The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast

My guest is Lorelei Brush, author of The Boy with the Butterfly Mind, a novel that explores what can happen inside a family when a young child begins showing signs of ADHD and neurodivergence. Lorelei is a former assistant professor of child development and the parent of a neurodivergent child, bringing both professional knowledge and lived experience to the story.

We discuss the fear of labeling a child, ADHD across generations, school struggles, marriage and family dynamics, and why supporting a child with ADHD often requires looking beyond symptoms and strategies to understand the whole family.

We also explore something different: the power of fiction. Research and expert guidance can teach us a great deal about ADHD, but a story can let us experience a family from the inside, sometimes offering insight, empathy, and even healing that factual information alone may not reach.

We talk about the meaning behind a “butterfly mind,” the importance of recognizing a child’s strengths, and why there may not be one right way to help a neurodivergent child thrive.

Learn more about Lorelei Brush and The Boy with the Butterfly Mind:
https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Butterfly-Mind-Novel/dp/B0FWZZ39BH/

FREE ADHD Parent Reset
7 Things to Do Differently When What You’re Trying Isn’t Working

Get the free guide:
https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/IUVgRZz

For private ADHD parent coaching and the Anchor Your ADHD Family community:
https://adhdkidscanthrive.com/

Timestamps

(00:00) Lorelei Brush and The Boy with the Butterfly Mind
(02:23) Why Lorelei wrote a novel about raising a child with ADHD
(05:23) How fiction can create insight, empathy and healing
(08:00) What does “butterfly mind” mean?
(10:40) Helping an ADHD child—and the whole family—thrive
(15:19) When school becomes the place a child’s differences are noticed
(19:23) ADHD, family dynamics and neurodivergence across generations
(22:53) The fear of labeling a child with ADHD
(25:30) The parent trap of trying to research and “solve” everything
(28:36) There is no one right way to raise a neurodivergent child

Why can a child with ADHD know exactly what they need to do and still feel unable to start?

Homework, chores, schoolwork, and everyday responsibilities can quickly turn into procrastination, avoidance, frustration, or conflict. But what if there is something happening beneath the behavior?

In this episode of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast, Kate Brownfield, ACC, ADHD Parent Coach, talks with ADHD and executive function expert Brendan Mahan, author of Overcoming the Wall of Awful, about the emotional barriers that can make it difficult for people with ADHD to start, continue, or complete tasks.

Brendan created the concept of the Wall of Awful to describe the emotional barrier that can build from repeated experiences of failure, disappointment, rejection, frustration, and shame.

He explains five ways people try to get past the Wall of Awful and why some approaches work better than others. Kate and Brendan also explore practical ways parents can help, including creating a “door” through the wall, climbing it, body doubling, scribing homework, reducing pressure, and gradually fading support as a child builds confidence and independence.

For parents who find themselves asking, “Why won’t my child just do it?”, this conversation offers a different way to understand what may be happening beneath the struggle.

Instead, we might ask:

“What is making this task feel so hard, and what support would help my child move forward?”

Learn more about Brendan Mahan and Overcoming the Wall of Awful:
https://brendanmahan.com/the-wall-of-awful-book/

FREE ADHD Parent Reset
7 Things to Do Differently When What You’re Trying Isn’t Working

Get the free guide here and learn practical ways to reduce power struggles and better support your child with ADHD.

For more ADHD parenting support, visit ADHDKidsCanThrive.com.

ADHD, dyslexia, learning differences, school struggles, and feeling different can leave neurodivergent kids questioning where they fit and parents wondering how to help them build confidence, independence, and a sense of belonging. What helps a child move from struggling to truly believing in themselves?

In this episode of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast, ADHD Parent Coach Kate Brownfield, ACC, talks with Riley Mulcahy, founder and executive director of The Riley Project, about dyslexia, neurodivergence, belonging, self-advocacy, and helping kids who learn differently find their voice and understand their strengths. Riley shares his own journey from significant early learning challenges to graduating college with honors in English.

