Eileen Devine

Brain First Parenting with Eileen Devine

A Parenting , Kids & Family and Health & Fitness podcast

About the show

The Brain First Parenting podcast supports parents who are raising children, teens or young adults with brain-based differences and challenging behavioral symptoms. We are a safe space for parents who have historically felt like there isn't a place for them in the parenting advice world. At Brain First Parenting, we see each child as a unique individual with a unique brain, who deserves accommodations to thrive in a world that is frequently not set up for people with neurobehavioral challenges. We prioritize supporting the parents of these kids and teens so that they can, in turn, feel hope and confidence and joy in their parenting experience.

Newest episodes

Ep. 54 | Reconsider the Reward Chart: Why Traditional Parenting Strategies Fall Short

Nov 2, 2026 22 min

SUMMARY - Have you tried consequences, reward charts, timeouts, or repeated explanations, only to find yourself navigating the same challenging behavior again? In this episode, Eileen explores five common parenting approaches and the brain skills each asks children to use, including memory, impulse control, regulation, and perspective-taking. She explains why knowing a rule or wanting a reward doesn’t necessarily mean a child can meet the expectation in the moment. Through everyday examples, you’ll learn how to look more closely at where your child is struggling and identify support that makes success more possible. TAKEAWAYS - Why understanding a rule and being able to follow it in a difficult moment are different skills.What consequences ask of a child’s memory, ability to connect experiences, and impulse control.How lecturing during an overwhelming moment can add demands a child has difficulty managing.Why being sent away to calm down assumes a child can regulate independently.How point systems and reward charts can overlook the support a child needs to meet expectations.What required apologies ask of relational cognitive skills—and how to support meaningful repair. RESOURCES - Episode 40: When Your Child’s Behavior Feels Personal: Understanding Relational Cognitive Skills There are three ways Eileen supports parents: 1:1 parent coaching, group coaching, or in her amazing Resilience Room Community. Learn about all three at eileendevine.com ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 53 | Remaining Curious: Decoding Baffling Behaviors w/ Robyn Gobbel (Pt. 2)

Oct 19, 2026 23 min

SUMMARY - In Part 2 of my conversation with Robyn Gobbel, we explore how to take our understanding of the nervous system and apply it to the everyday challenges of parenting kids with big, baffling behaviors. Robyn’s owl, watchdog, and possum framework gives us a practical map for making sense of what’s happening underneath our child’s behavior, shifting our focus from trying to stop the behavior to understanding where it began and what support might help. We also talk about how this shift in perspective can change what happens in our own nervous systems, helping us stay more connected to our owl brain during difficult moments. And importantly, we explore why so much of this work begins with us as parents, and how understanding our own nervous system can help us cultivate greater self-compassion along the way. TAKEAWAYS: How to use the owl, watchdog, and possum framework as a practical map for understanding your child's nervous system and responding to challenging behaviors.Why shifting our focus from stopping a behavior to understanding where the behavior began can change how we support our kids.How this understanding can influence our own nervous system state, helping us stay more connected to our owl brain during difficult moments.Why learning the general framework is only the beginning, and how to apply that understanding to your child's unique nervous system.How asking, "What can I do next to take a small step toward regulation?" can help us find a way forward when things feel overwhelming.Why so much of this work begins with us as parents, and why that's especially difficult when we've been navigating challenging behaviors for years.How recognizing our own nervous system states and the human experiences we bring to every interaction can help us cultivate greater self-compassion. RESOURCES: Robyn Gobbel website Robyn's Books- Raising Kids with Big Baffling Behaviors: Brain-Body-Sensory Strategies that Really Work and The Guided Journal for Raising Kids with Bi...

Ep. 52 | Watchdogs, Possums & Owls: Decoding Baffling Behaviors w/ Robyn Gobbel (Pt. 1)

Oct 5, 2026 36 min

SUMMARY - In part 1 of this 2-part podcast series, Eileen is joined by her dear friend and colleague, Robyn Gobbel, MSW. Robyn is an internationally recognized children’s mental health expert, author, and educator who has spent more than 20 years supporting children with vulnerable nervous systems and the families who care for them. She is the author of the bestselling Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors: Brain-Body-Sensory Strategies That Really Work and The Guided Journal for Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors. She is also the host of "The Baffling Behavior Show" podcast and founder of the Baffling Behavior Training Institute. TAKEAWAYS: How understanding what’s happening underneath behavior can shift the way we respond to kids with big, baffling behaviors.Robyn’s memorable owl, watchdog, and possum framework for understanding different nervous system states—and how those states influence a child’s behavior and capacity in the moment.Why a child’s behavior can look intentional or oppositional when their nervous system is actually responding to stress, threat, or overwhelm.Why the owl brain—the part of the brain that allows for reasoning, flexibility, problem-solving, and connection—can become less accessible when the nervous system detects a threat.How recognizing whether a child is in an owl, watchdog, or possum state can help parents better understand what their child needs rather than focusing solely on stopping the behavior.Why felt safety and regulation are so important for helping kids access the skills and capacities we know they have.How a brain- and nervous-system-based understanding of behavior can help parents move from “How do I get them to stop doing this?” to “What is happening for my child right now, and what support do they need?” RESOURCES: Robyn Gobbel website Robyn's Books- Raising Kids with Big Baffling Behaviors: Brain-Body-Sensory Strategies that Really Work and The Guided Journal for Raising Kids with Big, Baffling Behaviors =...

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All episodes

Ep. 54 | Reconsider the Reward Chart: Why Traditional Parenting Strategies Fall Short

Nov 2, 2026 22 min

Ep. 53 | Remaining Curious: Decoding Baffling Behaviors w/ Robyn Gobbel (Pt. 2)

Oct 19, 2026 23 min

Ep. 52 | Watchdogs, Possums & Owls: Decoding Baffling Behaviors w/ Robyn Gobbel (Pt. 1)

Oct 5, 2026 36 min

Ep. 51 | When You and Your Partner See Your Child Differently

Sep 21, 2026 25 min

SUMMARY - Parenting a child with complex needs can put tremendous pressure on even the strongest partnerships, especially when two parents understand their child’s behavior differently. In this episode, Eileen explores how family-of-origin experiences, deeply held beliefs, fear, grief, and our own nervous systems can contribute to parenting disagreements and how bringing curiosity and a Brain First lens to our partners can help us find greater understanding and connection. TAKAWAYS: Parenting partners don’t enter parenthood as blank slates; each person brings their own beliefs about discipline, respect, responsibility, and what “good parenting” should look like.Two parents can love and be deeply committed to the same child while being at very different places in understanding and embracing a Brain First approach.We can’t force our partner to think, feel, or behave differently. Instead, we can become curious about what may be underneath their reactions, just as we do with our children.Fear and grief can look very different from one person to another. Recognizing what may be underneath a partner’s behavior can help bridge the disconnection that often occurs during stressful seasons.Getting on the same page doesn’t mean becoming identical parents; it means developing enough of a shared understanding of your child to work together rather than from fundamentally opposing perspectives.Concrete plans for sharing responsibilities, taking turns rebuilding resilience, discussing resentment and support needs, and protecting kid-free time can help strengthen the parenting partnership. RESOURCES: Brain First Parenting - Episode 22: The Unique Grief Affecting Parents of Neurodivergent Kids The Resilience Room Membership Community The Brain First Parenting Program ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can...

