Welcome to Chaos and Caffeine, where parenting gets real, messy, and fueled by endless coffee refills. Hosted by ADHD parent coach Danielle Kelly, this podcast dives into the beautiful chaos of raising neurodivergent kids, balancing life, and finding joy in the middle of the madness.
From ADHD hacks and emotional management tips to stories that’ll make you laugh, cry, or say awesome Chaos and Caffeine is your go-to resource for navigating the unpredictable world of parenting. Whether you’re looking for expert advice, relatable stories, or just someone who gets it, grab your mug and join the conversation.
Parenting isn’t perfect, but with a little caffeine and a lot of community, we’ll get through it together. New episodes every week!
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Données mises à jour le 04/11/2026
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ADHD, IEPs & 504 Plans: How to Fight for Your Child at School | Vicki of Blue Glasses Advocacy
Épisode 115
mardi 3 novembre 2026 • Durée 54:50
Ever walked into an IEP or 504 meeting feeling like you needed a law degree, a therapist, and a damn battle plan just to get your child the support they deserve?
You're not alone.
For parents raising kids with ADHD, autism, learning disabilities, and other neurodevelopmental differences, navigating the special education system can feel like a full-time job nobody applied for.
And when your child is struggling at school, the last thing you need is another meeting where everyone talks in circles and nothing actually changes.
This week on Chaos & Caffeine: ADHD Parenting Podcast, Danielle Kelly sits down with Vicki Christensen, special education advocate and founder of Blue Glasses Advocacy, to break down the complicated world of IEPs, Section 504 plans, school accommodations, parental rights, and effective special education advocacy.
With 15 years of experience advocating for families as both a parent and professional, Vicki brings a child-centered perspective to helping families navigate the special education system.
We're digging into:
IEP vs. 504 Plan: What's the difference, and what should ADHD parents understand about each?
Special Education Rights: What parents need to know when their child isn't receiving appropriate school support.
IEP and 504 Meetings: How to prepare, ask better questions, and advocate confidently.
ADHD School Accommodations: What meaningful classroom support can actually look like.
School Red Flags: How to recognize when an accommodation or intervention isn't working.
School Pushback: How to respond when educators disagree with your concerns or requests.
Parent Advocacy Burnout: How to work collaboratively with schools without losing your damn mind.
Because here's the thing: our neurodivergent kids don't need to become different children to succeed in school.
They need appropriate support, individualized strategies, and adults willing to understand how their brains work.
And we need to know how to advocate for those things.
Danielle is the host of Chaos & Caffeine, a fast-growing ADHD parenting podcast where she interviews leading psychologists, clinicians, researchers, and neurodivergent advocates about what actually helps ADHD kids thrive in the real world. Through science-backed conversations and very real mom-in-the-trenches storytelling, the show helps parents navigate executive function challenges, emotional regulation struggles, learning differences, and the everyday chaos of raising neurodivergent kids.
Each week, Danielle translates complex ADHD research into practical tools parents can actually use — from building routines that support developing brains to helping kids strengthen focus, flexibility, and self-regulation skills.
Danielle frequently speaks and writes about ADHD parenting strategies, executive function development, emotional regulation, screen use and attention, learning challenges like dyslexia, and building resilient neurodivergent families.
Why ADHD Kids Can’t “Just Do It”: Executive Function & School Success with Dan Levine
Épisode 114
mardi 27 octobre 2026 • Durée 55:38
Why can an ADHD child understand exactly what they need to do—but still struggle to begin, organize, remember, or finish it?
In this episode of Chaos & Caffeine: ADHD Parenting Podcast, Danielle Kelly sits down with Dan Levine, president and founder of Engaging Minds, to unpack the executive-function challenges affecting ADHD kids at school and at home.
