systems have become more strained.
[36:48] - Leslie praises Karen’s guidance for parents while emphasizing time management and self-care as very important.
[38:10] - What is the best way to reach Leslie?

Links and Related Resources:

• Episode 151: Parenting with ADHD: Insights and Inspiration with Holly Blanc
  Moses

• Episode 167: From Surviving to Thriving: A Mom’s Hierarchy of Needs and Well-Being with Leslie Forde

• Episode 202: How Low Demand Parenting Can Reduce Stress and Support Neurodivergent Youth with Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge

• Leslie Forde - Repair with Self-Care: Your Guide to the Mom’s Hierarchy of Needs®

 

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Connect with Leslie Forde:

• Email: [email protected] 

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