Ep. 50 | The Disappointment We Don't Talk About In Parenting

Sep 7, 2026 18 min

SUMMARY- Expectations are an unavoidable part of parenting, but when we’re raising a child with brain-based differences, expectations rooted in neurotypical norms can create a painful gap between what we think our child should be able to do and what they actually have the capacity to do. In this episode, I draw from Brené Brown’s Rising Strong and her exploration of disappointment, expectations, and resentment. Through a Brain First lens, we’ll consider where our expectations come from, how they influence the way we interpret our child’s behavior, and how adjusting expectations can help protect our relationship with our child without giving up on our hopes for them. TAKEAWAYS: Disappointment often begins with the gap between what we expected to happen and what actually happened.Many of our expectations for children are unconsciously shaped by neurotypical developmental norms and ideas about what kids “should” be able to do at a certain age.When we believe our child should be capable of something, their inability to meet that expectation can easily be misinterpreted as refusal, defiance, lack of effort, or another behavioral problem.A Brain First approach asks us to consider whether an expectation is based on our individual child’s actual skills, nervous system, and capacity rather than their chronological age.Adjusting an expectation doesn’t necessarily mean giving up the goal; sometimes the timeline, level of support, or path toward that goal simply needs to change.Parents can acknowledge their own disappointment and grief while still deeply accepting and supporting the child in front of them. RESOURCES: Brené Brown, Rising StrongThe Resilience Room Membership CommunityEpisode 22: The Unique Grief Affecting Parents of Neurodivergent KidsEpisode 19: Rethinking What It Means to Be Resilient ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscri...

Ep. 49 | The Hidden Struggles of Kids Who Look Capable

Aug 24, 2026 17 min

SUMMARY - Some kids can appear incredibly capable in many areas of their lives while still experiencing significant lagging cognitive skills that are largely invisible to those around them. In this episode, we explore why these kids are especially vulnerable to being misunderstood through a behavioral lens and why recognizing their asynchronous development is essential to understanding the support and accommodations they truly need. TAKEAWAYS: Why kids whose brain-based differences are less visible can be especially vulnerable to being misunderstood and punished for their disability rather than accommodated.How a child’s strengths and capabilities in one area can lead us to overestimate their abilities in other areas.Why asynchronous development is such an important part of understanding kids with brain-based differences.How lagging executive functioning skills can look like defiance, lack of motivation, or a refusal to try—even when accommodations are already in place.Why a child who has age-expected speech and language can sound like they understand a situation while still struggling significantly to understand context, nuance, and what’s happening around them.How lagging relational cognitive skills can lead kids to be labeled as selfish, “too much,” or self-sabotaging in their relationships.Why understanding your child’s neurobiological profile can help you advocate with greater confidence for the support and accommodations they need. RESOURCES: Brain First Parenting Podcast, Episode 15 — A deeper discussion of kids who can “talk the talk” but struggle to “walk the walk,” including the gap between how capable they sound and what they actually understand. Brain First Parenting Podcast, Episode 40 — An episode focused on relational cognitive skills and how lagging skills in this area affect a child’s ability to navigate relationships and social interactions. ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eil...

Ep. 48 | Addressing School-Based Anxiety with Dr. Emily King

Aug 10, 2026 32 min

SUMMARY - In this episode, Dr. Emily King joins me to discuss her new book, The Neurodivergent Learner, with a special focus on school anxiety—for both neurodivergent children and their parents. We explore the behaviors that can signal anxiety, including the ones that are hard to miss and those that are much easier to overlook, and why behavior is often a sign that a child needs more support. We also talk about the very real anxiety parents experience when school is a source of ongoing stress, and how shifting expectations to reflect a child's unique developmental trajectory can help both children and parents. TAKEAWAYS: Looking at a child through the lens of neurodiversity means beginning with the understanding that the child is not the problem.School anxiety can show up in behaviors that are “hard to miss” as well as behaviors that are “easy to miss.”Children who appear to be doing well at school aren't necessarily doing well. People-pleasing, perfectionism, and holding it together can all be ways a child manages significant anxiety.School-related anxiety can begin long before a child enters the classroom and can be connected to leaving home, transitions, the sensory environment, expectations, and the many demands of the school day.Instead of viewing difficult behavior as the problem to solve, we can see it as information—a sign that the child may need more support.Parents can experience significant anxiety alongside their child: waiting for the call from school, wondering how the day is going, or even waiting for the other shoe to drop when things seem to be going well.Parents need support that matches the intensity of their child's needs. Supporting the child without attending to the parent's experience leaves out an important part of the picture.Chronological age isn't always a useful guide for expectations. Understanding a child's unique developmental trajectory helps parents and educators check assumptions and adjust expectations accordingly. RESOUCES: The...

Ep. 47 | When Kids “Lack Motivation,” What’s Really Going On?

Jul 27, 2026 22 min

SUMMARY - When your child appears unmotivated, it's easy to assume they don't care or simply aren't trying. But motivation is a brain-based process that depends on a number of cognitive skills and nervous system capacities that may still be developing. In this episode, I explain why motivation is often misunderstood in children with brain-based differences and how viewing it through a Brain First lens can transform the way you support your child. TAKEAWAYS: Why motivation is a brain-based process, not simply a matter of willpower or attitude.How challenges with regulation and stress recovery can make motivation difficult to access.Why cognitive processing, mental stamina, and executive functioning all play a critical role in motivation.How task initiation, especially for non-preferred activities, is often misunderstood as laziness or defiance.Why children may genuinely want something but still struggle to take the steps needed to achieve it.How a fragile nervous system and a narrow window of tolerance contribute to shutdown, avoidance, and withdrawal.Why rewards, consequences, threats, and shame often fail to increase motivation in children with brain-based differences.How understanding the cognitive skills behind motivation can reduce frustration, strengthen connection, and guide more effective support. RESOURCES: Related Episodes: This episode connects with many earlier episodes that explore individual cognitive skills in greater depth. If this topic resonates with you, Episodes 5 and 28 are excellent places to continue learning. ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouT...

Ep. 46 | Perspective Taking: When Your Child Can't See Your Side of Things

Jul 13, 2026 22 min

SUMMARY - Why does your child seem unable to understand your perspective, even when it feels obvious? In this episode, Eileen explores the brain-based cognitive skill of perspective taking, why it can be especially challenging for children with neurobehavioral differences, and how understanding this lagging skill can shift parents from viewing their child as selfish or inconsiderate to recognizing a brain that is working differently. You'll also learn practical ways to support and strengthen perspective-taking skills while maintaining connection and compassion. TAKEAWAYS: Perspective taking is a cognitive skill, not a character trait.Children with brain-based differences may have difficulty shifting from their own perspective to someone else's, especially when stressed or dysregulated.Perspective taking relies on multiple brain systems, including those involved in Theory of Mind, executive functioning, and inhibitory control.Struggling to understand another person's perspective does not mean a child simply doesn't care.Stress and nervous system dysregulation make perspective taking even more difficult because the brain naturally narrows its focus to immediate needs.There are steps parents can take to support the development of perspective taking.Viewing perspective-taking through a Brain First lens helps replace judgment with understanding, creating opportunities to teach and build the skill over time. RESOURCES: Episode 3: Cognitive Flexibility Episode 5: On and Off Days Episode 32: Working Memory Episode 40: Relational Cognitive Skills ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagra...

Ep. 45 | When the System Changes at 18: Financial Planning for the Transition to Adulthood with Mary McDirmid

Jun 29, 2026 38 min

SUMMARY - In today's episode, Eileen sits down with Mary McDirmid, a Special Needs Financial Planner and founding member of All Needs Planning, which specializes in simplifying the special needs planning process. Mary understands the emotional, financial, legal, and support aspects of caring for a loved one with disabilities, because she is the parent of a child with a rare disease. Her work is centered on bringing this understanding to other families who would benefit from this information as they plan for their child's future. TAKEAWAYS: Beginning the process of planning for your child's financial future as early as possible is ideal, but the key factor is having the capacity to take on some of the tasks and work it will require.Aligning the financial plans with school and educational transition plans is also ideal.Determining guardianship, supported decision making and power of attorney needs is an individual process, based on each family's situation and their child's needs.Different states have different requirements regarding social security eligibility; knowing your state's requirements is essential.It's important for parents to take inventory of all the support needs of their child before they apply for benefits so they can be clear about what level of support their child will need in adulthood.ABLE Accounts allow you to keep funds that come to your child while also staying under the $2000 limit required to keep governmental benefits.Supplemental Special Needs Trust is where a parent can save and invest additional funds for their child beyond the ABLE account. RESOURCES: Mary McDirmid and All Needs Planning ABLE Account Information ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at...