Dan explains why inconsistency is not the same as laziness, defiance, or a lack of motivation—and why planners, checklists, timers, folders, and color-coded systems sometimes fail spectacularly. 😂
Together, Danielle and Dan explore:
What executive functioning actually looks like in everyday life
Why ADHD kids often struggle to turn knowledge into action
How task initiation, working memory, planning, organization, and time management affect school performance
Practical ways to make homework feel less overwhelming
Why common ADHD organization systems stop working
How repeated mistakes and missing assignments affect confidence
The difference between supporting, scaffolding, rescuing, and taking over
How parents can help neurodivergent kids build independence without removing support before they are ready
This conversation is part of our ADHD Kids and School Success campaign, created to give neurodivergent families practical strategies for surviving school with more understanding, more confidence, and significantly fewer backpack-related nervous breakdowns.
ADHD Kids & School Success: Executive Function, Homeschooling & Finding What Works | Dr. Norrine Russell
Épisode 113
mardi 20 octobre 2026 • Durée 47:19
Dr. Russell works with students with ADHD, autism, anxiety, learning differences, and executive functioning challenges—and she's also raised neurodivergent kids herself.
We talk about what happens when bright, capable kids struggle in traditional school, why ADHD symptoms can be mistaken for laziness or lack of motivation, how executive functioning affects academic success, and why the answer isn't always pushing a child harder to fit into the same system.
Dr. Russell also shares her family's experience with homeschooling and what parents should consider when the traditional educational path simply isn't working.
We get into:
• ADHD and executive functioning in school • Why smart ADHD kids can still struggle academically • Motivation, task initiation, organization, and follow-through • Homeschooling neurodivergent and ADHD kids • Recognizing when the learning environment isn't working • Supporting kids with ADHD, autism, anxiety, and learning differences • Building independence without removing needed support • Why behavior may actually be a lagging executive functioning skill • Finding educational options that fit your child's individual brain • Redefining what “school success” looks like for neurodivergent kids
Because ADHD school success isn't about forcing our kids to become better at fitting into a box.
It's about giving them the tools, support, and environment they need to thrive.
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Stop Being Your ADHD Kid’s Executive Function: School Success & Independence with Diane Dempster
Épisode 112
mardi 13 octobre 2026 • Durée 48:59
If you’re raising a child with ADHD, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve accidentally become their executive function.
You’re checking the homework. Remembering the deadlines. Finding the missing assignments. Packing the backpack. Watching the grades. Reminding them about the thing you already reminded them about twelve times.
But how do we help ADHD kids succeed in school without managing every single thing for them?
This week on Chaos & Caffeine, Danielle Kelly talks with Diane Dempster, co-founder of ImpactParents and professional coach, about helping neurodivergent kids build executive functioning skills, independence, and confidence at school and at home.
We’re getting into the messy stuff: when helping becomes rescuing, how to shift from managing to coaching, when to let kids experience natural consequences, how to hand responsibilities back without setting them up to fail, and why ADHD parents so often end up completely burned out during the school year.
Because the goal isn’t to raise a kid who never forgets an assignment, loses something, or struggles.
It’s to raise a kid who eventually knows what to do when they do.
Your ADHD Kid Is Smart—So Why Are the “Easy” Things So Hard? | Gifted & 2e Kids with Mark Talaga
Épisode 111
mardi 6 octobre 2026 • Durée 47:41
Your kid can understand something ridiculously complicated… but can't remember their homework, find their shoes, start a five-minute assignment, or handle a tiny change in plans without completely falling apart.
How the hell can both things be true?
This week on Chaos & Caffeine: ADHD Parenting Podcast, Danielle Kelly sits down with Mark Talaga, M.A., LPC, director and owner of the Center for Identity Potential and host of the Hopelessly Gifted Podcast, to talk about the complicated reality of raising gifted, ADHD, neurodivergent, and twice-exceptional (2e) kids.
We're digging into the gap between intelligence and executive functioning—and why being incredibly capable in one area doesn't mean a child should automatically be capable everywhere else.
Mark breaks down asynchronous development, executive dysfunction, emotional regulation, giftedness, ADHD, anxiety, perfectionism, identity, and why some incredibly bright kids struggle with things adults assume should be “easy.”
We also talk about what happens when adults mistake executive-function struggles for laziness, defiance, lack of motivation, or wasted potential—and how constantly hearing “You're so smart, why can't you just…” can affect a neurodivergent child's identity and confidence.
