TILT Parenting: Raising Differently Wired Kids

Debbie Reber

  • 48 minutes 24 seconds
    TPP 326a: Educator Sam Young on Reimagining Socializing for Twice-Exceptional Students

    Today I’m talking with neurodivergent educator Sam Young about a topic I haven’t covered on the podcast before, and that is our neurodivergent kids’ social lives. The world has changed so very much in the past few years, including in no small way how our kids relate to other kids. I get a pang of nostalgia when I think about how I used to form friendships when I was younger in a more analog world, but I can also feel excitement about the many possibilities that have opened up for kids like ours to find their communities thanks to the technology they’re growing up with.

    In this episode, Sam is going to talk with us about what a meaningful and healthy social life might look like for our differently wired kids, and how we can support them in the process. We explored how online communities have impacted socializing for neurodivergent kids, how parents can support kids in developing the skills to help with social anxiety, key elements to look for in ideal social environments for our differently wired kiddos, and much more.

     

    About Sam Young

    Sam Young MEd, or Mr. Sam as his families call him, is a growth-minded, two-time Fulbright Scholar and Director of Young Scholars Academy, a strength-based, talent-focused virtual enrichment center that supports twice-exceptional, neurodivergent, and gifted students and their families.

    Mr. Sam is a neurodivergent educator who has ADHD. As an ADHD learner, he has a tremendous understanding of, experience in, and respect for all things related to neurodiverse education. Before founding Young Scholars Academy, Mr. Sam taught in a variety of capacities—including nearly a decade at Bridges Academy — at an array of programs in the US, Europe, and Asia. Travel and culture are near and dear to him. He has led 2e students to over 7 countries for immersive cultural and educational trips.

    Mr. Sam has been featured in the documentary 2e2: Teaching The Twice Exceptional, the textbook Understanding The Social and Emotional Lives of Gifted Students, 2nd Ed., Variations Magazine, over 20 podcasts, 10 seminars, 2e News, and other publications.

     

    Things You'll Learn from This Episode:

    • What reimagining our kids’ social life really is about
    • How online communities have impacted our kid’s social lives
    • What Sam’s students wish their social lives looked like
    • How parents or adults in kids’ lives can support them in building skills to help them with social anxiety
    • Sam’s thoughts on social skill groups and their efficacy
    • Expectations that parents have that might be getting in the way of their kid’s social lives
    • How parents can support a kid who is feeling alone to the point of their self-confidence and self-worth being affected

     Resources Mentioned



    About Sam YoungThings you’ll learn from this episodeResources mentioned about the social lives of 2e students

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    27 March 2026, 4:00 am
  • 36 minutes 50 seconds
    TPP 496: Dr. Ellen Braaten on Helping Teens and Tweens Discover What they Love to Do

    Today we’re talking about motivation—what it is, what it isn’t, and why so many of our neurodivergent kids get mislabeled as “unmotivated” when the real story is far more nuanced. My guest is Dr. Ellen Braaten, an expert on motivation and the author of several books including Bright Kids Who Couldn’t Care Less, and her newest release, The Motivation Mindset Workbook: Helping Teens and Tweens Discover What They Love to Do. Ellen shares why motivation is not a fixed trait, how identity shapes whether kids lean in or shut down, and what often gets in the way for learners with ADHD and other differences. We talk about how parents can shift from pushing performance to supporting purpose, and how giving kids the space to discover what genuinely interests them can be transformative for confidence, engagement, and long-term growth.


    About Dr. Ellen Braaten 

    Dr. Ellen Braaten is the founding director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program (LEAP) at Massachusetts General Hospital and an associate professor at Harvard Medical School. She has published numerous scientific papers on topics related to ADHD, learning disorders, child psychopathology, processing speed, and intelligence, as well as many books for parents and professionals, including the bestsellers Bright Kids Who Can’t Keep Up, and Bright Kids Who Couldn’t Care Less: How to Rekindle Your Child’s Motivation. Most recently, she coauthored The Motivation Mindset Workbook: Helping Teens and Tweens Discover What They Love to Do.Dr. Braaten has a strong interest in educating the public on topics related to child mental health, maintains an active speaking schedule, and contributes regularly to local and national news outlets.