Ep. 44 | The Tween/Teen Expectation Gap: Why Everything Suddenly Feels So Much Harder

Jun 15, 2026 27 min

SUMMARY - Many parents of neurodivergent tweens and teens describe a shift that feels difficult to explain: things were already challenging, but suddenly the stakes feel higher, the behaviors feel bigger, and the future feels much more uncertain. In this episode, I introduce what I call the Tween/Teen Expectation Gap—the widening gap between age-based expectations and a child's developmental trajectory—and explore why this period can feel so disorienting, grief-filled, and overwhelming for parents. TAKEAWAYS: The tween and teen years often bring a significant increase in societal, academic, social, and emotional expectations.Neurodivergent children continue to develop and mature, but often on a different timeline and trajectory than their peers.The Tween/Teen Expectation Gap emerges when age-based expectations begin to outpace a child's ability to consistently meet them.Differences that may have been easier to accommodate in childhood often become more visible and consequential during adolescence.Parents frequently experience increased fear, grief, dread, shame, and uncertainty during this stage.Intensifying behaviors are often a reflection of increased stress, overwhelm, and nervous system dysregulation.Viewing this period through a Brain First lens helps parents understand what is happening beneath the behavior and respond more effectively. RESOURCES: Brain First Parenting™ Framework Parent Coaching with Eileen Devine ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 43 | Interrupting Those Exhausting Escalation Cycles

Jun 1, 2026 16 min

SUMMARY - Why do the same power struggles keep happening over and over again between parents and children? In this episode, Eileen explores the “coercive cycle,” a pattern first identified by researcher Gerald Patterson and his colleagues after decades of observing parent-child interactions. Through a Brain First lens, she explains why these escalating moments are often rooted not in defiance, but in lagging skills, nervous system dysregulation, and patterns both parents and children can unintentionally get stuck inside. TAKEAWAYS: What the parent-child “coercive cycle” is and how it developsWhy escalation often reinforces the cycle for both parents and childrenHow traditional behavioral interpretations can keep families stuckThe role nervous system dysregulation and lagging skills play in conflictWhy “won’t” is often actually “can’t”How parent triggers, beliefs, exhaustion, and burnout can intensify interactionsQuestions to ask yourself before engaging with your childWhy using fewer words and disengaging early can help interrupt escalationHow a Brain First lens shifts the goal from control to regulation and connection RESOURCES: The Resilience Room Membership Community ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 42 | 8 Essential Mind Shifts for More Connected Parenting

May 18, 2026 18 min

SUMMARY - In this episode, Eileen shares 8 essential mind shifts that help parents move from a behavioral lens to a Brain First lens when parenting children with brain-based differences and challenging behaviors. These shifts can help you better understand your child’s nervous system, reduce conflict, strengthen connection, and parent with more clarity, flexibility, and confidence. TAKEAWAYS: Why “My child would do better if they could” is one of the most transformative parenting shiftsHow challenging behaviors are often signs of distress, overwhelm, and lagging skillsWhy behavior-focused parenting approaches often miss the root causesHow adjusting expectations around development can reduce frustration for both you and your childThe importance of meeting cognitive rigidity with flexibility and empathyWhy the goal of parenting is not compliance, but connection, regulation, and skill-buildingHow to trust your own understanding of your child, even when others don’t understand your approachWhy caring for yourself is an essential part of supporting your child’s well-being RESOURCES: Free downloadable infographic: 8 Essential Mind Shifts for More Connected Parenting Episode 19: Rethinking What It Means to Be Resilient ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 41 | Rethinking "I'm a Bad Parent."

May 4, 2026 15 min

SUMMARY - In this episode, Eileen reflects on a common theme that comes up again and again in sessions with parents: the belief that “I’m failing” or “I should be better at this by now.” When you’re parenting a child with intense, relentless behaviors, it’s easy for self-blame to take hold, but these thoughts often point to something deeper. This episode explores what may be underneath this narrative and how to shift toward more compassionate, supportive self-reflection. TAKEAWAYS: Feeling like you’re “failing” is a common experience for parents of children with brain-based differences and intense behaviorsThese thoughts are often signals of deeper emotion, not objective truthIrritability and reactivity can be protective layers masking fear, grief, and resentmentFear may show up as worries about your child’s future or long-term functioningGrief can stem from the gap between what you expected parenting to be and your lived realityResentment may be connected to the intensity of the demands and lack of adequate supportSelf-reflection is important, but it needs to be paired with self-compassion, not harsh criticismYour willingness to question yourself reflects how deeply you care, not that you are failing RESOURCES: Brain First Parenting Podcast Episode 22: The Unique Grief Affecting Parents of Neurodivergent Kids Brain First Parenting Podcast Episode 29: When You Feel Stretched Thin: Expanding Your Window of Tolerance Blog post: Three Things Your Irritability Might Be Masking ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 40 | When Your Child’s Behavior Feels Personal: Understanding Relational Cognitive Skills

Apr 20, 2026 21 min

SUMMARY - In this episode, we explore relational cognitive skills, the brain-based abilities that shape how children navigate relationships, manage emotions, and respond to others. When these skills are still developing, behaviors can feel deeply personal and even hurtful. This episode offers a powerful reframe: your child’s behavior is not a reflection of their character, but a signal of lagging skills that can be supported and strengthened over time. TAKEAWAYS: Many of the most challenging behaviors are rooted in lagging relational cognitive skills, not defiance or disrespectSkills like flexibility, frustration tolerance, perspective-taking, and emotional regulation are brain-based and develop over timeWhen these skills are underdeveloped, behaviors can feel personal, hurtful, and scary for parentsSocial awareness and interpersonal skills impact a child’s ability to read cues, understand others, and build relationshipsCognitive rigidity can make it extremely difficult for kids to shift plans, handle “no,” or consider other perspectivesEmotional outbursts often reflect difficulty regulating, expressing, and responding to emotions, not intentional misbehaviorUnder stress, a child’s thinking brain can go offline, making these skills temporarily inaccessibleShifting from a “won’t” mindset to a “can’t yet” lens can transform how you respond to your childSkills can be supported and strengthened over time with the right understanding and approach RESOURCES: Brain First Parenting Podcast, Episode 3: Help Your Rigid Thinking Child Become More Flexible Brain First Parenting Podcast, Episode 8: Help Your Child Break the Perseveration Loop ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her websi...

Ep. 39 | Dismantling Restraint and Seclusion: A Conversation with Guy Stephens (Pt. 2)

Apr 6, 2026 32 min

SUMMARY - Today's episode is Part 2 of a 2-part conversation with Guy Stephens, founder and executive director of the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint (AASR), a national nonprofit dedicated to ending the use of punitive, exclusionary, and dangerous discipline in schools. Takeaways: AASR's work is guided by 5 principles: trauma-informed, neuroscience-aligned, neurodiversity-affirming, collaborative, and relationship-drivenImplementing these principles into the culture of an organization and the work of the individual professional is not a "one-and-done" event. It requires on-going commitment and work. When behavior is assessed using these five principles, it is then possible to see beyond the surface behavior, through a brain and nervous system informed lens.When the root cause of behavior is accurately identified, there are other, more compassionate and effective approaches that emerge in how to support the individual who is struggling behaviorally. RESOURCES: Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint (AASR)YouTube: Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 38 | Dismantling Restraint & Seclusion: A Conversation with Guy Stephens (Pt. 1)

Mar 23, 2026 33 min

SUMMARY - Today's episode is Part 1 of a 2-part conversation with Guy Stephens, founder and executive director of the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint (AASR), a national nonprofit dedicated to ending the use of punitive, exclusionary, and dangerous discipline in schools. Driven by his own son’s traumatic experiences, Guy advocates for trauma-informed, neuroscience-aligned, and neurodiversity-affirming approaches in child-serving systems. Listen in on the conversation with Eileen and Guy, as they discuss a topic that is important for parents and professionals alike. TAKEAWAYS: This work is personal for Guy and he shares how he came to his advocacy work to prevent seclusion and restraint in schools and other environments as the parent of a neurodivergent child who had multiple experiences of being secluded and restrained.Guy shares details about the mission of Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint (AASR), which is to inform changes in policy and practice to reduce and eliminate the use of punitive discipline and outdated behavioral management approaches and end the school-to-prison pipeline.Guy explains the AASR's 3 areas of focus: legislation and law policy; education; and support. RESOURCES: Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint (AASR)YouTube: Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 37 | Supporting Siblings: Practical Brain First Tools for Parents - Pt. 2

Mar 9, 2026 21 min

SUMMARY - In Part 2 of this series on supporting siblings, we shift from awareness to action. Building on the themes discussed in Part 1, this episode offers practical, brain-first strategies parents can use to support siblings who are impacted by challenging behaviors at home. From conversations about how brains work differently to creating safety plans and strengthening protective factors, this episode focuses on what you can do to help siblings feel safe, seen, and supported. TAKEAWAYS: Begin ongoing, age-appropriate conversations about how brains work differently to help siblings make sense of behavior without excusing harm.Clarify that “fair doesn’t mean equal". Fairness is about meeting each child’s unique brain and nervous system needs.Explain the "why" behind different rules, responses, or accommodations to create predictability and security.Build protective factors for siblings, including consistent one-on-one time with a regulated parent or other trusted adult.Create clear safety plans so siblings know exactly what to do during escalations and do not feel responsible for managing the situation.Provide open space for siblings to express the full range of their emotions without minimizing or shaming them.Avoid creating a culture of secrecy, meaning help siblings develop language and a plan for how to talk about their family experience with others.Prioritize your own resilience and nervous system care, as your regulation is one of the most powerful supports for everyone in the home. RESOURCES: Brain First Parenting Podcast, Episode 19: Building Resilience in Moments a Day Concrete, manageable ways to strengthen your own nervous system and resilience over time. Blog Post on “Circling Back” Explanation of the circling back process and why addressing behaviors outside of escalated moments supports learning and safety. ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting...

Ep. 36 | Supporting Siblings When Home Feels Unpredictable - Pt. 1

Feb 23, 2026 16 min

SUMMARY - In this episode, Eileen explores the sibling experience in families where one child struggles with intense, challenging behaviors. Siblings are not passive observers. Their nervous systems are deeply impacted by the unpredictability, confusion, trauma, grief, and conflicting emotions that can arise in these dynamics. This conversation offers clarity around what siblings may be carrying, and sets the stage for Part 2, where we’ll discuss practical steps parents can take to support them. TAKEAWAYS: The sibling experience often mirrors the parents’ experience. The way we frame and respond to the struggling child shapes how siblings make sense of it all.Supporting siblings requires a “both/and” approach: we can hold empathy for the child with behavioral symptoms without dismissing the sibling’s pain or experience.Many siblings live with a pervasive sense of confusion, especially when behavior is not addressed in the moment or feels like a double standard.Many siblings carry intense, conflicting emotions: love, resentment, guilt, protectiveness, and grief.Some siblings cope by trying not to be a burden, becoming perfectionistic, overly independent, or parentified over time.Living with scary or unpredictable behaviors can be traumatic, and recovery depends on protective factors that parents can strengthen.Clarity is the first step toward meaningful support and Part 2 will focus on practical actions parents can take. RESOURCES: Brain First Parenting Podcast, Episode 22: Parental Grief (Recommended to revisit through the lens of the sibling experience, as many of the same themes apply) ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find a...

Ep. 35 | When "Good Parenting" Meets Brains That Don’t Work Typically

Feb 9, 2026 23 min

SUMMARY - Many parenting struggles with neurodivergent kids don’t come down to behavior, they come from a clash between deeply held parental values and a child’s brain-based capacities. In this episode, Eileen explores what happens when beliefs about “good parenting” collide with asynchronous development, emotional regulation challenges, and inconsistent cognitive skills. You’ll learn why pushing harder often backfires and how shifting from a behavior lens to a Brain First lens allows your parental values to actually take root. TAKEAWAYS: Parenting frustration often lives at the intersection of adult values and a child’s neurobiology, not a lack of effort or care.Chronological age does not equal ability for kids with brain-based differences; uneven skill development changes what’s reasonable to expect.You don’t need to abandon your parental values, you need to adjust how you teach them so they align with your child’s cognitive skills.You cannot consequence a skill into existence; responsibility develops through repeated teaching, regulation, and scaffolding.Flexibility in rules and expectations is not permissive parenting, it’s responsive parenting that reduces power struggles and supports growth. RESOURCES: Your Lens Matters – Free downloadable infographic ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 34 | The Birds & the Bees and Your Neurodivergent Child w/ Amy Lang

Jan 26, 2026 33 min

SUMMARY - In this episode, Eileen sits down with Amy Lang, sexuality educator and expert, for a frank and open conversation about sex education for kids who are neurodivergent. Amy is the founder of Bird & Bees & Kids, and since 2006 has helped thousands of families have stronger, more open communication about sexuality and relationships. TAKEAWAYS: Talking to kids about sexuality is a health and safety issue; knowledge is empowering and reduces vulnerability.This is an essential on-going conversation to have with your kids, especially given the access kids have to misinformation from friends and online.Having conversations about sexuality and changing bodies early and often helps normalize very natural part of the human experience, especially given that these changes can be extremely distressing to neurodivergent kids.All parents come into parenthood with deeply held beliefs and values that play into their level of comfort with sexuality and talking about this with their kids. Reflecting on this as a parent will help with confidence in moving forward with these conversations. RESOURCES: Birds & Bees & KidsSexuality and Safety with Tom and Ellie Book SeriesNever Have I Ever (TV series) ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 33 | When Caregiver Burnout Becomes Contagious

Jan 12, 2026 12 min

SUMMARY - In this episode of the Brain First Parenting podcast, Eileen explores the idea - which is grounded in research - that caregiver burnout can become contagious through shared nervous system dysregulation. Drawing on a recent keynote experience with those in professional and personal caregiver roles, she describes how caregiver burnout often builds gradually, frequently goes unrecognized, and how the right kind of support can act as a buffer from the stress. TAKEAWAYS: Caregiver burnout is not a personal failure. It is a nervous system response to prolonged stress and responsibility.Burnout can have a contagion effect, spreading socially, emotionally, and physiologically within families, communities, and care teams.Many caregivers are deeply burned out without realizing it, often experiencing anxiety, depression, irritability, and physical symptoms.Living with or caring for someone with a fragile nervous system can dysregulate the caregiver’s own nervous system over time.Connection and co-regulation are essential resilience-building tools that help heal and stabilize the nervous system.Support matters—but how and where you receive support matters just as much.Communities that focus only on how hard things are can increase burnout; healing support helps move caregivers toward relief, regulation, and hope. RESOURCES: Resilience Room Membership Community is a supportive space for caregivers focused on nervous system healing, co-regulation, and resilience building. Join the waitlist so you can be notified when we open our doors for new Members! ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Faceboo...