Open-ended, sensory-rich play materials that let neurodivergent kids explore, experiment, and learn in the ways that work for their brains.
ADHD Kids & School: Why Smart Kids Struggle, Executive Function & What the Science Says | Dr. Stephen Faraone
Épisode 110
mardi 29 septembre 2026 • Durée 49:27
Why can an incredibly smart child with ADHD know EXACTLY what they're supposed to do at school…and still forget the assignment, lose the worksheet, miss the directions, struggle to get started, or completely fall apart when expectations increase?
If your ADHD child is struggling in school, this episode is for you.
This week on Chaos & Caffeine: ADHD Parenting Podcast, Danielle Kelly sits down with Dr. Stephen Faraone, one of the world's leading ADHD researchers, to talk about what decades of research actually tell us about ADHD kids, executive functioning, academic performance, and the ADHD brain at school.
Dr. Faraone is a Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Professor of Neuroscience and Physiology at SUNY Upstate Medical University. He has authored more than 1,000 journal articles, editorials, chapters, and books, and has spent decades studying ADHD, genetics, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes.
And we're taking that science straight into the classroom.
In this episode, we talk about:
• Why ADHD can make school so difficult—even for very bright kids • ADHD and executive function struggles at school • Why knowing what to do isn't the same as being able to consistently DO it • Attention, impulsivity, hyperactivity, and self-regulation in the classroom • ADHD and academic performance • Why grades don't always tell the whole story • What parents and teachers may misunderstand about ADHD • How increasing independence and school demands can expose ADHD struggles • ADHD diagnosis and what parents should understand about symptoms and impairment • ADHD medication, treatment, and what the evidence actually shows • Separating evidence-based ADHD information from myths and misinformation • What decades of ADHD research can teach us about helping our kids succeed
Research involving Dr. Faraone has found that children with ADHD who also have executive-function deficits can be at particularly high risk for academic difficulties—including lower academic achievement and grade retention.
Is Your ADHD Teen Ready for College? Admissions, Accommodations & Independence with Gerene Keesler
Saison 1 · Épisode 109
mardi 22 septembre 2026 • Durée 41:04
Getting your ADHD kid into college is one thing.
But are they actually ready to manage college without you?
In this episode of Chaos & Caffeine: ADHD Parenting Podcast, Danielle Kelly sits down with Gerene Keesler, founder of Admissions Untangled and a college admissions expert with more than 30 years of experience, to talk about what parents of ADHD and neurodivergent teens need to know BEFORE college move-in day.
Because college readiness isn't just GPA, SAT scores, applications and acceptance letters.
For an ADHD student, it can also mean managing executive functioning, deadlines, organization, medication, accommodations, professors, laundry, sleep, money, appointments—and knowing when and how to ask for help.
Gerene brings both professional and personal experience to this conversation. After spending decades working in college admissions and higher education, she now specializes in helping neurodivergent students navigate the college admissions process, identify schools that fit their actual needs, develop self-advocacy skills, and prepare for greater independence.
We're talking about:
How to know if your ADHD teen is actually ready for college
Executive functioning skills students need before leaving home
How ADHD accommodations change from high school to college
What happens to an IEP or 504 Plan after high school
Teaching ADHD teens to advocate for themselves
How parents can gradually step back without removing support completely
What to look for when choosing a college for an ADHD or neurodivergent student
Why the "best" college isn't necessarily the most prestigious one
College admissions and application strategies for neurodivergent students
When a traditional four-year college may NOT be the best next step
Preparing ADHD teens for deadlines, organization and independence
How parents can stop being their teenager's external frontal lobe before move-in day 😂
Gerene's message is one every ADHD parent needs to hear:
Is It ADHD or Dyslexia? How to Help Your Struggling Reader Thrive with Faye Bankler Casell | Science of Reading for Parents
Saison 1 · Épisode 108
mardi 15 septembre 2026 • Durée 53:18
Is your child bright but still struggling to read?
Do they guess at words, avoid reading altogether, melt down during homework, or insist they're "bad at reading"? If you're raising a child with ADHD, it can be incredibly difficult to know whether these challenges are caused by attention, dyslexia, or something else entirely.
