Soaring Child: Thriving with ADHD

On this week’s edition of Soaring Child, we’re joined by Kim West, the best-selling author of The Sleep Lady’s Goodnight Sleep Tight. She’s been training gentle sleep coaches internationally since 2010 and has been featured on Dr. Phil and Good Morning America as a leading child’s sleep expert.

So many kids with ADHD struggle with sleep, which in turn affects the parents’ sleep as well. In fact, more than 50% of non-neurotypical kids have behavioral sleep problems.

When our bodies go to sleep, they work on our immune system and with kids, the body often produces growth hormones during sleep. The body is also working on memory, retention, storage and organization during sleep, as well as short-term learning.

So when a child is sleep-deprived, it makes it harder for them to learn, to remember, and to pay attention, basically exacerbating ADHD symptoms. Many other conditions also affect sleep like asthma (and asthma meds), obstructive sleep apnea, gut issues, reflux, restless leg syndrome, and eczema.

Kim’s gentle sleep method has the parent stay in the room with the child while they learn, but then does less and less as the child learns to put themselves to sleep. It’s important to follow through with consistency.

She also recommends getting at least 8 hours of sleep, while going to bed and waking up at the same time. She also suggests having a routine before sleep to trigger melatonin in the body. These tips work for kids as well as adults.

Key Takeaways:

[4:45] The mechanics of falling asleep

[8:45] Why kids with ADHD are affected more from sleep deprivation

[14:16] Kim’s Gentle Sleep Method

[16:48] Most common underlying conditions that may be contributing to sleep issues

[19:02] Most common signs of sleep apnea

[26:30] Guide of how many hours of sleep a child needs at different ages

[28:20] Good sleep hygiene tips

[37:28] Kim West’s upcoming books

[39:56] How naps affect sleep

How To Connect With Kim:

http://www.facebook.com/TheSleepLady

https://instagram.com/thesleeplady/

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheSleepLady1/

http://www.pinterest.com/thesleeplady/

Memorable Quotes:

“We are dealing with children that have problems with attention. They have an attention deficit. So when you have a kid that's not sleeping well, it affects it even more.”

“That growth, that repair of the brain and the body is so important and is happening while we're sleeping.”

“I developed a method where you stay with them while they learn. You do less and less and move away as they incorporate the skill of putting themselves to sleep.”

“Probably what’s most important is that we follow through with consistency.”

“Having a routine actually helps tell the brain to start secreting melatonin, the drowsy making hormone that helps you start getting ready for sleep.”

Dana Kay Resources:

Website - https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/adhdthriveinstitute

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/adhdthriveinstitute/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/ADHDThriveInstitute

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/74302454/

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/adhdthriveinstitute/

Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@adhd_thriveinstitute

International Best Selling Book, Thriving with ADHD - https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/book/

Free Reduce ADHD Symptoms Naturally Masterclass – https://bit.ly/3GAbFQl

ADHD Parenting Course – https://info.adhdthriveinstitute.com/parentingadhd

ADHD Thrive Method 4 Kids Program - https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/packages/

On this week’s edition of Soaring Child, we’re joined by Luminara Serdar, an autism recovery expert who helps parents discover and address the root causes of behavior so that their children can be calm and happy.

She discovered the neuromodulation technique at the recommendation of another parent to treat her own allergies. Soon she realized that it could help kids with autism in many ways. Neuromodulation works by giving the body a therapeutic intention to shift by finding errors that the nervous or the immune system is making and correcting them. It’s a new way to make the brain work.

Luminara explains that we have to train the brain to think there’s a different way to do things by identifying the errors and correcting them. It is literally an intention. The body is asked questions through muscle testing and it responds through strong or weak reactions, using the subconscious mind. It’s also important to use drainage and detoxification to get rid of toxins and waste that’s clogged in the body and disrupts our biochemistry. Many of these toxins come from diet and environment – everything from plastics to body products to air fresheners.

When these steps are taken, inflammation in the body goes down, better sleep increases, and a child with ADHD or autism can learn how to become calmer and happier. Remember to keep a calm energy as a parent and maintain a safe environment for your child.

Key Takeaways:

[4:40] How Luminara started working with kids with autism

[7:33] What neuromodulation technique actually is

[10:00] How to retrain your body to feel something different

[14:33] Other techniques used to help kids with autism

[25:04] Toxins that are in our everyday environment

[32:10] The importance of taking binders on a regular basis

How To Connect With Luminara:

https://www.instagram.com/autismtransformed/

Luminara’s Toxic Products Scavenger Hunt List - https://autismtransformed.com/dana-kay-podcast-landing/

https://www.facebook.com/autismtransformed

To rate cleaning products and water - https://www.ewg.org

Memorable Quotes:

“I think we need to get our kids off this chronic illness cycle by helping them to stay cleaner and have a lifestyle that sustains them, not overwhelms them.”

