
Another lost sneaker? How to cover the unexpected costs of raising a kid
12/19/24 • 26 min
Money. Budgeting. Savings. They’re all stressful. And when you factor in the added expenses that can come with raising a child with learning and thinking differences, it can feel like too much.
In this episode of In It, hosts Gretchen Vierstra and Rachel Bozek welcome personal finance expert Kim Palmer. Kim is a mom to three kids and she writes for NerdWallet. She’s also the author of three books about money: Smart Mom, Rich Mom; The Economy of You; and Generation Earn.
Tune in to get Kim’s expert advice about budgeting when you have kids with learning and thinking differences.
For a transcript and more resources, visit the In It page on Understood.org
We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].
Related resources
- Long-term financial planning for a child with special needs
- Checklist: Saving for college
- Listen: Impulse buying, negative bank balances, and the ADHD tax
Timestamps
(1:38) Unanticipated expenses
(5:54) Budgeting tools
(10:53) Emergencies and the struggle to save
(22:23) Letting kids in on the finances
For a transcript and more resources, visit the In It page on Understood.org
We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].
Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give
Money. Budgeting. Savings. They’re all stressful. And when you factor in the added expenses that can come with raising a child with learning and thinking differences, it can feel like too much.
In this episode of In It, hosts Gretchen Vierstra and Rachel Bozek welcome personal finance expert Kim Palmer. Kim is a mom to three kids and she writes for NerdWallet. She’s also the author of three books about money: Smart Mom, Rich Mom; The Economy of You; and Generation Earn.
Tune in to get Kim’s expert advice about budgeting when you have kids with learning and thinking differences.
For a transcript and more resources, visit the In It page on Understood.org
We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].
Related resources
- Long-term financial planning for a child with special needs
- Checklist: Saving for college
- Listen: Impulse buying, negative bank balances, and the ADHD tax
Timestamps
(1:38) Unanticipated expenses
(5:54) Budgeting tools
(10:53) Emergencies and the struggle to save
(22:23) Letting kids in on the finances
For a transcript and more resources, visit the In It page on Understood.org
We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].
Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give
Previous Episode

Candy or money as a reward? The answer might surprise you
We’ve all been there: Our child is refusing to do something that, to us, seems super reasonable. Do we offer them a reward to get them to cooperate? Where is the line between bribery and rewarding a child? Will we ruin them?
In this episode of In It, hosts Gretchen Vierstra and Rachel Bozek welcome Dr. Andy Kahn back to the show. Dr. Andy is a licensed psychologist and Understood’s associate director of behavior change and expertise. He’s also the host of the podcast Parenting Behavior with Dr. Andy Kahn.
Tune in to get Andy’s expert advice about bribes and rewards.
Related resources
- What are positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS)?
- 7 ideas for using rewards and consequences
- The power of motivation for kids who learn and think differently
- How to give praise that builds kids’ self-esteem
- “I’m not yelling—you’re yelling!” Tips for staying calm when kids act out
Timestamps
(1:22) The difference between a bribe and a reward
(5:08) Pairing verbal praise with reinforcement
(8:31) How close to the behavior should the reward be
(16:03) Money as a reward
(21:08) Behavior charts and LTDs
(25:14) Helping kids change behaviors
For a transcript and more resources, visit the In It page at Understood.org
We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].
Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give
Next Episode

What were they thinking? An expert on teenage brains explains
From school to friends to home, being a teenager is tough. Also tough? Raising one!
On this episode of In It, hosts Gretchen Vierstra and Rachel Bozek welcome Karen Wilson. Karen is a clinical neuropsychologist, director of West LA Neuropsychology, and host of the Diverse Thinking, Diverse Learning podcast.
Tune in to get Karen’s expert advice about supporting your child through the teen years.
Related resources
- How to help high schoolers gain self-control
- Developmental milestones for teenagers
- What to do when your teen or tween is lonely
- Listen: When kids and teens have tantrums: how to help
- Listen: Unpacking the teen mental health crisis: How we got here and what to do about it
Timestamps
(01:35) What’s going on in teens’ brains
(06:10) When teens want more independence
(16:56) Sexual and gender identities
(21:48) The awesome side of teens
For a transcript and more resources, visit the In It page on Understood.org
We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at [email protected].
Understood.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with learning and thinking differences, like ADHD and dyslexia. If you want to help us continue this work, donate at understood.org/give
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