This week on Chaos & Caffeine: An ADHD Parenting Podcast, Danielle Kelly sits down with reading specialist, Certified Academic Language Therapist, and Home Reading Coach founder Faye Bankler Casell to break down what every ADHD parent needs to know about reading difficulties.
Together, they discuss:
• The difference between ADHD and dyslexia • Why so many bright kids struggle with reading • Early warning signs parents shouldn't ignore • What the Science of Reading actually means (without the educational jargon) • Why traditional reading practice often isn't enough • Practical, research-backed strategies parents can use at home • How to protect your child's confidence while building stronger reading skills
Whether your child has ADHD, dyslexia, learning differences, or simply isn't making the reading progress you'd expect, this episode will help you understand what's really happening—and what you can do next.
Because struggling to read doesn't mean a child isn't smart. It means they deserve instruction that works for the way their brain learns.
🎧 Subscribe to Chaos & Caffeine for weekly conversations with leading ADHD experts, psychologists, educators, researchers, physicians, and parents who are changing the way we support neurodivergent kids.
When Clothes Feel WRONG: Sensory-Sensitive Kids, Getting Dressed & What Parents Need to Know
Saison 1 · Épisode 107
mardi 8 septembre 2026 • Durée 56:43
If your child has ever completely lost it because their socks feel wrong, a tag is driving them CRAZY, the waistband is uncomfortable, or the shirt they wore perfectly happily yesterday is suddenly absolutely unacceptable… this episode is for you. 😂
For ADHD, autistic, and sensory-sensitive kids, getting dressed isn't always a simple part of the morning routine. Seams, tags, fabrics, waistbands, textures, fit, and even tiny changes in how clothing feels can become genuinely overwhelming—and what looks like stubbornness or defiance from the outside may actually be a child trying to communicate that something feels WRONG.
This week on Chaos & Caffeine: ADHD Parenting Podcast, Danielle Kelly sits down with Valerie Bernal, founder of Parker & Talia, to talk about sensory sensitivities, clothing struggles, and why getting dressed can become such a huge source of stress for neurodivergent kids and their parents.
We talk about:
• Why some ADHD and autistic kids are extremely sensitive to clothing • Tags, seams, waistbands, fabrics, textures, and other common sensory triggers • Why a child may tolerate an outfit one day and refuse it the next • Sensory discomfort vs. behavior or defiance • How clothing battles can affect regulation and the entire morning routine • Supporting bodily autonomy and listening when kids tell us something doesn't feel right • Helping sensory-sensitive children build confidence and independence • Valerie's journey to creating Parker & Talia • How sensory-friendly clothing can remove one unnecessary struggle from a neurodivergent child's day
Because when our kids are already navigating a world that asks their nervous systems to adapt ALL DAY LONG, maybe getting dressed doesn't need to be another freaking battle.
ADHD at School: IEPs, 504 Plans & How to Advocate for Your Child with Kelly | Inclusive Expectations
Saison 1 · Épisode 106
mardi 1 septembre 2026 • Durée 50:29
Does your ADHD child actually have the school support they need—or have you been told they’re “doing fine” because their grades look okay?
For parents of neurodivergent kids, navigating IEPs, 504 Plans, school accommodations, evaluations, and special education services can feel like learning an entirely new language while simultaneously trying to advocate for the person you love most.
This week on Chaos & Caffeine: ADHD Parenting Podcast, Danielle Kelly sits down with Kelly from Inclusive Expectations to help parents understand how to advocate for their ADHD and neurodivergent children at school.
We’re talking about:
Signs your child may need additional school support—even with good grades
IEP vs. 504 Plans and navigating the accommodation process
What to do when the school says your child is “doing fine”
What school data parents should actually be asking for
Turning ADHD and executive-function challenges into meaningful accommodations
How to prepare for an IEP or 504 meeting
Advocating confidently without creating a parent-versus-school battle
Making sure accommodations actually work in your child’s real school day
If you've ever walked into a school meeting surrounded by acronyms and wondered, “How the hell am I supposed to know what my kid needs?”—start here.
