If you’ve ever wondered why your ADHD kiddo can’t just “calm down” — or why you can’t either — this episode is your new favorite form of therapy. This week on Chaos & Caffeine, host Danielle sits down with Dr. George Hu, a U.S.-licensed clinical psychologist, Director of Counseling & Wellness at Duke Kunshan University, and President of the Shanghai International Mental Health Association — to unpack the real science behind self-regulation and sensory processing. We’re breaking down: ...

Are your afternoons filled with gaming, only for bedtime to turn into a wrestling match with your child’s brain? In this no-BS episode, I’m going deep (with laughs and tears) into how screen time, sleep routines, and physical activity are the secret levers behind ADHD symptoms. I share a raw story from my own home—how two hours of gaming ruined bedtime, and how a simple bike ride or soccer kick fixes it. Then I drop the science: • Why 4+ hours of screen time is a red flag for ADHD, anxi...

Do you ever feel like your child’s ADHD, anxiety, or sensory meltdowns are out of your control — like you’re wandering blind in a world full of triggers? I hear you. In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Pejman Katiraei (of Wholistic Kids / Stella Center background) and we rip the roof off of what mainstream parenting advice isn’t telling you. We unpack how environmental forces — from toxins, food, and unpredictable sensory input to unresolved trauma and nervous system dysregulation — can fuel...

Parenting ADHD is messy, imperfect, and full of mistakes you wish you could undo. In this raw, unfiltered episode of Chaos & Caffeine, host Danielle Kelly shares the biggest ADHD parenting fails she regrets—impatience, homework wars, punishment flops, diet traps, comparison spirals, bribery gone wrong, and more. This isn’t about shame. It’s about honesty, solidarity, and learning together. From meltdowns in Target to failed screen bans and creating a “tiny mob boss” through too many bribe...

If you’ve ever ugly-cried in your car after an IEP meeting—welcome, you’re in the right place. Today on Chaos & Caffeine, I’m joined by Tonya Wollum, founder of Water Prairie and host of the Water Prairie Chronicles Podcast. Tonya is a powerhouse advocate for parents raising neurodivergent kids—from ADHD to autism and everything in between. She’s on a mission to arm families with the tools, confidence, and community they need to not just survive the education system, but to flip the scri...

It’s back-to-school season… which means the emails, the phone calls, and the “your child is struggling” meetings are about to roll in. And if you’ve got an ADHD kiddo, or even a suspected ADHD kiddo, this season can feel like diagnosis season on steroids. Recently, one of our Chaos Crew got a little offended when I called it “ADHD diagnosis season” on social media. And listen, I’m not here to water down the chaos or rebrand myself into Pinterest-perfect parenting. But I am here to talk about ...

If you’re raising a differently wired child — ADHD, autism, gifted, learning differences, or anything that makes them zig when the world zags — today’s episode is going to feel like a giant exhale. Danielle sits down with the legendary Debbie Reber, founder of Tilt Parenting, host of the Tilt Parenting Podcast, and author of the bestselling book Differently Wired. Together, they dive deep into what it really means to parent kids who don’t fit inside the “typical” box — and why that’s not a pr...

Homework meltdowns. Reading tears. Science projects that somehow turn into family therapy sessions. If you’re parenting a child with ADHD (or any neurodivergent learner), you know the school grind can feel impossible. But what if you had a tool that could scaffold your child’s learning without you losing your mind? In this episode of Chaos & Caffeine, I’m diving into how parents can use AI tutors and tools like StudySim to support struggling students—especially kids with ADHD, dyslexia, a...

Are you exhausted from the daily battles, meltdowns, and power struggles of ADHD parenting? You’re not alone—and you don’t have to keep white-knuckling it through the chaos. In this episode of Chaos & Caffeine, Danielle sits down with ADHD parenting coach and counselor Randy Free, creator of the PEACE-ful Parenting Process, to talk about practical, real-world strategies that actually work for neurodivergent families. Randy brings both professional expertise and lived experience as a paren...

Back-to-school season is basically the Olympics for ADHD families — new routines, new supplies, and about 4,000 chances for meltdowns before the first bell even rings. In this episode of Chaos & Caffeine, I’m breaking down my top ADHD-friendly back-to-school tips plus my must-have picks for kids and parents that will actually save your sanity. We’ll cover: ☕ ADHD parenting hacks that make mornings less chaotic 🎒 Smart tools that help ADHD kids thrive in class (and at home) &nb...

