Raising ADHD: Real Talk For Parents & Educators
Raising a child with ADHD can feel overwhelming—meltdowns, school struggles, medication decisions, and the constant fear you’re doing it wrong. Raising ADHD is the podcast for parents and teachers who want clarity, strategies, and real-life support.
Hosted by Apryl Bradford, M.Ed. (former teacher and ADHD mom) and Dr. Brian Bradford, D.O. (Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist), this show cuts through the myths and misinformation about Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Together, Apryl and Dr. Bradford bring both lived experience and clinical expertise to help you:
- Understand what ADHD really is (and isn’t)
- Navigate school challenges and partner with teachers
- Make sense of medication options without the jargon
- Support your child’s strengths while tackling everyday struggles
- Feel less alone and more empowered on this journey
Each week, you’ll hear practical tips, the latest insights from the field, and conversations that validate what you’re living through. Whether you’re dealing with emotional outbursts, executive function challenges, or the stigma that still surrounds ADHD, you’ll find real talk and real help here.
If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Am I doing this right?”—this podcast is your answer.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical or psychiatric advice and should not replace professional consultation with a qualified healthcare provider. Always seek the advice of your physician or other licensed professional with any questions you may have regarding your child’s health or behavior.
Episodes
34 episodes
ADHD Executive Function in Real Life: Why Checklists Fail and the Scaffolding System That Actually Works
ADHD executive function is why your checklist isn't working. Learn how to become your child's GPS and scaffold the skills that actually get things done at home.________________________________________________________________________<...
How to Talk to Kids About Having ADHD: A Mom's Guide to Making It Normal
Not sure how to talk to your child about ADHD? Get age-specific scripts, do's and don'ts, and the mom perspective on making the conversation feel natural, not heavy._____________________________________________________________Have yo...
ADHD Meltdowns vs Tantrums: Why They Happen and a 5-Step System to Reduce Them
ADHD meltdowns aren't tantrums. Learn why they happen, the ABCs of behavior tracking, and a 5-step system to reduce meltdowns by building invisible skills._________________________________________________________You say "turn off ...
Why is Parenting an ADHD child so hard? The Parenting Pivot Nobody Tells You About (And Why ADHD Kids Need It Most)
There's something that happens in parenting around elementary school age, and no one talks about it. Learn the parenting pivot that change how you parent today...and reduce meltdowns and defiance. ______________________________________...
How to Manage ADHD Hyperactivity Without Fighting It
ADHD hyperactivity isn't a behavior problem to suppress. Learn 5 neuroscience-backed strategies to channel your child's movement, including the PINCH framework.______________________________________________Your child can sit compl...
How to Discipline Kids with ADHD: What the Research Says Actually Works
Traditional discipline fails ADHD kids. Learn what research from Harvard, Yale, and the AAP says actually works, plus the strategies that changed our home.________________________________________________________________If you've eve...
Executive Function Skills and ADHD: Why Your Child Can't "Just Do It" (And How to Help)
ADHD kids are 30-40% behind peers in executive function skills. Learn what that means, which skills matter most, and how to build them at home._______________________________________________________________You've said "stop buggin...
Why Is My ADHD Child on So Many Medications? How to Prevent the Drug Cascade with Dr. Kate Trapani
Your ADHD child is on multiple meds and you're not sure why. Two psychiatrists explain how to prevent the drug cascade and advocate at every appointment._________________________________________________You took your child to the d...
Why Your ADHD Child Lies (And What to Do Instead of Punishing It)
When ADHD kids lie, it's not a character flaw, it's a coping strategy. Learn what the research says and what actually helps instead of shame spirals.______________________________________________________If you've ever looked at your ...
ADHD School Behavior Problems: Why Nothing's Changing and the Framework That Will
Your child's behavior card comes home negative every day. It's not a character issue—it's a design issue. Learn the REACT framework that actually works.____________________________________________________It's 3:07 pm. The dismissa...
ADHD Without Medication: What Actually Works (According to the Highest-Quality Research)
Overwhelmed by conflicting ADHD advice? Discover what actually works (and doesn't) for managing ADHD without medication, backed by top-tier research.______________________________________If you've ever found yourself Googling...