    Things you'll learn from this episode 

    • How motivation is a dynamic skill that ebbs and flows based on environment and context, not a fixed trait
    • Why helping teens and tweens identify their strengths and values lays the foundation for authentic motivation
    • How responsibility and meaningful real-world experiences spark engagement and ownership
    • Why identity development plays a central role in sustaining long-term motivation
    • How practical, strengths-based activities can reignite momentum when kids feel stuck

    Resources mentioned 

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    24 March 2026, 9:00 am
  • 44 minutes 15 seconds
    TPP 303a: Dr. Joseph Lee Talks About the Importance of SEL / Social and Emotional Learning

    Have you ever wondered if SEL (social and emotional learning) in school and classrooms really matters? I’ve been exploring this question a lot about over the past year, as well trying to understand the recent increase in parental and political pushback in the US specifically that is putting the future of SEL in schools at risk.  

    I wanted to get into a deep conversation about SEL for the show, and so I reached out Dr. Joseph Lee, a psychiatrist with a special interest in social and emotional learning and helping people achieve what he calls optimal mental healthiness.

    We had exactly the conversation I was hoping we would, as we got into so many important topics, including the state of children and young adult’s mental health today, demystifying what SEL or social emotional learning actually is, why SEL matters, how it’s best introduced in schools, the limitations in the current educational model for social emotional learning curriculums, what the pushback against SEL is really about, and what it’s at stake if our children aren’t provided with social and emotional learning opportunities. I think this is such an important and timely conversation – I hope that you enjoy it and that you help me amplify this episode by sharing it in your communities.

     

    About Dr. Joseph Lee

    Dr. Joseph Lee, MD., is a Psychiatrist in private practice in Redondo Beach, California. He is also an educator in social and emotional learning (SEL) and provides individual and group supervision to licensed therapists looking to add mental healthiness and SEL principles to their own practices. Dr. Lee has a medical doctorate from University Of California, Los Angeles, School Of Medicine.

     

    Key Takeaways

    • Dr. Joseph Lee’s thoughts on the state of children and young adult’s mental health today
    • What SEL or social emotional learning actually is and why it matters
    • Ways that SEL can be weaved into traditional educational curriculum, as well as the use of specific SEL curriculum
    • What social and emotional learning inside schools looks like in practice
    • The “why” behind the pushback against SEL in the recent years and what’s it’s at stake if we lose the ability to teach SEL in classrooms

     Resources Mentioned

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    20 March 2026, 4:00 am
  • 18 minutes 13 seconds
    TPP 495: Schooling, Detours, and Launch — What I’d Do (and Not Do) Again

    In this short solo episode, Debbie responds to a question she hears from many parents navigating unconventional education paths: looking back, what would youchange—and what wouldn’t you—about your twice-exceptional young adult’s schooling journey. Debbie will share why there’s no perfect path, what she's glad she did (including embracing flexibility and a gap year), and how she's learned to let go of timelines and trust that our kids are on their own trajectory—even when it looks different from everyone else’s.


    About Debbie

    Debbie Reber, MA is a parenting activist, bestselling author, speaker, and the CEO and founder of Tilt Parenting, a resource, top-performing podcast, consultancy, and community with a focus on shifting the paradigm for parents raising and embracing neurodivergent children. A regular contributor to Psychology Today and ADDitude Magazine, and the author of more than a dozen books for children and teens, Debbie’s most recent book is Differently Wired: A Parent’s Guide to Raising an Atypical Child with Confidence and Hope.


    Resources mentioned 


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    19 March 2026, 4:00 am
  • 44 minutes 59 seconds
    TPP 494: Lindsay Lyons on Navigating Hard School Conversations Around Inclusion, Equity, and Neurodivergence

    Lindsay Lyons, an educational justice coach, former NYC public school teacher, and parent who helps families and educators create space for real, meaningful conversations with kids joins me to talk about the challenges educators and families face when navigating hard conversations in schools, especially around inclusion, equity, and neurodivergence. We talk about the importance of student voice, creating safe spaces for dialogue, and addressing the fears and barriers that can get in the way of real change. At the heart of it all is dignity—how honoring kids’ humanity and lived experiences is foundational to building school environments where all learners can truly belong.