Feeling stuck between diagnosis and dinner? ADHD parenting is more chaos than calm—but what if nutrition could be one of your strongest tools? In today’s episode, I sit down with Sandrine Olmi—a Registered Nutritional Therapist, Certified Mind–Body Eating Coach, and fierce advocate for neurodivergent families—to dive deep into ADHD, nutrition, and sensory-friendly feeding. Sandrine is not your average nutritionist. She’s a mum to an AuDHD daughter, a Nutrigenomics specialist, and the brillian...

In this powerful deep dive, I unpack the Dr. Russell Barkley lecture that completely changed how I parent my neurodivergent child. We’re breaking down why ADHD is not a behavioral issue, but a developmental delay in executive function—and what that actually means in real-life moments (like, why your 10-year-old melts down like a kindergartener). I also share Dr. Barkley's surprising reply to my personal email—and his groundbreaking insight into Cognitive Disengagement Syndrome (CDS), formerly...

If your kid is falling apart over homework, school emails feel like personal attacks, and you’re constantly wondering if you’re failing as a parent… stop right here. This episode of Chaos & Caffeine brings you the straight-talking, research-backed, and soul-soothing advice of Scotti Weintraub—ADHD parent coach, educator, and founder of Reframe Parenting. With over 17 years of experience in education and a Master’s in flipping school stress on its head (okay, technically education, but sti...

If watching your ADHD child struggle to make friends feels like emotional whiplash, this episode is your lifeline. In this raw and radically helpful deep-dive, Danielle unpacks the heartbreaking reality of social struggles in ADHD kids—from impulsivity and rejection sensitivity to emotional dysregulation and executive function gaps. You’ll learn what’s actually happening in your child’s brain during playdates, why they miss social cues, and how to support them with real-world, science-backed ...

What if you could parent your ADHD child like a high-performance coach—calm, confident, and totally in control, even during a full-blown cereal aisle meltdown? In this powerhouse episode of Chaos & Caffeine, certified mental performance coach Dan Mickle breaks down what every ADHD parent needs to know about building mental resilience, regulating emotions (theirs AND ours), and helping neurodivergent kids thrive in a world that wasn’t built for them. We’re ditching the toxic positivity and...

Feeling lost in a sea of IEPs, 504s, FBAs, and all those other acronym landmines tossed around at school meetings and doctor visits? You’re not alone—and you’re definitely not clueless. In this episode of Chaos & Caffeine, ADHD parenting expert and emotional support bestie Danielle Kelly breaks down over 30 essential neurodivergent terms in plain English, with relatable stories, mom-level sarcasm, and zero judgment. From decoding educational lingo to understanding behavior plans, this epi...

Parenting a neurodivergent child isn’t for the faint of heart—and if you’ve ever left an IEP meeting in tears, Googled “ADHD meltdown strategies” at 2am, or wondered if you might be neurodivergent too… this episode is your lifeline. In this powerful, no-fluff conversation, host Danielle Kelly sits down with neurodiversity consultant, speaker, and Journey2Bloom founder Lisa Richer, a mom of two neurodivergent kids (and one herself), to talk real-life ADHD and autism parenting strategies that a...

Summer break doesn't have to feel like the Olympics of meltdowns, messes, and mental fatigue—especially if you're parenting a neurodivergent child. In this jam-packed episode of Chaos & Caffeine, host Danielle Kelly serves up a raw, relatable, science-backed guide to surviving (and maybe even enjoying?!) summer with ADHD kids in tow. We’ll unpack why summer is so freaking hard for kids with ADHD, how to create anchor-point routines that actually work, why sensory regulation is a must not ...

What if your child’s ADHD, autism, or mood swings aren’t just behavioral—but biological? In this jaw-dropping episode of Chaos & Caffeine, host Danielle dives deep with world-renowned medical geneticist and founder of NeuroNeeds, Dr. Richard Boles, to uncover the science your pediatrician probably never mentioned. Dr. Boles breaks down the mitochondria-brain connection, the genetic roots of neurodivergence, and how targeted nutritional and mitochondrial support can dramatically improve en...

Has your teen announced they have ADHD—because TikTok said so? You’re not alone. In this powerful and relatable episode of Chaos & Caffeine, host Danielle Kelly (your ADHD parenting bestie) unpacks the wild world of social media self-diagnosis, especially how platforms like TikTok are shaping how kids understand mental health. We dive deep into the science of ADHD, teen brain development, emotional regulation, and how to separate fact from filter. Plus, we explore how even neurotypical pa...