You don't have to become a special education expert overnight. But you CAN learn how to ask better questions, understand the information in front of you, and become a powerful member of your child's educational team.
🌎 Bina School A small, global online school built for kids who need learning to be more flexible, personalized, and human.
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Découvrez des podcasts liées à Chaos & Caffeine - ADHD Parenting Podcast. Explorez des podcasts avec des thèmes, sujets, et formats similaires. Ces similarités sont calculées grâce à des données tangibles, pas d'extrapolations !
Danielle is the host of Chaos & Caffeine, a fast-growing ADHD parenting podcast where she interviews leading psychologists, clinicians, researchers, and neurodivergent advocates about what actually helps ADHD kids thrive in the real world. Through science-backed conversations and very real mom-in-the-trenches storytelling, the show helps parents navigate executive function challenges, emotional regulation struggles, learning differences, and the everyday chaos of raising neurodivergent kids.
Each week, Danielle translates complex ADHD research into practical tools parents can actually use — from building routines that support developing brains to helping kids strengthen focus, flexibility, and self-regulation skills.
Danielle frequently speaks and writes about ADHD parenting strategies, executive function development, emotional regulation, screen use and attention, learning challenges like dyslexia, and building resilient neurodivergent families.
Danielle is the host of Chaos & Caffeine, a fast-growing ADHD parenting podcast where she interviews leading psychologists, clinicians, researchers, and neurodivergent advocates about what actually helps ADHD kids thrive in the real world. Through science-backed conversations and very real mom-in-the-trenches storytelling, the show helps parents navigate executive function challenges, emotional regulation struggles, learning differences, and the everyday chaos of raising neurodivergent kids.
Each week, Danielle translates complex ADHD research into practical tools parents can actually use — from building routines that support developing brains to helping kids strengthen focus, flexibility, and self-regulation skills.
Danielle frequently speaks and writes about ADHD parenting strategies, executive function development, emotional regulation, screen use and attention, learning challenges like dyslexia, and building resilient neurodivergent families.
Recyclable building sets that transform flat pieces into 3D creations—keeping busy hands building and brilliant brains creating.
Danielle is the host of Chaos & Caffeine, a fast-growing ADHD parenting podcast where she interviews leading psychologists, clinicians, researchers, and neurodivergent advocates about what actually helps ADHD kids thrive in the real world. Through science-backed conversations and very real mom-in-the-trenches storytelling, the show helps parents navigate executive function challenges, emotional regulation struggles, learning differences, and the everyday chaos of raising neurodivergent kids.
Each week, Danielle translates complex ADHD research into practical tools parents can actually use — from building routines that support developing brains to helping kids strengthen focus, flexibility, and self-regulation skills.
Danielle frequently speaks and writes about ADHD parenting strategies, executive function development, emotional regulation, screen use and attention, learning challenges like dyslexia, and building resilient neurodivergent families.
Danielle is the host of Chaos & Caffeine, a fast-growing ADHD parenting podcast where she interviews leading psychologists, clinicians, researchers, and neurodivergent advocates about what actually helps ADHD kids thrive in the real world. Through science-backed conversations and very real mom-in-the-trenches storytelling, the show helps parents navigate executive function challenges, emotional regulation struggles, learning differences, and the everyday chaos of raising neurodivergent kids.
Each week, Danielle translates complex ADHD research into practical tools parents can actually use — from building routines that support developing brains to helping kids strengthen focus, flexibility, and self-regulation skills.
Danielle frequently speaks and writes about ADHD parenting strategies, executive function development, emotional regulation, screen use and attention, learning challenges like dyslexia, and building resilient neurodivergent families.
So when your child knows the material but can't find the homework…
When the teacher says, “But they CAN focus when they want to…”
When your kid is capable as hell but their school performance doesn't seem to reflect what you KNOW they're capable of…
There may be a whole lot more happening underneath the behavior.
Because our goal isn't to make ADHD kids better at pretending they don't have ADHD.
It's to understand their brains well enough to give them a real shot at succeeding with the one they have.