“Allergies are very tied to emotion, and emotions can really affect allergy behavior. So it's all tied in. It's very holistic.”

“What I realized is these kids, at least the ones I get that I work with, are super toxic. They have a full bucket, and it's hard to get more in there. That’s when I started focusing on drainage and detoxification.”

“The more you take the stuff out of their bodies, the less they want to sit on the iPads, the less they want to look at technology, and the more ability they have to take in the world around them.”

“Symptoms like hyperactivity, tantrums, and meltdowns are warning signs from the body that something else is wrong, and that's their way of saying, ‘Mom, Dad, there's something wrong with me.’”

“This was my biggest lesson being a parent. My biggest lesson in life is how to shift my mindset, how to really approach things in a different way.”

Dana Kay Resources:

Website - https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/adhdthriveinstitute

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/adhdthriveinstitute/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/ADHDThriveInstitute

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/74302454/

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/adhdthriveinstitute/

Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@adhd_thriveinstitute

International Best Selling Book, Thriving with ADHD - https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/book/

Free Reduce ADHD Symptoms Naturally Masterclass – https://bit.ly/3GAbFQl

ADHD Parenting Course – https://info.adhdthriveinstitute.com/parentingadhd

ADHD Thrive Method 4 Kids Program - https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/packages/

On this week’s episode of Soaring Child, we spoke with returning guest, Andrea Daigle. Andrea is part of my amazing team at ADHD Thrive Institute, a board-certified holistic health practitioner, and also a FDN-P. She is truly an expert when it comes to working with kids with ADHD and other similar disorders.

On this episode, we dive into the topic of meal prepping and how one can save an abundant amount of time in the kitchen by preparing bags of stew and freezing them, making a large amount of dinner to have leftovers for the next day, preparing a list of meals along with the list of ingredients at hand, and much more. We also talk about sneaking healthy fats and nutrient-dense foods into fruit smoothie bags to have a hearty and quick breakfast, lunch, or afternoon snack.

Key Takeaways:

[4:29] Ways to save time in the kitchen

[5:42] How to effectively meal plan

[10:49] Fast, easy, and delicious meal prep options

[19:09] How to prepare for school lunches

[22:34] How to deal with days when you don’t feel like cooking

Connect with Andrea:

https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/our-approach/

Memorable Quotes:

• “My number one tip for saving time in the kitchen is definitely meal planning... you’re getting a really good all-around healthy variety... you’re going to be saving money on the grocery bill and you’re just going to have more free time.”
• “There are lots of different ways you can meal plan, but I really think fine-tuning it based on what works best for your family is going to be helpful.”
• “The next step that I always suggest is to check your calendar. Look ahead. What does your calendar look like for the next week? If you know you have a busy day coming, you really want to plan for that day to be something quick, easy, or even leftover.”
• “After you have all that ready, you have your plan, get a grocery list going. You create that list with everything you need. And block out some time to head to the store so that you can get all of those ingredients that you need for the week.”
• “I find the best and fastest things to meal plan would be things for breakfast, overnight oats. Overnight oats are so nutritious. You can make a big batch on the weekends, and they don’t have to be the same everyday.”
• “We have this wonderful plan and we think it’s great and then we get home and say, ‘I don’t feel like it’. I don’t feel like it, my husband doesn’t feel like it, so what do we do? I think it’s very important to have some go-to options in your freezer.”
• “Every Friday, my family goes to our local pizza parlor and they have gluten/dairy-free pizza which is phenomenal. And I’m sure in your area, you can find a place that offers those options, and if they don’t, you can omit the cheese... or bring your own cheese.”

Dana Kay Resources:

Website - https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/adhdthriveinstitute

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/adhdthriveinstitute/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/ADHDThriveInstitute

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/74302454/

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/adhdthriveinstitute/

Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@adhd_thriveinstitute

International Best Selling Book, Thriving with ADHD - https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/book/

Free Reduce ADHD Symptoms Naturally Masterclass – https://bit.ly/3GAbFQl

ADHD Parenting Course – https://info.adhdthriveinstitute.com/parentingadhd

ADHD Thrive Method 4 Kids Program - https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/packages/

Ashley Gobeil specializes in Counseling Psychology and works in the fields of family therapy, school counseling, domestic violence, and all things pertaining to childhood trauma. She is truly an expert in healing children and adults.

In this episode, Ashley shares how to create behavioral changes for children and families as a whole, different parenting skills we need to develop such as compassionate empathy for our children, and how long it actually takes for our frontal lobes to fully develop. We discuss how to turn our frustration and anger into empathy, as well as how easily children mirror our behavior, which can be a very good way to change bad habits in both parents and children.

It’s imperative as a parent to learn how to effectively observe your child. Many parents want a shut-off button when their child starts to act out, but Ashley makes it evident that there’s no one-solves-all solution for that. We must learn and adapt from our child’s behavior in order to understand how they feel and also build trust with them.

