Sex, Drugs & What Neurodivergent Kids Actually Hear — And Why Safe Communication Changes Everything
Release Date: 03/25/2026
THE AUTISM ADHD PODCAST
Why does your autistic or ADHD child struggle with things that seem easy for everyone else? Maybe they can't keep their room organized. Maybe they lose things constantly. Maybe they seem overwhelmed by tasks that other children complete without much effort. And maybe you've wondered... "Are they just not trying?" In this episode, I share a personal story that completely changed the way I think about strengths, executive functioning, and why some tasks feel impossible for certain brains. When I opened the door to a cluttered closet at my clinic, I felt immediate overwhelm, shame, and paralysis....
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This episode is deeply personal. Today, I’m sharing a part of my story that I've hidden for a very long time. Elizabeth Le Forest is walking with me through painful topics such as anxiety, perfectionism, chronic illness, masking, people pleasing, burnout, and what happens when a neurodivergent person spends their life trying to prove they are worthy of love, belonging, and support. For years, I wore a heavy mask. I learned to push through it all with a smile Rejection Exhaustion Pain. Fear. Overwhelm. I learned to disconnect from my body and my needs because somewhere along the...
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If you’ve ever felt that gut punch… The side eye. The comment. The subtle (or not so subtle) message that your child is “too much”… or that you’re somehow getting it wrong as a parent… I get it! In this episode of The Autism ADHD Podcast, I’m talking about something that so many parents and therapists experience… but we don’t talk about enough: The “good kid / bad kid” narrative The “they were raised right” comments And the damage this causes for autistic and ADHD kids — and their families This episode was inspired by two real-life moments that happened just...
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Let me tell you about the time I performed Madonna's "Like a Virgin" at my elementary school talent show. I was nine. I rolled around on the floor. I sang every single word. I thought the audience was speechless because I was that talented. I had absolutely no idea what the word virgin meant. Nobody asked what song I'd picked. Nobody explained it to me. And I didn't know what I didn't know. This episode is full of stories like that one — real, honest, cringe-worthy stories from my own childhood as an autistic and ADHD kid navigating a world full of words, slang, and confusing situations. The...
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When adults tell autistic or ADHD children to be more accountable — to take more responsibility, to stop making excuses, admit when they're wrong — I understand exactly where that's coming from. The fear underneath it is real. The exhaustion is real. But here's what I also know: when we demand accountability and responsibility through shame, we're not teaching our neurodivergent kids anything. We're just making them feel bad about who they are. In this episode, I'm getting honest about something most of us don't talk about — the massive gap between what parents mean when they say...
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ADHD & Autism: Why Chores Are So Hard and How To Teach Chores in a Way That Actually Works:) Why do chores turn into power struggles in so many ADHD and autistic families? It’s not laziness. It’s not defiance. And it’s definitely not a character flaw. In this episode of The Autism ADHD Podcast, Holly Blanc Moses sits down with adolescent psychologist Dr. Cam Caswell to unpack why chores feel like a nightmare for neurodivergent kids and teens. If you’re parenting a child with ADHD or autism and struggling with: Executive functioning challenges Chore refusal Emotional...
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Why are morning routines and bedtime routines so hard for ADHD and autistic kids? If your mornings feel chaotic… If bedtime turns into battles… If you’ve tried “sleep hygiene,” reward charts, reminders, and it still falls apart… This episode is for you. In this conversation, I sit down with occupational therapist Dr. Peyton Gemmell to talk about why routines are especially difficult for neurodivergent kids and teens — and what actually helps. Here’s what I need you to hear: It’s not laziness. It’s not defiance. It’s executive functioning, sensory processing, transitions,...
info_outlineLet me tell you about the time I performed Madonna's "Like a Virgin" at my elementary school talent show.
I was nine. I rolled around on the floor. I sang every single word. I thought the audience was speechless because I was that talented.
I had absolutely no idea what the word virgin meant.
Nobody asked what song I'd picked. Nobody explained it to me. And I didn't know what I didn't know.
This episode is full of stories like that one — real, honest, cringe-worthy stories from my own childhood as an autistic and ADHD kid navigating a world full of words, slang, and confusing situations. The boy who told me he was going to die. The grain alcohol I almost drank because I thought grain meant rice. The weed I offered to bring to school. The roach I politely declined at a concert because I didn't smoke bugs.
These stories are funny now. But they point to something that matters enormously for every neurodivergent child.
Autistic and ADHD kids are confused by language more often than most adults realize. They take words literally. They miss the social context that neurotypical kids absorb automatically. They fill in gaps with whatever information they happen to have — which sometimes leads to some unsafe situations.
And most of the time? They're not asking for help. Because asking feels risky. Because they've already been teased for not knowing things. Because they've learned — through a hundred small moments — that some questions get you in trouble.
So they guess. They go along. They stay quiet and carry the confusion alone.
In this episode, I'm talking about what we can do about that — as parents, therapists, and educators. Not with a perfect script. Not with one big talk. But with something much simpler: building the felt experience, over time, that your neurodivergent child can come to you with anything.
In this episode:
- Why neurodivergent kids are navigating confusing language every single day — and why they're often not asking for help
- Real stories of what can happen when there isn't open, safe communication with autistic and ADHD kids
- Why literal language processing makes slang, innuendo, and figures of speech genuinely confusing — not an excuse
- The one simple message that matters more than any scripted conversation
- What parents and therapists can do right now to become the safe adult a neurodivergent child actually comes to
This episode is for:
- Parents of autistic and ADHD children and teens who want to open the door to safer, more honest communication
- Therapists and counselors supporting neurodivergent kids and their families
- Anyone who grew up neurodivergent and is still carrying some of these stories themselves
Note: This episode discusses sex, drugs, and related topics through personal stories. It's a good idea to listen before sharing it with your child.
Sincerely, Holly Blanc Moses, The Mom/Neurodivergent Therapist
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