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, anxiety & behavior problems
• How movement—especially skill-based activity—is literally brain medicine for ADHD
• Why consistent sleep routines are your covert weapon
• How parenting style (gentle, directive, not drill sergeant) can buffer symptoms

You’ll walk away with actionable strategies (no fluff) to tweak your child’s routines starting tonight, plus mindset shifts so you don’t lose your sanity fighting every bedtime. This episode is your blueprint for rescuing evenings, saving sleep, and giving your ADHD child a fighting shot.

Tune in if you’re an ADHD parent who is done with chaos and ready for real help—but still laughs at your own mess.

Resources mentioned 👉 Bark Parental Controls

Let’s get your kid (and your brain) off the hamster wheel.

Hosted by Danielle, on Chaos & Caffeine—your ADHD parenting lifeline.

This Month’s Sponsors:

👩🏼‍⚕️ Dr. Lorian Phillips

Dr. Phillips helps families ditch the chaos and build calm through emotional regulation and practical tools that actually work in real life (you know, the life with homework battles, missing shoes, and bedtime meltdowns). Learn more about her ADHD Parenting Course and how she helps families thrive!

🪀 Play Therapy Supply

A longtime favorite of parents, teachers, and therapists who want kids to have the tools they need to regulate, focus, and thrive. From fidgets and sensory tools to calming corner essentials, therapeutic games, and classic sand play, they’ve got everything to support kids both at home and in the classroom.

💊 NeuroNeeds

A science-backed supplement line created by Dr. Richard Boles, a geneticist and ADHD dad who walked this exact road. These all-natural formulas were developed to support focus, mood, and brain health—and they helped his own son transition off stimulants and thrive in college. So if you’ve ever wished you had a scientist in your back pocket, this is it.

✨PTS Coaching

Founded by Cindy Goldrich, Ed.M., ADHD-CCSP, PTS Coaching provides science-backed training, parent coaching, and educator support that’s actually practical in the trenches of real family life. Cindy doesn’t just talk theory — she equips parents with tools to handle meltdowns, homework battles, morning chaos, and all the curveballs that come with raising an ADHD kid.

Resources:

Join Our Newsletter and Find All of Our Faves!

📧 Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Email us at chaosandcaffeinepodcast@gmail.com

Support the show

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 bribes, Danielle opens up about the mistakes that made her a more compassionate, informed ADHD mom.

If you’ve ever wondered, “Am I screwing this all up?” this episode is for you. You’ll laugh, cringe, and most importantly—you’ll feel less alone. ADHD parenting doesn’t need perfect parents. It needs parents willing to try again.

☕ Tune in for relatable ADHD parenting stories, hard-earned lessons, and tips you can actually use—because laughter is cheaper than therapy, and solidarity is everything.

This Month’s Sponsors:

👩🏼‍⚕️ Dr. Lorian Phillips

Dr. Phillips helps families ditch the chaos and build calm through emotional regulation and practical tools that actually work in real life (you know, the life with homework battles, missing shoes, and bedtime meltdowns). Learn more about her ADHD Parenting Course and how she helps families thrive!

✨PTS Coaching

Founded by Cindy Goldrich, Ed.M., ADHD-CCSP, PTS Coaching provides science-backed training, parent coaching, and educator support that’s actually practical in the trenches of real family life. Cindy doesn’t just talk theory — she equips parents with tools to handle meltdowns, homework battles, morning chaos, and all the curveballs that come with raising an ADHD kid.

💊 NeuroNeeds

A science-backed supplement line created by Dr. Richard Boles, a geneticist and ADHD dad who walked this exact road. These all-natural formulas were developed to support focus, mood, and brain health—and they helped his own son transition off stimulants and thrive in college. So if you’ve ever wished you had a scientist in your back pocket, this is it.

🪀 Play Therapy Supply

A longtime favorite of parents, teachers, and therapists who want kids to have the tools they need to regulate, focus, and thrive. From fidgets and sensory tools to calming corner essentials, therapeutic games, and classic sand play, they’ve got everything to support kids both at home and in the classroom.

Resources:

Join Our Newsletter and Find All of Our Faves!

📧 Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Email us at chaosandcaffeinepodcast@gmail.com.

Support the show

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 script and thrive in it.

We’re digging into:

• How to walk into IEP meetings without fear (and walk out with actual results).
• The biggest mistakes parents make when advocating for ADHD & neurodivergent kids—and how to fix them.
• Tonya’s real-life stories that prove you are absolutely NOT alone in this.
• Practical, doable strategies to help your child shine—without burning yourself out.

This is the pep talk, strategy guide, and big-sister hug every ADHD parent needs. So grab your coffee, toss the guilt, and let’s get into it.

👉 Learn more about Tonya and her incredible resources at WaterPrairie.com

Subscribe, share, and join me in turning homework chaos into something manageable—maybe even fun.

This Month’s Sponsors:

✨PTS Coaching

Founded by Cindy Goldrich, Ed.M., ADHD-CCSP, PTS Coaching provides science-backed training, parent coaching, and educator support that’s actually practical in the trenches of real family life. Cindy doesn’t just talk theory — she equips parents with tools to handle meltdowns, homework battles, morning chaos, and all the curveballs that come with raising an ADHD kid.

💊 NeuroNeeds

A science-backed supplement line created by Dr. Richard Boles, a geneticist and ADHD dad who walked this exact road. These all-natural formulas were developed to support focus, mood, and brain health—and they helped his own son transition off stimulants and thrive in college. So if you’ve ever wished you had a scientist in your back pocket, this is it.

Resources:

Join Our Newsletter and Find All of Our Faves!

📧 Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Email us at chaosandcaffeinepodcast@gmail.com.

Support the show