Ep. 32 | The 7 Signs Your Child Struggles With Attention & Working Memory

Dec 29, 2025 18 min

SUMMARY - In this episode, Eileen outlines in detail what attention and working memory skills are exactly, and seven signs that may indicate a child struggles with this cognitive skill set. TAKEAWAYS: Attention and working memory refers to the ability to selectively process information and then also retain this information in an accessible state.There are behaviors that reflect lagging attention and working memory skills and this episode provides seven common behaviors for parents and professionals to be aware of.Recognizing the signs and symptoms of lagging attention and working memory skills is essential in order to provide a child/teen with the accommodations they need to be successful. RESOURCES: Brain First Parenting Podcast, Episode 5: Making Sense of Those Frustrating On and Off Days ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 31 | Helping Extended Family Understand Your Neurodivergent Child

Dec 15, 2025 29 min

SUMMARY - In this episode, Eileen discussed a topic that is at the center of stress for many parents of kids with neurobehavioral conditions which is their extended family's inability to understand their child from a Brain First lens. Eileen offers some suggestions on ways to manage this specific, often tricky dynamic. TAKEAWAYS: It is a common experience amongst parents of kids with neurobehavioral conditions to experience feelings of judgement, shame, and being misunderstood when it comes to their extended family members' inability to see their child through a Brain First lens.Often times, family members are missing information that is needed in order to shift their lens.There are resources and strategies Eileen suggests in this episode to help bridge this gap (resources are also listed below).There are common internal beliefs that parents hold that prevent them from asking for the accommodations their child needs. Reflecting on what "stuck points" you experience when asking family members to accommodate your child is essential so you can confidently move forward with what your child needs. RESOURCES: (Blog Post) Dear Family Member: A Letter I Hope You Read (Free Downloadable Infographic) Your Lens Matters: Shifting to a Brain First Lens Episode 6: Your Child is Not the Problem Episode 22: The Unique Grief Affecting Parents of Neurodivergent Kids ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 30 | Building Essential Executive Functioning Skills w/ Carrie Bonnett

Dec 1, 2025 31 min

SUMMARY - In this episode, Eileen sits down to speak with Carrie Bonnett, Executive Function Coach, to talk about what exactly executive function skills are and how parents can identify, through their child's behavior, whether this is a skill set they struggle with and from there, how to support them in this area. TAKEAWAYS: Carrie defines executive function in a very relatable way, as the brain skills that help us "get important things done".Difficulty with executive function skills is a brain thing, not a character flaw, and we can see this lagging skills reflected through one's behaviors.Why parents play a integral role in helping their child find strategies that will help them manage the executive function load they carry each day and how this partnership with their child can play out in "every day life".Relationship between a parent and child is the foundational piece to a child being able to feel more open to help and strategies that will support their executive function skills. At times this means a parent temporarily setting aside or adjusting expectations so that they can, over time, be more open to support. RESOURCES: Carrie Bonnett - Executive Function Coach (website) Carrie's FREE Resource: Task Initiation Toolkit ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 29 | When You Feel Stretched Thin: Expanding Your Window of Tolerance

Nov 17, 2025 25 min

SUMMARY - This episode is part 2 of a two-part series on each person's unique window of tolerance. This episode focuses on the parent's window of tolerance, an essential concept for parents of kids with neurobehavioral conditions. TAKEAWAYS: It is essential for parents of complex kids with fragile nervous systems and big behaviors to understand their own window of tolerance.It is a common pattern for parents of kids with neurobehavioral conditions to notice their window of tolerance narrowing over time.When a person is exposed to chronic, unpredictable, and prolonged stress, it impacts their neurobiology, specifically their nervous system.The nervous system becomes more fragile over time, the window of tolerance narrows, and it is easy to be thrown into dysregulationThe best use of a parent's energy is to support their fragile nervous system by using their own regulated presence. This requires a strong and steady nervous system.The path to expanding your window of tolerance is taking steps to build resilience each day. RESOURCES: Episode 28: When the World Feels Too Big: Your Child’s Window of Tolerance Episode 19: Rethinking What It Means to Be Resilient Blog: Understanding the Window of Tolerance - Pt. 2 Book Recommendation: "What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing" by Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 28 | When the World Feels Too Big: Your Child’s Window of Tolerance

Nov 3, 2025 17 min

SUMMARY - In this episode, Eileen explains what it means for a child with a neurobehavioral condition to live with a narrow window of tolerance as a result of their unique neurobiology, specifically their fragile nervous system. She walks listeners through how the brain and nervous system help each of us manage life stressors, and why this is often difficult for individuals with brain-based differences. TAKEAWAYS: The "window of tolerance" is a concept developed by Dr. Dan Siegel, to describe the optimal zone of “arousal” for a person to function in everyday life. Each person's behaviors reflect whether or not they are inside their window of tolerance.Kids and teens living with a neurobehavioral condition means they may struggle with emotional regulation skills, meaning their window of tolerance for life's most minor stressors is challenged.When an individual struggles with these cognitive skills and lives with a fragile nervous system, as a result of their brain-based differences, they require accommodations that support these lagging skills and their nervous system.Cognitive fatigue is another important layer to understanding a child's window of tolerance and why it might be especially narrow. RESOURCES: Brain First Parenting Podcast: Ep. 21 | Why Your Child Melts Down: The Hidden Impact of Cognitive Fatigue Blog: Understanding the Window of Tolerance - Part 1 ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 27 | Supporting Your Neurodivergent Learner w/ Dr. Emily King

Oct 20, 2025 25 min

SUMMARY - In this episode, Eileen speaks with Dr. Emily King, a psychologist with extensive experience working in schools and supporting neurodivergent youth about how parents can support their neurodivergent learners. TAKEAWAYS: Neuro-affirming environments are environments that are aligned with each person's nervous system. There are some key ways that adults/teachers can set up environments to support regulation in kids/students and "level the playing field" amongst students.Communication with teachers should happen early and often. Collaboration is most effective when the parent and teacher share what they are seeing behaviorally from the child in each of their unique settings and brainstorm accommodations based on this shared knowledge.Recognizing cognitive fatigue as a major factor in the child's behavior is essential to their success.Any asynchronicity in a child's skills is often misinterpreted as willful behavior instead of differences across skill sets. RESOURCES: Learn with Dr. Emily ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 26 | Narrow the Focus: How Adjusting Priorities Can Reduce Your Child's Overwhelm

Oct 6, 2025 20 min

SUMMARY - As parents, we all have high priorities as they relate to our kids and these high priorities are directly tied to our concern and care for them, wanting them to do well and develop into independent, responsible adults. This episode helps listeners think about their own priorities they hold, as they relate to their kids, and what needs to be considered when your child lives with a neurobehavioral condition. TAKEAWAYS: All parents have priorities related to their kids and these priorities are tied to the parent's deeply held beliefs and values.Having a high priorities as a parent are a reflection of the concern and care for their child.One's brain (cognitive skills) are required when working to meet the expectations or complete the task that are inherent in those high priorities held by parents.This is why parents of kids with brain-based differences need to routinely evaluate whether or not their high priorities are in alignment with their child's neurobiology (brain and nervous system). RESOURCES: Brain First Parenting Podcast Episode 21- Why Your Child Melts Down: The Hidden Impact of Cognitive Fatigue ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 25 | Parenting with Awareness: 3 Essential Ingredients for Attuned Parenting w/ Wendy Sue Horn

Sep 22, 2025 45 min

SUMMARY - This episode is with guest Wendy Sue Horn, a master clinician, who has been treating individuals of all ages for over 20 years, including supporting parents. Wendy Sue is also an EMDRIA-approved consultant trainer in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), a trauma-informed psychotherapy that helps individuals heal from the symptoms and emotional distress of disturbing life experiences. Listen in as Eileen talks with Wendy Sue about what she describes as the three essential ingredients parents need in order to attune to their child. TAKEAWAYS: We don't come into parenthood as blank slates and our history follows us into our own parenting and relationship with our kids. Once we understand how and why this happens, it helps us (parents) make sense of our experience with a non-shaming lens.Attunement is the parent's ability to "tune in" to their child's internal, emotional experience.The parental goal is not to prevent pain for their child because this is not possible, but instead is to provide accompaniment in their pain because this is when it is less lonely, there is less suffering, and the child's resilience can shine through.There are three ingredients required for parents to attune to their child: motivation, awareness, and resources.The parent's ability to recognizing when fear is the motivation behind their behavior is essential because fear, by nature, moves the attention away from their child's experience, leaving them unable to attune to them.A parent's history of attachment and adverse experiences "show up" in the relationship with their child, which can impact the internal resources a parent has access to and may require supports to build the internal resources and resilience.Ways that EMDR therapy (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) can support parents who have kids with challenging behavioral symptoms. RESOURCES: Wendy Sue Horn - EMDR Resource Center ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would l...

