Parenting Autism and ADHD

Parenting Autism and ADHD is a podcast designed to support parents and carers of children with autism, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), and other neurodevelopmental challenges, as well as children struggling with school attendance, even if they haven’t yet been diagnosed.Each episode offers practical guidance on helping your child attend school with less stress, manage meltdowns, and navigate obstacles in the education system.Through expert advice, real-life stories, and actionable strategies, we aim to empower you to overcome school refusal, sensory sensitivities, and behavioural struggles with confidence. Our mission is to build a supportive community where parents and carers can connect, share experiences, and access the tools they need for their child’s success, while fostering collaboration between parents and teachers to create a strong, unified support system.

Parenting Autism and ADHD is a kids podcast hosted by Cliff Kilmister, with 64 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Cliff Kilmister hosts Parenting Autism and ADHD, a kids show with 64 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #64

  Rewiring Bedtime: Neurodiversity, Sleep Science, and Ending the Nightly Battle with Michelle Cyril

  Aug 18, 202650 min

  In this enlightening and reassuring episode, I sit down with paediatric and adult sleep specialist Michelle Cyril to unpack why neurodivergent brains—especially those with ADHD and autism—find falling asleep such an uphill struggle.  Michelle details how standard bedtime advice often completely backfires for neurodivergent children and adults, offering practical, neuro-affirming strategies instead. From finding your personal "sleep window" and meeting sensory needs to introducing laughter, whole-body relaxation, and morning daylight to reset the body clock, this conversation provides an empathetic roadmap for bringing peace, predictability, and joy back into your evening routine. EPISODE REVEALS Traditional advice like dimming lights and quiet routines can increase demand-avoidance in neurodivergent children; bedtime must work with their sensory needs, dopamine requirements, and natural rhythms rather than against them. Sleep needs are individual, and optimal rest comes from identifying your personal "sleep window" rather than forcing a generic eight-hour block. You cannot force a child or yourself to fall asleep on command; creating physical relaxation and laughter engages the parasympathetic nervous system, allowing sleep to naturally sneak up. Starting the body clock at a consistent wake-up time with 30 minutes of natural daylight (or a sunrise lamp) directly regulates evening melatonin and eases delayed sleep phase issues. BEST MOMENTS "I talk about sleep being a ninja... You can't say, 'Right, I'm going to sleep now.' Sleep just creeps up on you... and the worst thing you can do is to tell a child 'just go to sleep.'"  "When they're laughing, they are engaging their parasympathetic nervous system, which disengages the fight and flight mode, and that's exactly what we want going up to bedtime."  "We throw out the 'shoulds' and we go: what does your child need right now? We focus on where they're at now, and then we start to make some changes."  "Being told to 'just go to sleep' is a bit like being told 'just stop thinking.' If only it was that easy!"  "Remember to be kind to yourself, and let's change the world, one family at a time." CLIFF´S SERVICES Are you struggling with anxiety and want support from someone who has been there and come out the other side? - Message Cliff here and take advantage of his founding members offer: https://m.me/cliff.kilmister   CONTACT ME Instagram: @cliff_kilmister08 ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/cliff.kilmister⁠ X - @KilmisterCliff ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@ParentingAutismandADHD⁠ HOST BIO Cliff Kilmister is a dedicated parent, advocate, and cat whisperer with firsthand experience raising a child with autism, ADHD, and Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). Having navigated the challenges of school refusal, meltdowns, and sensory sensitivities, Cliff brings an empathetic, real-world perspective to the podcast. When he's not helping his child thrive, he’s dodging the evil stares of his three cats, who are plotting to take over the world (fortunately, they still haven’t figured out how to use the tin opener). Cliff offers practical advice, expert insights, and personal stories to help families facing similar struggles. Cliff is focused on connecting with professionals and networks to raise awareness about the growing need for the education system to adapt to the increasing neurodiverse population. Join the community on Patreon to share experiences, access exclusive content, and work together for change!   This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. ⁠https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

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  Episode #63

  You Can’t Ignore the Senses: Understanding the Hidden Triggers Behind Some ADHD or Autism Meltdowns with Jacki Edry

  Aug 11, 20261h 4m

  Today, I am joined by Jacki Edry, an autism and neurodiversity advocate with more than 40 years of experience. Jacki shares her journey from volunteering with autistic children as a teenager to supporting her own son, whom she recognised as potentially autistic at a very young age. In 2013, Jacki discovered she had a massive brain stem tumour. Her recovery gave her a unique firsthand understanding of sensory processing challenges and how they can affect the way we interpret the world around us. We explore how sensory processing difficulties can affect learning, behaviour, meltdowns and shutdowns - and why these should be understood as communication rather than simply as misbehaviour. Jacki also shares practical ways to support children and adults experiencing sensory and processing challenges, including environmental adjustments, assistive technology and sensory-friendly approaches that can significantly improve quality of life. EPISODE REVEALS ·      Sometimes what looks like overwhelm is actually a processing problem. If you can´t see or hear properly, the brain can’t take in, filter, organise or make sense of what is going on around you. Making everyday environments confusing, frightening and exhausting. ·      Visual and auditory processing differences can profoundly change how you experience the world. Lights, movement, background noise and competing voices can make it difficult to understand what’s happening. ·      Check for visual, auditory and interpretation issues. Many of these issues can be corrected or diminished. Look beyond the diagnosis. ·      Don´t just stick with the regular tests. A regular hearing test will only pick up whether you can hear the beeps and totally miss the fact there is a delay in the words reaching your brain for interpretation or the inability to pick one voice out from background noise. BEST MOMENTS “You can't argue with the senses.” “A meltdown always always has a reason.” “It doesn't get better just because you know it - because you've been through that situation 1000 times.” “Stimming is not a behaviour. It looks like a behaviour. It's a symptom of a dysregulated system.” “Don't  give it a label. Let's figure out how to help.” ABOUT THE GUESTS https://www.jackiedry.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacki-edry-7583346/ Facebook @jackisbooks Irlen syndrome: https://irlen.com/ RESOURCES Famisafe Parental control App Link: https://wondersharesoftware.pxf.io/ParentingAUDHD What to Do When Your Child Shuts Down: Real-World Parenting Strategies for Neurodivergent Kids Who Shut Down, Refuse School, or Just Stop communicating with you: https://amzn.eu/d/0fBIfbhR CLIFF´S SERVICES Are you struggling with anxiety and want support from someone who has been there and come out the other side? - Message Cliff here and take advantage of his founding members offer: https://m.me/cliff.kilmister   CONTACT ME Instagram: @cliff_kilmister08 ⁠https://www.facebook.com/cliff.kilmister X - @KilmisterCliff https://www.youtube.com/@ParentingAutismandADHD HOST BIO Cliff Kilmister is a dedicated parent, advocate, and cat whisperer with firsthand experience raising a child with autism, ADHD, and Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). Having navigated the challenges of school refusal, meltdowns, and sensory sensitivities, Cliff brings an empathetic, real-world perspective to the podcast. When he's not helping his child thrive, he’s dodging the evil stares of his three cats, who are plotting to take over the world (fortunately, they still haven’t figured out how to use the tin opener). Cliff offers practical advice, expert insights, and personal stories to help families facing similar struggles. