When babies are born, the amygdala and the limbic system are already formed. They may not be able to be used in a cognitive way that we can consciously control, but they are still very much in use. From birth to around ten years old, the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that helps us rationalise when we feel overwhelmed by reminding us that situations can resolve and are not always as bad as they feel, is still developing. By around age 10, this area typically functio

When children are very young, learning doesn’t look like lessons. It happens quietly, through stories, repetition, and emotional experiences that settle into the body long before they are understood consciously. This is why emotional intelligence is most powerful when it begins earl y. Young children are constantly absorbing information about: how feelings work whether emotions are safe what happens when something feels uncomfortable whether support is available They don’t a

Why these books exist Over the past few weeks, I’ve been quietly publishing a series of children’s books focused on emotional intelligence, especially for children with ADHD and emotional sensitivity. They aren’t written to teach children how to behave better. They aren’t about fixing feelings or rushing children through them. They exist for one simple reason: to help children understand what they feel, without shame. Big feelings don’t mean something is wrong Emotions like

One of the most common ideas shared in ADHD parenting spaces is that children need time to process their thoughts and feelings, especially before sleep. While this sounds supportive, it often misunderstands how ADHD brains actually work. Processing is an executive skill Processing emotions isn’t passive. It requires: working memory emotional labelling sequencing inhibition perspective-taking These are executive functions, the very areas that develop more slowly in children wi

ADHD is usually discussed in terms of behaviours, such as time blindness. Forgetfulness. Disorganisation. Impulsivity. But underneath every one of those struggles is something we rarely talk about clearly enough: emotional experience without understanding. Many people with ADHD — children and adults — feel a lot  before they understand anything . Why Emotional Intelligence matters so much in ADHD Emotional Intelligence (EI) is not about “controlling emotions” or being calm al

People with ADHD don’t struggle because they don’t try hard enough. They struggle because feedback lands differently. Dopamine doesn’t linger in the ADHD brain. This means moments of success, pride, or confidence can fade quickly, while mistakes often stick around much longer. The emotional dysregulation of the executive function leaves the ADHD struggling to soothe itself. When someone with ADHD is told they’ve made a mistake, even gently, it can trigger a disproportionate d

The term masking is everywhere at the moment, particularly in conversations around ADHD and autism. While the experiences behind it are real and valid, I’ve become increasingly uncomfortable with how the word is being used, especially when we start applying it to young children. Here’s why. What masking originally meant Masking was used to describe a very specific experience: chronic, involuntary suppression of traits in order to survive socially. It often came from fear, sha

When we watch TikTok or Instagram and see people listing ADHD traits, we often begin adopting those traits as our own. Not because we’re copying, but because ADHD is something we’ve lived with all our lives. It’s familiar. It’s us. So a lot of the time, we don’t even realise what is genuinely “ADHD” and what is simply learned behaviour, emotional patterns, or habits that formed over the years. This is where neural pathway strengthening  comes in.(You might hear it called neur

After-school meltdowns can occur for various reasons, and understanding the underlying cause behind your child’s meltdown is one of the most important steps in supporting them. When we assume every meltdown has the same reason, we tend to respond the same way each time, and sometimes that response doesn’t match what our child actually needs in that moment. Over time, our child learns to expect that reaction, and the real root cause stays hidden. When we gently explore what’s

As adults, many of us are surprised to discover we have ADHD, and as parents, this surprise can turn into panic when our children are diagnosed. We dedicate time to frantically learning all we can about ADHD and the specific traits our kids exhibit. This urgency may arise because their behavior is overwhelming and causing chaos in our homes every night. As we accumulate more knowledge about ADHD, we aim to incorporate these insights into our daily routines and adjustments, as

When your ADHD child has started to lose control of their emotions, begins to shout and cry, this can be a sign that they are experiencing an emotional overload. This can come from something that is immediate or something that has built up during the day. This is something, as a parent, you can connect with your child and ask them about. Many professionals will advise to co-regulate, but this is a very vague answer to a situation. What is meant by co-regulation? It is for you

Children with ADHD are always thought to be easily distracted. It's as if adults think that they make a conscious effort not to listen to them and mess around instead. Sadly, because in terms of ADHD, we are talking about the main source of the attention being on the 'good stuff' why wouldn't you think that a child would rather have fun than work right! What is selective attention? Selective attention – the capacity to prioritise the processing of one stimulus whilst there i

I’ve seen so many videos and posts about how to get your child with ADHD to do things — get dressed, do homework, behave in public, follow instructions, and more. And while the advice always sounds good, most of it focuses on strategies  — sticker charts, routines, timers, checklists. But here’s the thing… strategies won’t stick if the foundation isn’t there. Let me explain. ADHD children have deficits in their executive functions  — things like: self-awareness emotional regu

One of the main characteristics of an ADHD deficit is comprehension , yet there still seems to be a lack of understanding of how exactly it affects your ADHD child. This deficit doesn’t only affect them when they are small; it can affect them for the rest of their life. So let me explain: In the Beginning Teaching a child to read in the UK starts with phonics. In the early stages, some ADHD kids find school great because it’s new and stimulating. Learning phonics may not be a

If your child has ADHD, you probably already know that saying “Stop, that’s not appropriate” rarely works.  ADHD brains don’t process...

Supporting a teenager with homework can feel like an uphill struggle. But when they  have ADHD and you , as a mum, also have ADHD , it’s...

Have you ever had a disagreement with someone, only to realise half an hour later it wasn’t such a big deal after all? That’s your...

As an ADHD mum, you’ve probably been told again and again that what you need are better parenting strategies, stricter routines, or...

Morning: The Light Switch Why is it that when you wake up in the morning, your shoulders already feel tight before you’ve even got out of...

ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is more than just an inability to focus however, lack of focus often creates challenges in managing attention, leading to frustration for both kids and their caregivers, particularly when it comes to tasks like homework. Understanding the unique challenges faced by children with ADHD is the first step to creating an environment where they can succeed. In this article, we will discuss actionable strategies that can help enhanc