Ep. 24 | Slow Processing: When "Not Listening" Is Really "Needing Time"

Sep 8, 2025 19 min

SUMMARY - It is common for kids with neurobehavioral conditions to struggle with slow processing pace. Slow processing pace is a cognitive skill that is often missed or misunderstood, seen as a behavioral issue, and therefore not accommodated. This episode helps listeners better understand and identify slow processing pace as a lagging cognitive skill, and from there, provides concrete examples of accommodations. TAKEAWAYS: Slow processing pace is a cognitive skill set that everyone needs to have firmly in place to navigate their day successfully.Processing pace is the speed at which someone can process information, especially verbal information.There are behaviors that reflect slower processing pace which parents, caregivers and adults need to be aware of in order to be able to then accommodate this lagging cognitive skill vs punish the behavioral symptom.Accommodations take into consideration the additional time that kids with neurobehavioral conditions require to navigate their day successfully. RESOURCES: Recording of Free Workshop: 10-Second Child in a One-Second World: Slow Processing Pace and How to Support It Brain First Parenting Podcast, Episode 15: Why "Simple" Conversations Are Hard For Your Child Blog Post: 'The 10-Second Child in a One-Second World' - Slower Processing Pace and 4 Ways to Support It ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 23 | Five Mantras to Keep You in a Brain First Mindset

Aug 25, 2025 12 min

SUMMARY - This episode focuses in on five mantras that will help parents of kids with brain-based differences and challenging behaviors stay in a Brain First mindset. TAKEAWAYS: One point of "growing pains" parents of kids with neurobehavioral challenges experience is how to react in productive ways, from a Brain First lens, when they are faced with their child's challenging behaviors.When we have mantras "in our back pocket" that resonate with us in a way that helps slow down our visceral reaction so we can decide how to respond in that moment, it helps us access our thinking brain so we can respond in ways we truly desire.The infographic linked below as 15 mantras for parents to "try on" to see which one resonates! Download at the link below. RESOURCES: Free Infographic: Helpful Mantras For Staying in a Brain First Parenting Mindset ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 22 | The Unique Grief Affecting Parents of Neurodivergent Kids

Aug 11, 2025 24 min

SUMMARY - There is a universal grief that affects parents of neurodivergent kids that often goes unrecognized, leaving parents feeling alone in a difficult emotional experience. This episode takes listeners through what this unique grief looks like and why it's so unique to parents of neurodivergent kids and how to begin to move through it so healing can begin. TAKEAWAYS: Grief, while such a common experience for parents of neurodivergent kids, is often unacknowledged, which leads to additional suffering for parents. This is why it's so important to talk about it.Grief is defined by Dr. Brene Brown in three ways: loss, longing, and feeling lostGrief can show up for parents in many ways, like feelings of resentment, guilt, self-judgement or jealousyIt is an understandable that for many parents, they try to keep grief at arms length because of the darkness it can bring.Disenfranchised grief is grief that is unrecognized and unacknowledged by society and is the type of grief many parents experience making it even more difficult to healThere are steps parents can take so that they do not get stuck in their feelings of grief, but instead can move through it and begin to heal RESOURCES: Blog post: Grappling with Grief The Resilience Room Membership Community ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 21 | Why Your Child Melts Down: The Hidden Impact of Cognitive Fatigue

Jul 28, 2025 20 min

SUMMARY - Kids who have brains that work differently, have brains that are working hard all day long, resulting in cognitive fatigue or this empty fuel tank. Their cognitive fatigue is reflected through challenging behaviors. This episode helps listeners identify cognitive fatigue in kids with brain-based differences and what the adults supporting them can do to help their brain rest and recover, resulting in less challenging behaviors. TAKEAWAYS: Every task or expectation we are faced with each day takes a bit of our "cognitive fuel" in order to make it through the day successfully.Individuals with brains that work differently end up on "empty" more quickly and more often, resulting in challenging behavioral symptoms.Brains that are working harder (which are brains that work differently) need more support throughout the day in the way of fuel (food/calories) and rest.There are some common scenarios that result in cognitive fatigue more frequently than others.There are some common accommodations that, when put in place proactively, can help preserve a child's "cognitive fuel" and prevent challenging behaviors. RESOURCES: FREE "Running on Empty" Infographic (for download) Blog post: Running on Empty: Understanding your child's cognitive fuel tank The Resilience Room Community ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 20 | When Should I Disclose My Child's Diagnosis?

Jul 14, 2025 17 min

SUMMARY - This podcast helps parents think through the personal and sometimes difficult question of when they should share their child's diagnosis with others. TAKEAWAYS: There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to making decisions about when to disclose to others about your child's diagnosis or brain-based differenceWhile it is important to consider what the impact will be if you do decide to disclose, it is even more important to consider the possible negative impact of not disclosing.When people who hold the power in various environments are missing information about your child's brain-based differences and their need for accommodations, your child is at high risk for being misunderstood and punished for their disability.Disclosure (when and why) also applies to family members (siblings, extended family, etc.).Disclosure is also important to consider in relation to your child understanding themselves. If they don't have information about their brain-based differences, they are left to jump to their own conclusions which are often negative in nature, impacting self-esteem and mental health. RESOURCES: Blog Post - Disclosure: A Path to Understanding ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 19 | Rethinking What It Means to Be Resilient

Jun 30, 2025 13 min

SUMMARY - This podcast dives into what resilience is and why it's essential for parents of kids with challenging behavioral symptoms to not only understand what it is, but steps they can take to build it each day. TAKEAWAYS: It is imperative as parents of complex kids with intense needs that you understand what it is and how to build it each day.Resilience is what allows us to move through difficult emotions like grief, sadness, and resentment.Resilience is something we all have access to, something we can cultivate within us each day."Grit" or "soldiering on" chips away at resilience over timeHonoring your response to the situation at hand and offering yourself self-compassion builds resilienceGetting support, one-to-one or through community is essential for building resilience, especially when experiencing compassion fatigue and caregiver burnout.Ways to build resilience: find your "people" (be in community), practice self-compassion, move your body, breath work RESOURCES: The Resilience Room Membership CommunityFREE (downloadable) Weekly Plan for Nervous System CareReconsidering What It Means to Be Resilient (blog post)Kristin Neff: Self-compassion resources ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 18 | Five Misconceptions About The Brain First Approach

Jun 16, 2025 19 min

SUMMARY - In this episode, Eileen addresses 5 common misconceptions parents and providers have about what it means to parent and support kids from a Brain First lens. TAKEAWAYS: Here are the 5 misconceptions that Eileen addresses in this episode. With each misconception, she breaks down why it is a misconception and helps listeners deepen their understanding even further about what it means to parent from a Brain First lens. Misconception 1: "Parenting from a Brain First lens means I am allowing or giving in to behavior that is definitely not okay." Misconception 2: "If I parent my child through a Brain First lens, they will never learn how to live in the 'real' world." Misconception 3: "If I parent from child from a Brain First lens, then I am saying I no longer have expectations for them or their behavior." Misconception 4: "If I do not show my child that I am in charge by addressing behavior immediately, I will lose my parental authority and my child will believe they can walk over me and do whatever they want." Misconception 5: "Parenting from a Brain First lens sounds like a lot of work and I am already exhausted. I can not add another thing to my plate." RESOURCES: Blog: Moving Forward by Circling Back Brain First Parenting Podcast Episode 9: Let Go of the Fear That You Are Over-Accommodating ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 17 | Unlocking Your Child's Ability to Learn and Grow