    About Lindsay Lyons

    Lindsay Lyons is an educational justice coach who helps families and educators create spaces for real conversations with kids about current events, hard history, and other high-emotion topics. A parent and former NYC public school teacher, she holds a PhD in Leadership and Change, and is the founder of the blog and podcast, Time for Teachership. Lindsay believes all students deserve literacy, criticality, and leadership skills.


    Things you'll learn from this episode 

    • Why creating emotionally safe spaces for honest conversation is essential for learning and connection
    • How listening to students’ insights can shift adult perspectives and lead to more just educational practices
    • Why meaningful professional development requires ongoing, year-long support rather than one-off workshops
    • How restorative practices and constructive disorientation can strengthen community and transform school culture
    • Why engaging families in difficult conversations—with respect and care—is critical to lasting change


     Resources mentioned

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    17 March 2026, 9:00 am
  • 38 minutes 30 seconds
    TPP 293a: Catherine Newman on How Kids Can Learn Social Skills and Ways to be a Good Human

    Today’s episode is all about social skills, but from an updated lens that really speaks to the lived experiences of today’s kids. My guest is writer and journalist Catherine Newman, and we’re going to dive into her new book, What Can I Say? A Kids Guide to Super Useful Social Skills to Help You Get Along and Express Yourself.

    What Can I Say is aimed at kids ages 10 and up, and it includes practical and accessible advice to help kids and teens learn social skills, including everything from introduce themselves, express empathy, be persuasive, and apologize to compromise, ask for help, be grateful, and comfort a friend.

    In this conversation, Catherine and talk about why learning social and interpersonal skills are more important than ever for our kids, despite the fact that their lives are evolving to include more time spent online. We also talk about the climate for social emotional learning and ways parents and educators can to reinforce the social skills our kids are learning.


    About Catherine

    Catherine Newman is the author of the memoirs Catastrophic Happiness and Waiting for Birdy, the middle-grade novel One Mixed-Up Night, the kids’ craft book Stitch Camp, the how-to books for kids How to Be a Person and What Can I Say? and the novel We All Want Impossible Things (forthcoming, Harper, November 2022). She edits the non-profit kids’ cooking magazine ChopChop, writes the etiquette column for Real Simple magazine, and is a regular contributor to the New York Times, O, The Oprah Magazine, Parents magazine, Cup of Jo, and many other publications. She lives in Amherst, Massachusetts, with her family.

     

    Key Takeaways

    • Why it’s still important to learn social skills and interpersonal skills even though our kids’ lives are evolving to include more time spent online
    • Why it’s important to spend time learning social skills just as we would learn any other type of skill like algebra or singing
    • The importance of learning interpersonal skills that focus on empathy, setting boundaries, being curious, and being supportive and inclusive of people with different identities
    • How OT can help neurodivergent kids grow up with advanced social emotional skills
    • What parents and educators can do to support and reinforce the social skills they are learning

     Resources Mentioned


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    13 March 2026, 4:00 am
  • 42 minutes 18 seconds
    TPP 493: Patty Laushman on Parenting for Independence: Strategies for the Transition to Adulthood

    Patty Laushman, a speaker, autism life coach, and the author of the book Parenting for Independence: Overcoming Failure to Launch in Autistic Emerging Adults, joins me to talk about one of the misunderstood stages of parenting: supporting our neurodivergent kids as they move into emerging adulthood. In our conversation, Patty and I unpack the concept of “failure to launch,” why that label is actually unhelpful and inaccurate, and how redefining independence can change everything. We talk about self-determination, motivation, and what support actually looks like during this phase of life. Patty also shares her SBN parenting framework—Support, Boundaries, and Nudges—and offers grounded, compassionate guidance for navigating this transition while strengthening trust and connection along the way.


    About Patty Laushman

     

    Patty Laushman is an author, speaker, educator, and coach who specializes in supporting neurodivergent individuals and the families who love them. With both personal and professional experience, she deeply understands the challenges of being neurodivergent in a world designed for those who are more neurotypical—and the transformative power of the right kind of support.

    She is the founder and head coach at Thrive Autism Coaching, where she and her team help neurodivergent teens and adults, as well as their parents, build the skills and confidence needed to thrive. Patty developed the SBN™ parenting framework, a step-by-step system that teaches parents how to use support, boundaries, and nudges to help their autistic emerging adults reclaim motivation, build momentum, and move toward more meaningful lives on their own terms.