ADHD Morning Routine Chaos? How to Find Your Battle Zone and Fix It Without Changing Your Child
ADHD mornings don't have to be chaos. Learn how to identify your household's biggest battle zone and make one environmental shift that changes everything._______________________________________Someone's crying. You're already run...
ADHD School Behavior Problems: 3 Moves Parents and Teachers Both Need to Know
Your phone buzzes: another behavior report. Learn why punishment fails ADHD kids and get scripts to build a real school-home team.____________________________________It's 2:47 PM. Your phone buzzes. You already know what it is b...
Why Your ADHD Child Thinks "I'm the Problem" (And How Repair Changes Their Identity)
ADHD kids hear "I'm the problem" on repeat. Learn why repairing after yelling rewrites that story—and what to do when your child won't engage.________________________________________There's a sentence ADHD kids ...
Stop Sitting in Mom Guilt: How to Repair with Your ADHD Child After You Lose It
Yelled at your ADHD child and feel awful? Learn the 5-step repair system that protects your child's self-esteem and actually strengthens your relationship._______________________The explosion is over. The house is quiet. Your kid ...
When ADHD Anger Turns Destructive: Why Punishment Makes It Worse (And What Actually Works)
Destructive anger in ADHD kids is one of the most misunderstood, shame-loaded experiences parents face. The advice most families are given — harsher consequences, bigger punishments, “making it stop” — often makes these episodes happen more oft...
[Part 5 of 5] The ADHD Holiday Survival System: The 3-Phase Plan That Stops Meltdowns, Sensory Overload & Dopamine Crashes
This is the holiday episode every ADHD parent needs. After five weeks of dismantling holiday myths, decoding meltdowns, and rebuilding your confidence piece-by-piece…we’re finally here.In this episode of...
[Part 4 of 5] The Small Holiday Tweaks That Create Big ADHD Wins (Parents Can’t Believe the Difference)
There’s a moment every ADHD parent remembers.Not the big, Instagram-perfect one — the small, quiet one.It’s the moment you realize:“Wait… this actually worked.”The morning didn’t explode.The meltdown didn’t ha...
[Part 3 of 5] 3 ADHD Holiday Myths Ruining Your Family's Christmas (Psychiatrist Reveals the Truth)
If your holidays feel louder, harder, and more meltdown-heavy than everyone else’s, there’s a reason — and it’s not your parenting.It’s the three myths you were taught to believe about ADHD and the holidays.In this episode,
[Part 2 of 5] Stop the Holiday Meltdowns: The 10-Minute Holiday Reset Every ADHD Family Needs (But No One Told You About)
If “holiday magic” currently looks more like meltdowns over socks, cold coffee, and pure morning chaos, you’re not doing anything wrong, you’re living inside the ADHD Holiday Paradox.In today’s episode, we're revealing the fas...
[Part 1 of 5] When the Holidays Break Your Brain: The ADHD Paradox No One Talks About
You know how the holidays are supposed to be magical — cozy mornings, matching jammies, and family smiles?Yeah… for ADHD families, it usually looks more like meltdowns, forgotten gifts, and someone crying in the bathroom....
Why Small Things Trigger Big Meltdowns: How Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria Hijacks ADHD Kids
You say “It’s time to turn off the iPad.” They feel like their world just ended.If you’ve watched your child melt down over something you thought was minor—tears, anger, “You never let me”—you’re not imagining it. For many kids ...
Latest ADHD Research 2025: Executive Function Training, Sleep Secrets, and Why Therapy Dogs Actually Work
What if the key to helping your ADHD child wasn't just medication—but a combination of unexpected interventions backed by cutting-edge research? In this episode, Dr. Brian Bradford returns from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psych...
ADHD and Friendships: Why Your Child Struggles to Fit In and How to Help Them Find Their Tribe
You’re standing at the edge of the playground.Your child’s backpack hangs a little crooked, their eyes full of hope.They wave, the group pauses, and then turns away.Your child pretends not to notice. Your heart shatters.If yo...
The ADHD Bedtime Battle: Why Your Child Won’t Sleep (and How to Finally Fix It)
Tired of endless bedtime battles? Discover the hidden link between ADHD and sleep, why melatonin timing matters, and the routines that can transform your nights.It’s late. The lights are low. You’ve read the stories, fetched the...