Jun 2, 2025 18 min

SUMMARY - In this episode, Eileen dives into how to unlock your child's ability to learn and grow. This is a high priority for any parent, and when there is evidence that it's going as expected, there is no stress or concern. But when you have a child or teen who is not learning, growing, and maturing in the ways you expected, it can become a huge area of concern and strain. This episode breaks down how all of us learn and grow and how to then take this information and apply it to your child who lives with a brain-based difference. TAKEAWAYS: The first essential question for parents to clarify for themselves is, "What do I actually want my child to learn, and what skills are required to be able to do this?"When we recognize the gap between a child or teen's cognitive skills and the goals set for them, then we know where we can support that child or teen to help close that gap.When we default to a behavioral lens and focus entirely on the behavior and what punishment it deserves, the growth, learning, and maturing cannot take place.A lack of accommodations to assist with the growth and learning process will signal "threat" to the nervous system, resulting in overwhelm, and this will be reflected through challenging behaviors. It will also cause the "thinking brain" to be off-line, making learning impossible.There are accommodations that promote growth and learning, with examples provided in this episode. RESOURCES: Ep 9: Let Go of the Fear That You Are Over-Accommodating Ep 5: Making Sense of On and Off Days ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 16 | What's Behind Your Child's Inappropriate Laughter?

May 19, 2025 17 min

SUMMARY - In this episode, Eileen explores a very specific defensive behavioral symptom that can be highly triggering for parents and providers alike: inappropriate or excessive laughter and silliness. Listen in as she helps reframe this behavior, moving from a behavioral lens to a Brain First lens. TAKEAWAYS: Excessive laughter or inappropriate laughter is a reflection of a fragile nervous system and a sign that the brain is under stress.In moments of stress or high emotion, kids with brain-based differences are thrown out of their window of tolerance and are unable to manage the moment at hand.Lagging cognitive skills add to the level of stress the brain is under, resulting in this defensive behavior. Cognitive skills like emotional regulation, sensory integration, and social skills are a few main skill sets required to respond appropriately, and are also skills that many kids with brain-based differences lag behind in.This challenging behavior is a reflection of the nervous system and brain trying to find relief and attempting to find balance again.A few ideas on what parents and providers can do in these moments when they are seeing this challenging behavior from the child or teen they are experiencing. RESOURCES: Think Brain First Training and Consultation Program for Professionals and Organizations ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 15 | Why "Simple" Conversations Are Hard For Your Child

May 5, 2025 22 min

SUMMARY - It is a common frustration among parents of kids with neurobehavioral differences that they feel like they cannot have even simple conversations with their children. Why is this such a common frustration and struggle? You guessed it-- it has to do with the brain, and how that brain works differently for that child or teen. In this episode, Eileen breaks down this common challenge, discusses the cognitive skills involved in having a seemingly simple conversation with another person, and how parents and other support people in a child's life can provide them with accommodations to help them be more successful in this area. TAKEAWAYS: Having a back-and-forth, seemingly simple conversation involves a set a complex cognitive skills with which many kids and teens with neurobehavioral differences struggle.Once we peel back the layers of what's involved, from a brain perspective, to have a conversation with another person and can see clearly the complexities involved, what was previously frustrating regarding a child's behaviors now makes more sense.Once the behaviors make more sense, because lagging cognitive skills have been identified, then the parent or support person has a clear path toward providing effective accommodations.The list of cognitive skills involved is lengthy and examples are provided in this episode.The list of accommodations is also lengthy! Examples of accommodations are also provided in this episode. RESOURCES: Blog Post: The 6 Ways Your Child Might 'Talk the Talk,' but Can’t 'Walk the Walk' Blog Post: Understanding the Window of Tolerance - Pt. 1 ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eile...

Ep. 14 | A Dad's Perspective w/ Special Guest Dave Devine

Apr 21, 2025 37 min

SUMMARY - In this episode of the Brain First Parenting podcast, Eileen sits down with a very special guest, her husband of 20+ years, Dave Devine. Eileen & Dave have a conversation about what it's been like for Dave, in his role as a father to his now teenage daughter who lives with FASD, a serious neurobehavioral condition, to shift his lens over the years to a Brain First lens. TAKEAWAYS: The experience of dads are often overlooked in the parenting spaces, leaving a gap in support which can lead to feelings of isolation and hopelessness for these fathers. Their experience is unique and deserves unique support.Dave shares memories of feeling inadequate and ineffective as a dad, especially early on when he began to realize his daughter's development was not "on track".Stepping away from a behavioral lens and shifting to a Brain First lens was possible with education and support, over time.The question, "What do you need from me, to be a good parent to you?" as been helpful for Dave as he works to parent two kids who have drastically different needs.Curiosity and openness is at the heart of finding success, joy, and delight in this parenting experience, specifically the father experience. It takes practice to cultivate this as the dad of a child with a serious neurobehavioral condition.The steepest part of the learning curve for Dave has been to remember that his daughter has an invisible, brain-based difference, especially when her behavioral symptoms are acute.Deeply-held beliefs and values will clash with your kid's behavioral symptoms. Getting clarity on where and why this is happening is important in order to parent from a Brain First lens.We discuss why connection and relationship has become the highest priority for Dave (in relation to his kids) vs behavioral compliance RESOURCES: Join the waitlist for the Focus on Father Program! 2025 cohort is opening for registration soon! Blog Post: Dads Need Support, Too: Three Ways That Fathers Raising Neurodiverse Kids...

Ep. 13 | 8 Assumptions We Make About Kids with Brain Differences

Apr 7, 2025 20 min

SUMMARY - In this newest episode, Eileen highlights a trap that is common for parents, teachers, and providers to fall into when supporting with kids and teens who have brain-based differences and challenging behaviors. This trap is making assumptions, often without even realizing it, about what that child or teen's brain can do and not factoring in their lagging cognitive skills and how this impacts that specific situation. In this episode, Eileen gives 8 examples of common assumptions made about kids with brain-based differences and provides a free downloadable infographic to accompany this episode. See details on how to access that infographic below. TAKEAWAYS: Learning about the brain, what it does, and how it functions helps us gain a better understanding of what this means for individuals with brains that work differently.Learning about this also makes us (parents, teachers and providers) less susceptible to making assumptions about others' brains and how they work.The goal, when supporting kids with brain-based differences, is to recognize when we are making assumptions about their brain and cognitive skills so we can pause and assess as to whether or not this is true for that individual.Examples of common assumptions society makes about brains and how this compares to what we know about those living with neurobehavioral differences. RESOURCES: FREE downloadable handout: 10 Assumptions We Make About How All Brains Function Understanding the Window of Tolerance (blog post) ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 12 | Addressing Problematic Behaviors

Mar 24, 2025 19 min

SUMMARY - When you have a child who often behaves in ways that are not good, right, or appropriate, you want to address the problematic behavior as their parent. This can be challenging to do with a child who lives with a neurobehavioral difference and must be approached in a way that has their brain in mind. In this episode, Eileen talks about why this process can be more challenging for kids with neurobehavioral differences, and how parents can take a different approach to address problematic behaviors. TAKEAWAYS: It is within the role and responsibility of a parent to address problematic behavior with their child, even when these behaviors are symptoms of a brain-based difference.How addressing problematic behaviors looks different when your child or teen has a neurobehavioral difference.Traditional parenting lens approach to addressing challenging behaviors vs a Brain First approachHow to address problematic behaviors from a Brain First lensWhat cognitive skills are involved in having a conversation about a specific event or situation that included the problematic behaviorWhat it looks like to shift the focus from punishments to building lagging skills and why this is a better use of your energy RELATED BLOG POSTS: Moving Forward by Circling Back ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 11 | "You Ruin Everything!"

