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
40 episodes
ADHD Parenting Burnout: The 3 Stages, the Signs, and What Actually Helps
ADHD parenting burnout is real, and it's not the same as being tired. The three stages, why parents of ADHD kids burn out faster, and five research-backed ways to recover.__________________________________________________Yo...
ADHD Summer Survival: 5 Things Saving My Life Right Now
Surviving summer with an ADHD kid? Here are five small, real-life things saving my sanity right now, plus a pep talk for when nothing feels like it's helping.________________________________________________________________It's wee...
Traveling With ADHD Kids: How to Plan a Vacation That Doesn't End in Meltdowns with Mary Katherine Brooks
Traveling with an ADHD child without the meltdowns is possible. A travel expert shares how to plan Disney, cruises, and trips that actually feel like a vacation.______________________________________________________________...
Your ADHD Child Isn't Trying to Drive You Crazy: Here's What's Really Going On
Why your ADHD child kicks, hums, and can't sit still, and what to do instead of yelling. A simple reframe for sensory and dopamine-seeking behavior._________________________________________________________You're three minutes into...
Why Consequences Don't Work for ADHD Kids (And What to Do Instead)
Traditional discipline doesn't work for ADHD kids—here's the brain science why, plus 6 research-backed strategies that do.________________________________________________________________Raise your hand if you've ever been told, "Y...
The Best Daily Routine for a Child with ADHD (Summer Edition)
What's the best daily routine for a child with ADHD? Not a rigid schedule, but a flexible anchor system. Get the research-backed summer framework that actually works. ___________________________________________________School ...
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,