Maybe you don't need to keep pushing for "socially-acceptable parenting", maybe you need strategies that work for you and your children, too!
In this week’s episode of the ADHD Women’s Wellbeing Podcast, I speak with award-winning journalist at The i Paper, Director of NeuroUniverse and author of How to Raise a Happy ADHD Child and How to Raise a Happy Autistic Child, Jessie Hewitson, about the emotional realities and practical tools of raising neurodivergent children.
As a parent of neurodivergent children herself, Jessie opens up about how receiving ADHD and autism diagnoses, for herself and her children, completely shifted her understanding of parenting, identity, and support. From school struggles to executive functioning, PDA, and low-demand parenting, we explore how embracing neurodivergence can transform the home environment.
My new book, The ADHD Women's Wellbeing Toolkit, is now available, grab your copy here!
What You'll Learn:
- The overlap between ADHD and autism, and how understanding both can change everything
- How to advocate for your child’s needs in school and beyond
- Why validating your child’s emotions is key to their self-esteem and regulation
- How executive functioning is so individual, and how to support it at home
- The role of dopamine in ADHD and how this affects parenting
- What PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance) is and how it relates to autism
- How low-demand parenting and NVR (Non-Violent Resistance) approaches support neurodivergent children
- The challenges of being a neurodivergent parent raising neurodivergent kids,
- Jessie's advice to protect your own wellbeing
- How to stop prioritising “what’s socially acceptable” and focus instead on your child’s self-worth
Timestamps:
- 2:06 – Jessie’s personal experience with ADHD, autism and parenting
- 3:51 – How the media portrays autism and why this matters
- 12:38 – Practical changes to help children feel happy and safe
- 13:56 – How to get the right support at school
- 20:41 – What it’s like to be a neurodivergent parent of ND children
- 22:11 – Understanding PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance)
- 23:32 – Navigating parenting challenges with PDA
- 31:20 – How NVR can support low-demand parenting
- 34:44 – Honesty about parenting challenges and neurodivergence
- 37:54 – How to look after yourself as a parent and advocate
This powerful and deeply validating conversation is for any parent navigating the highs and lows of neurodivergent family life, offering compassion, clarity, and actionable insight.
Links and Resources:
- Join the Waitlist for my new ADHD community-first membership, More Yourself, launching in September! Get exclusive founding offers [