Riley explains the difference between simply fitting in and truly belonging, why neurodivergent kids need opportunities to hear the experiences of others like them, and how parents can gradually help children develop self-advocacy skills as they grow. Kate and Riley also discuss IEPs and 504 plans, school support, learning differences, strengths-based parenting, and why behavior is often communication.

You’ll also hear thoughtful insights on the impact of school and social exhaustion, the importance of including young people in conversations about their own needs, and why children need to hear more than what they struggle with; they also need help discovering who they are and what they can contribute.

Most importantly, Riley reminds parents that a child’s struggles today do not define what they will be capable of tomorrow and that every neurodivergent young person deserves to feel seen, understood, and that they belong.

Learn more about Riley Mulcahy and The Riley Project:
https://therileyproject.org/

ADHD Parent Coaching + Resources:
ADHD Parent Coaching for Families | ADHD Kids Can Thrive

ADHD, academic pressure, homework stress, executive function struggles, and the pressure to succeed can leave kids overwhelmed and parents wondering when to push and when to step back. What does success really look like for a child with ADHD?

In this episode of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast, ADHD Parent Coach Kate Brownfield, ACC, talks with Dr. Denise Pope, Senior Lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Education and co-founder of Challenge Success, about ADHD and school stress, student well-being, academic pressure, and redefining success for kids who may not thrive on a traditional path.

Dr. Pope explains why some students are simply “doing school” rather than truly engaging in learning, what happens when academic demands exceed a child’s coping skills, and how parents can support executive function, emotional regulation, belonging, and motivation without adding unnecessary pressure.

You’ll also hear practical insights on homework overwhelm, playtime, downtime, and family time, different learning paths, screens and social media, and how AI may affect students with ADHD.

Most importantly, Dr. Pope reminds parents to look beyond grades and achievement and keep seeing the whole child in front of them.

Learn more about Dr. Denise Pope and Challenge Success:
https://challengesuccess.org/

ADHD Parent Coaching + Resources:
https://adhdkidscanthrive.com/

Is bedtime one of the hardest parts of your day?

For many children with ADHD, autism, or other forms of neurodivergence, sleep struggles are not simply behavioral. Brain biology, sensory sensitivities, anxiety, delayed circadian rhythms, and difficulty transitioning can all make it harder to fall asleep, stay asleep, and wake feeling rested.

In this episode of The ADHD Kids Can Thrive Podcast, Kate Brownfield, ACC, ADHD Parent Coach, speaks with pediatric sleep expert Dr. Melisa Moore about why traditional sleep advice may not work for neurodivergent children and what parents can do instead.

Dr. Moore is a clinical psychologist, board-certified specialist in behavioral sleep medicine, and author of The Good Sleep Guide for Neurodivergent Kids. Drawing from her clinical expertise and her experience raising a neurodivergent child, she explains why persistent sleep challenges are not necessarily defiance or a sign that parents are doing something wrong.

Kate and Dr. Moore discuss:

• Why ADHD and autism can affect sleep
• Delayed circadian rhythms and nighttime bursts of energy
• Flexible bedtime routines and visual sleep schedules
• Sensory challenges during nighttime routines
• Sleep associations and frequent nighttime waking
• How screens may affect children differently
• Stimulant medication and sleep
• Melatonin, magnesium, and other sleep supplements
• When to consult a pediatrician or pediatric sleep specialist

This conversation offers practical ADHD sleep strategies, a more individualized approach to bedtime, and reassurance for exhausted parents who feel as though they have already tried everything.

Learn More About Dr. Melisa Moore
https://www.drmelisamoore.com/

The Good Sleep Guide for Neurodivergent Kids
https://www.drmelisamoore.com/book

ADHD Parent Support

Anchor Your ADHD Family
A 90-day ADHD parent coaching program with recorded education, live coaching, and an online parent community. Join anytime for $97 total.
https://adhdkidscanthrive.com/anchor-your-family-adhd-parent-coaching/

Private ADHD Parent Coaching
https://adhdkidscanthrive.com/private-adhd-parent-coaching/

For more ADHD parenting resources and podcast episodes, visit:
https://adhdkidscanthrive.com/