Key Takeaways:

[3:44] Creating behavioral changes for families and children

[6:53] Parenting skills needed to shift behavior in our kids with ADHD

[10:02] How long it takes for a child’s frontal lobe to develop

[11:55] How to turn anger into compassion

[20:01] How to apply our knowledge into practice

[24:30] Children can mirror the healthy habits of parents

How To Connect With Ashley:

Jumpstart for Parenting: https://info.adhdthriveinstitute.com/parentingadhd

Memorable Quotes:

• “The way we approach our parenting, it actually must change if we really want to create behavioral change for children with ADHD.”
• “Compliance doesn’t actually support healthy emotional regulation. We really want to be thinking about how we can build and support our kids with ADHD, to continue with that emotional regulation so they can eventually self-soothe and self-regulate.”
• “Compassionate empathy... that real skill in our parenting that is genuine empathy flows from us to our children when they’re struggling... If they could do well, they would.”
• “If they’ve been in the habit of responding a certain way to a certain situation, it’s going to be a habit.”
• “That’s the beauty of the brain and that’s the beauty of children and the parent-to-child relationship because we can co-soothe them. We can co-regulate. We can change our approach to be more responsive and therapeutic.”

Dana Kay Resources:

Website - https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/adhdthriveinstitute

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/adhdthriveinstitute/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/ADHDThriveInstitute

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/74302454/

Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/adhdthriveinstitute/

Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@adhd_thriveinstitute

International Best Selling Book, Thriving with ADHD - https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/book/

Free Reduce ADHD Symptoms Naturally Masterclass – https://bit.ly/3GAbFQl

ADHD Parenting Course – https://info.adhdthriveinstitute.com/parentingadhd

ADHD Thrive Method 4 Kids Program - https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/packages/

Do you have a teen or preteen with ADHD? If so, you do not want to miss this episode of the Soaring Child.

We are joined by Carrie Jackson, a PhD and a licensed child psychologist. Carrie is a speaker and an author, working in San Diego, California. She has published over 20 articles and book chapters related to parenting, ADHD, and defiance.

In this episode, discover common signs of ADHD in girls, tips for managing screen time with teens, tools and strategies to help teens be successful at home and at school, some of Carrie’s favorite apps to support teens with ADHD, and so much more!

Key Takeaways:

[2:47] Why Carrie began working with teens with ADHD

[5:15] Common signs of ADHD in girls

[7:37] Tools for working with teens with ADHD

[8:23] Screens & helpful apps

[11:51] Setting appropriate boundaries with screens

[13:08] Other activities outside of screens that teens can do

[15:07] Other tools for parents

[16:04] Self-esteem for teens with ADHD

[18:49] The impact of COVID-19 on mental health for teens

[20:07] Connection between ADHD and eating issues

[22:13] How parents can support their teens with school

[24:14] What Carrie wishes parents knew about ADHD

[25:58] Carrie's program for parents of teens

[27:06] Final tips

Memorable Quotes:

"Screen time use is a huge challenge for teens with ADHD...It's more about learning to work with it rather than against it."

"Teenagers with ADHD may do things more impulsively, including on social media and screens."

"Teenagers with ADHD can engage in more risky driving behaviors, and so, as a parent, to be able to monitor their safety, that's very important."

"What I recommend for parents is that you actually take a look at how your child and teenager are using their screens and to come up with other activities that they can do that are beneficial as well, outside of screens."

"Screens are not inherently bad, based on the amount of time you are using them, but it's just how are you using them?"

"Don't throw the kitchen sink at your teenager. Just look at, what are my child and teenager's biggest challenges right now, and then, how can I address that?"

"When kids and teenagers have more positive self-esteems, it's going to protect them from things like anxiety and depression, so they're going to have a higher quality of life."

"For teenagers with ADHD, they are often receiving more negative messages than those without ADHD."

"One of the things I love to include for teenagers is either mastery or leadership activities into their life."

"A big piece of teenager challenges around school is there is so much to organize and plan for...Parents can really support their kids in planning and organizing by helping them in the early stages of seeing what they have coming up over the upcoming month."

"It will get better, even though it is difficult right now."

"Finding your own support network is huge."

"It's not about you. You're not the problem, but you can be part of the solution."

How to Connect with Carrie Jackson

Website: https://iparentadhd.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.carriejackson/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.carriejackson

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@the.parent.therapist

Dana Kay Resources:

Website: https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ADHDThriveInstitute/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhdthriveinstitute/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ADHDThriveInstitute

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adhd-thrive-institute/mycompany/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/adhdthriveinstitute/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adhd_thriveinstitute

International Best Selling Book, Thriving with ADHD – https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/book/

Free Reduce ADHD Symptoms Naturally Masterclass – https://bit.ly/3GAbFQl

ADHD Parenting Course –