    Through her Parenting for Independence group coaching program, Patty has guided hundreds of families through this unexpected stage of parenting—helping them rebuild trust, strengthen relationships, and finally start seeing progress. Her compassionate, neurodiversity-affirming approach has been described by clients as “the only thing that has ever worked for us.”She lives with her husband, son, and Golden Retriever in the Denver/Boulder metro area. In her spare time, you’ll find her hiking, camping, headbanging to heavy metal, or devouring medical or crime dramas.


    Things you'll learn from this episode  

    • How understanding a child’s lived experience lays the groundwork for more effective, compassionate parenting
    • Why the term “failure to launch,” while loaded, can help families find the right support and resources
    • How redefining independence to include positive interdependence supports healthier outcomes for emerging adults
    • Why self-determination is central to helping neurodivergent young adults move out of stuckness and burnout
    • How the SBN framework—Support, Boundaries, and Nudges—guides parents in creating momentum without control
    • Why resetting expectations and timelines can ease parental shame and anxiety while supporting real growth


    Resources mentioned

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    10 March 2026, 9:00 am
  • 27 minutes 40 seconds
    TPP 018: 11-year-old Asher Shares Challenges and Strategies Surrounding His Social Life

    In this special kid’s POV edition of the podcast, Asher answers questions from listeners — specifically our kid audience — about his social life. Like many differently-wired kids, social scenes aren’t always smooth sailing for Asher. He sometimes struggles to pick-up on others’ cues and his occasionally intense emotional reactions to certain situations can be off-putting to other kids.

    We talk about it all in this episode, as Asher opens up about not only what’s challenging for him in relationship to other kids, but what strategies he’s using to get through these challenges and maintain friendships, something that is very important to him.

     

    Questions answered in this episode:

    • What are your friendships like?
    • What kind of challenges have you had in your friendships and how have you handled them?
    • What happens when you have a meltdown in front of a friend?
    • What do you do when kids are mean to you or call you names like “weirdo?”
    • What advice do you have for kids starting a new school?
    • How do you manage group situations that don’t go your way?

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    6 March 2026, 5:00 am
  • 34 minutes 12 seconds
    TPP 492: Laura Key on ADHD Aha Moments, Parenting, and Burnout

    Today’s conversation is a candid, honest look at what it’s really like to parent while navigating ADHD yourself. My guest is Laura Key, Vice President of Content Strategy at Understood.org and the host of the award-winning ADHD Aha! podcast. Laura was diagnosed with ADHD at 30, and she brings both professional insight and lived experience to this conversation as a mom raising two neurodivergent kids. Laura and I talk about the emotional labor so many mothers carry, the unique challenges parents with ADHD face, and why self-compassion is not optional—it’s essential. We dig into shame, burnout (both the quiet, everyday kind and the big, overwhelming kind), communication with partners, and the pressure that can come with framing ADHD as a “superpower.” This episode is an honest exploration of the joys and struggles of parenting with ADHD, and a reminder that you’re not alone in any of it.


    About Laura Key 

    Laura Key is Vice President of Content Strategy at Understood.org, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the 70 million people with ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning and thinking differences in the United States. She's also the host of the award-winning ADHD Aha! podcast.


    Things you'll learn from this episode  

    • How adult ADHD is often misread as anxiety at first, and why addressing one can illuminate the other
    • Why late identification can bring both grief and relief after years of self-blame for brain-based differences
    • How shame and invisible executive function demands can quietly dominate family life, especially for moms
    • Why being great in a crisis but overwhelmed by daily details is a common—and misunderstood—ADHD pattern
    • How burnout can show up as both “micro” and “macro” exhaustion, including frenetic busyness that masks collapse
    • Why recovery often starts with basic regulation and more realistic self-expectations, not grand productivity plans


    Resources mentioned

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    3 March 2026, 10:00 am
  • 35 minutes 5 seconds
    TPP 372a: Dr. Megan Anna Neff on Self-Care for Autistic People

    Today’s episode is all about self-care for autistic people, and joining me is return guest Dr. Megan Anna Neff of Neurodivergent Insights. Megan Anna has just published a new book called Self-Care for Autistic People: 100+ Ways to Recharge, De-Stress, and Unmask! which she wrote to help autistic people accept themselves, destigmatize autism, find community, and take care of physical and mental health.