Mar 10, 2025 13 min

SUMMARY - In this episode, Eileen speaks to the experience of parenting a child who is often times seen as the kid who "ruins everything". She breaks down what is actually happening when a child's behavior appears to be intentional and willful, how to shift to seeing them through a Brain First Parenting lens, and steps parents can take to proactively prevent the same outcome in the future. TAKEAWAYS: Having a child who is seen as "ruining everything" is unfortunately a common experience for parents of kids with brain-based differences and challenging behavioral symptoms.In these hard moments, the task for parents is to shift from a behavioral lens to a Brain First lens. Eileen provides some ideas on how to do this.What parents can focus and reflect on after the difficult experience has passed, to deepen their understanding of their child and proactively build in more accommodations for future events to prevent the same negative outcome.What a child begins to believe about themselves when they are seen as "ruining everything" and how parents can buffer against these negative outcomes. Related Blog Posts: "You Ruin Everything." Looking for individualized parent support? Eileen offers parent coaching to parents across the globe. You can learn more about her one-to-one support services HERE. ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 10 | The Unspoken Part: Acknowledging the Parent Experience

Feb 24, 2025 12 min

SUMMARY - When you are the parent of a child or teen with brain-based differences and challenging behavioral symptoms, it is a common experience to not have your experience, as the parent, acknowledged or supported. This is the other side of the "coin" when parenting from a Brain First lens, and deserves (and requires) as much attention and support as the other side of the "coin", which is the child and their needs. In this episode, Eileen reflects on her own experience, as well as those of parents she has worked with, highlighting the importance of attending to your well-being as a parent of a complex child with intense needs. TAKEAWAYS: Understanding both sides of the Brain First Parenting "coin" is essential to being able to thrive in the experience of parenting a child with brain-based differences and challenging behavioral symptoms.The first side is understanding your child's unique neurobiology and parenting them in alignment with how their brain and nervous system works. The other side, which is largely ignored or unacknowledged, is the lived experience of the parent.Why it is essential to acknowledge the unique (and often hard) aspects of parenting a child or teen with intense needs, and why this is where healing can take place. If you feel like you would benefit from one-to-one, individualized support, you can checkout the parent coaching support Eileen offers parents just like you. RELATED BLOG POSTS: Tending Both Sides of the Parenting Coin Reconsidering What It Means to Be Resilient ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 9 | Let Go of the Fear That You're Over-Accommodating

Feb 10, 2025 16 min

SUMMARY - In this episode, Eileen walks through a common fear that many parents hold, which is that if they fully accommodate their child or teen, that they will prevent their child from growing, developing and maturing. TAKEAWAYS Why, exactly, we provide accommodations to kids, teens, and young adults who have brain-based differencesWhy accommodations are the path towards less challenging behavioral symptomsIt is a normal part of learning to parent from a Brain First lens to have a concern that you (the parent) are over-accommodating your child or teenWe all need adequate support in our various environments to be able to keep our thinking brain on-line, stay in our window of tolerance and grow in our skillsWhen kids live with brain-based differences and a fragile nervous system, they need even greater accommodations to experience felt-safety and navigate their world successfully, due to their unique neurobiologyAccommodations do not stunt growth, they are the very thing that promotes growth and helps our kids mature RELATED BLOG POSTS: 6 Key Questions that Lead to Effective Accommodations Understanding the Window of Tolerance - Pt. 1 The Brain First approach will change how you parent ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 8 | Help Your Child Break the Perseveration Loop

Jan 27, 2025 23 min

SUMMARY - In this episode, Eileen will break down the common and often exhausting behavioral symptom called perseveration. She takes the listeners through what perseveration looks like behaviorally, so parents can identify it in their child or teen; how it is connected to the brain; and how parents can help their child when they get stuck in perseveration loops. TAKEAWAYS The definition of perseverationThe difference between perseveration and OCDHow to see this behavioral symptom through a Brain First lensWhat cognitive skills are connected to perseverationHow you can identify preservation in your child or teenWhat you can do as a parent to help break the perseveration loop your child or teen is stuck inCommon experiences for a parent who has a child or teen experiencing perseveration RELATED BLOG POSTS: Getting Unstuck: 4 Ways to Help Your Child Break the Perseveration Loop ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 7 | Understanding the Difficult Maturity Gap

Jan 13, 2025 25 min

SUMMARY - In this episode, Eileen takes you, step-by-step, through a universal and highly misunderstood characteristic seen in kids and teens with brain-based differences, which is a maturity gap in comparison to same-aged peers. She explains how this gap is connected to the brain, how to identify it for what it is (as a lagging cognitive skill set), and how to more successfully support a child or teen who experiences this gap. TAKEAWAYS Why kids with brain-based differences so often behave in ways that are seen as "immature"How this "immaturity" is connected to their unique brainHow this behavioral symptom is typically viewed (through a behavioral lens), and how to shift our understanding of it to a Brain First lensDysmaturity: what it is and how to identify it in your child or teenHow to respond to dysmaturity from a Brain First lens, allowing you to help your child or teen grow in their cognitive skillsCommon experiences for a parent who has a child or teen experiencing dysmaturity RELATED BLOG POSTS: Helping Our Children Navigate Friendships Dysmaturity and the Challenges of Friendship ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 6 | Your Child Is Not the Problem

Dec 30, 2024 15 min

SUMMARY - In this episode, Eileen explains why kids who live with neurobehavioral conditions and are always seen as "the problem," are actually kids who are doing the best they can; they are highly misunderstood and need more support for their brain-based difference. She explains how the actual problem is society's view of behaviors, and how this behavioral lens is what leads to kids with brain-based differences experiencing challenging behavioral symptoms. TAKEAWAYS Kids with brain-based differences are not "the problem." The "problem" begins with the way in which society views their differences.Viewing behaviors through a Brain First lens allows us to see challenging behaviors as symptoms of an environment that is lacking needed accommodations.It is essential to look at the true, root cause of the behavior, so that adequate supports can be put in place, which leads to less of the challenging behaviors. RELATED BLOG POST: Your Child is Not the ‘Problem’... It's Actually Society’s Narrow Lens ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

Ep. 5 | Making Sense of Those Frustrating On and Off Days

Dec 16, 2024 20 min

SUMMARY - In this episode, Eileen dives into a common characteristic in children and teens with brain-based differences and challenging behavioral symptoms, which is 'on 'and 'off' days. Eileen begins helping parents identify this common lagging skill in their kids, and how they can begin to accommodate their child or teen as it relates to on and off days. TAKEAWAYS The definition of 'on' and 'off' days as it related to cognitive skills.How on and off days are linked to a brain that functions differently.What this lagging skill looks like behaviorally.What factors can lead to a child or teen living with a brain-based difference to have off days.How not recognizing off days can lead to burnout for the parent.How parents can work to see on and off days as a "brain thing" and how they can respond to off days in ways that result in skills growth and increased connection. ======================= If you appreciated this episode, and would like to receive a weekly note from Eileen about the Brain First Parenting journey every Monday, you can subscribe to her free newsletter HERE! You can also check out all the FREE resources Eileen offers for parents, and learn more about all things Brain First at her website: eileendevine.com And of course, find and follow Eileen on social media: Facebook Instagram YouTube Pinterest

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Ep. 54 | Reconsider the Reward Chart: Why Traditional Parenting Strategies Fall Short

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Podcast details

Created by: Eileen Devine
Status: Active
Latest episode: Nov 2, 2026
Episodes: 55
Release period: Every two weeks
Avg. episode length: 22 min
Explicit: No
Language: English

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