Danielle is the host of Chaos & Caffeine, a fast-growing ADHD parenting podcast where she interviews leading psychologists, clinicians, researchers, and neurodivergent advocates about what actually helps ADHD kids thrive in the real world. Through science-backed conversations and very real mom-in-the-trenches storytelling, the show helps parents navigate executive function challenges, emotional regulation struggles, learning differences, and the everyday chaos of raising neurodivergent kids.
Each week, Danielle translates complex ADHD research into practical tools parents can actually use — from building routines that support developing brains to helping kids strengthen focus, flexibility, and self-regulation skills.
Danielle frequently speaks and writes about ADHD parenting strategies, executive function development, emotional regulation, screen use and attention, learning challenges like dyslexia, and building resilient neurodivergent families.
The goal isn't simply finding a college that will accept your child. It's finding a place where your child can actually thrive.
And preparing them doesn't mean making sure they never struggle.
It means helping them build the skills to recognize when they're struggling, advocate for what they need, access support—and recover when things inevitably go sideways.
If you're raising an ADHD middle schooler or high schooler and college feels simultaneously exciting and absolutely freaking terrifying, start here.
Danielle is the host of Chaos & Caffeine, a fast-growing ADHD parenting podcast where she interviews leading psychologists, clinicians, researchers, and neurodivergent advocates about what actually helps ADHD kids thrive in the real world. Through science-backed conversations and very real mom-in-the-trenches storytelling, the show helps parents navigate executive function challenges, emotional regulation struggles, learning differences, and the everyday chaos of raising neurodivergent kids.
Each week, Danielle translates complex ADHD research into practical tools parents can actually use — from building routines that support developing brains to helping kids strengthen focus, flexibility, and self-regulation skills.
Danielle frequently speaks and writes about ADHD parenting strategies, executive function development, emotional regulation, screen use and attention, learning challenges like dyslexia, and building resilient neurodivergent families.
A small, global online school built for kids who need learning to be more flexible, personalized, and human.
Danielle is the host of Chaos & Caffeine, a fast-growing ADHD parenting podcast where she interviews leading psychologists, clinicians, researchers, and neurodivergent advocates about what actually helps ADHD kids thrive in the real world. Through science-backed conversations and very real mom-in-the-trenches storytelling, the show helps parents navigate executive function challenges, emotional regulation struggles, learning differences, and the everyday chaos of raising neurodivergent kids.
Each week, Danielle translates complex ADHD research into practical tools parents can actually use — from building routines that support developing brains to helping kids strengthen focus, flexibility, and self-regulation skills.
Danielle frequently speaks and writes about ADHD parenting strategies, executive function development, emotional regulation, screen use and attention, learning challenges like dyslexia, and building resilient neurodivergent families.
Danielle is the host of Chaos & Caffeine, a fast-growing ADHD parenting podcast where she interviews leading psychologists, clinicians, researchers, and neurodivergent advocates about what actually helps ADHD kids thrive in the real world. Through science-backed conversations and very real mom-in-the-trenches storytelling, the show helps parents navigate executive function challenges, emotional regulation struggles, learning differences, and the everyday chaos of raising neurodivergent kids.
Each week, Danielle translates complex ADHD research into practical tools parents can actually use — from building routines that support developing brains to helping kids strengthen focus, flexibility, and self-regulation skills.
Danielle frequently speaks and writes about ADHD parenting strategies, executive function development, emotional regulation, screen use and attention, learning challenges like dyslexia, and building resilient neurodivergent families.
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Danielle is the host of Chaos & Caffeine, a fast-growing ADHD parenting podcast where she interviews leading psychologists, clinicians, researchers, and neurodivergent advocates about what actually helps ADHD kids thrive in the real world. Through science-backed conversations and very real mom-in-the-trenches storytelling, the show helps parents navigate executive function challenges, emotional regulation struggles, learning differences, and the everyday chaos of raising neurodivergent kids.
Each week, Danielle translates complex ADHD research into practical tools parents can actually use — from building routines that support developing brains to helping kids strengthen focus, flexibility, and self-regulation skills.
Danielle frequently speaks and writes about ADHD parenting strategies, executive function development, emotional regulation, screen use and attention, learning challenges like dyslexia, and building resilient neurodivergent families.