    Megan Anna considers self-care to be a collective effort that includes the well-being of the community, a framework that really resonated with me. So we talk about that, along with other ideas from Megan Anna’s book, including how internalized ableism can hinder self-care, considerations for navigating self-care for individuals with PDA, and insights into co-regulation, sensory considerations, and how advocacy and accommodations in the workplace can also be forms of self-care.

     

    ABOUT DR. MEGAN ANNA NEFF Dr. Megan Anna Neff (she/they) is a neurodivergent Clinical Psychologist and founder of Neurodivergent Insights where she creates education and wellness resources for neurodivergent adults. Additionally, she is co-host of the Divergent Conversations podcast. As a late-diagnosed AuDHDer (Autistic ADHD), Dr. Neff applies their lived experiences from a cross-neurotype marriage and parenting neurodivergent children to their professional focus. They are committed to broadening the mental health field’s understanding of autism and ADHD beyond traditional stereotypes. This personal-professional blend enriches their work and advocacy within neurodiversity.

    Dr. Neff is the author of Self-Care for Autistic People and a forthcoming book on Autistic Burnout. Additionally, she has published in several peer-reviewed journals on topics ranging from neurodivergence, place attachment, relational psychoanalysis, social psychology, and integration of spirituality into psychotherapy.

     

    KEY TAKEAWAYS

    • Why self-care should be approached with self-attunement and an understanding of one’s own needs
    • Why self-care is a collective effort that includes the well-being of the community
    • How internalized ableism can hinder self-care and why it’s important to address it
    • Ideas for navigating self-care for individuals with PDA regarding autonomy, co-regulation, and sensory considerations
    • Ways to practice self-care in the workplace, including self-disclosure, documentation, and setting realistic expectations

     ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

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    27 February 2026, 5:00 am
  • 38 minutes 16 seconds
    TPP 491: A Conversation with Dr. Ross Greene About the Kids Who Aren’t Okay

    Dr. Ross Greene’s work has profoundly shaped how so many of us think about kids’ behavior and what they actually need from the adults in their lives, so I’m thrilled to welcome him back to the show to talk about his brand new book, The Kids Who Aren’t Okay: The Urgent Case for Reimagining Support, Belonging, and Hope in Schools. Together, we explore the urgent need to reimagine how we support children in schools, especially as mental health concerns continue to rise. We dig into the importance of recognizing developmental variability, why meeting kids where they are is non-negotiable, and how current behavior-focused systems miss the real problems underneath. Ross also highlights the role parents and caregivers can play in advocating for meaningful change.


    About Dr. Ross Greene 

    Ross W. Greene, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and the originator of the innovative, evidence-based approach called Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS), as described in his influential books The Explosive Child, Lost at School, Lost & Found, and Raising Human Beings. He also developed and executive produced the award-winning documentary film The Kids We Lose, released in 2018. Dr. Greene was on the faculty at Harvard Medical School for over 20 years, and is now founding director of the non-profit Lives in the Balance. He is also currently adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychology at Virginia Tech and adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Science at the University of Technology in Sydney, Australia. Dr. Greene has worked with several thousand kids with concerning behaviors and their caregivers, and he and his colleagues have overseen implementation and evaluation of the CPS model in countless schools, inpatient psychiatric units, and residential and juvenile detention facilities, with dramatic effect: significant reductions in recidivism, discipline referrals, detentions, suspensions, and use of restraint and seclusion. Dr.Greene lectures throughout the world and lives in Freeport, Maine.


    Things you'll learn from this episode 

    • How kids today are facing unprecedented challenges that require new ways of thinking and responding
    • Why developmental variability matters and why every child needs support tailored to their unique profile
    • How schools can create more supportive ecosystems by using proactive rather than reactive approaches
    • Why behavior is often a late signal of unmet expectations, not the problem itself
    • How managing expectations and understanding root causes can reduce concerning behaviors
    • Why parents’ advocacy and the Collaborative & Proactive Solutions model can transform how children are supported in education


    Resources mentioned

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    24 February 2026, 10:00 am
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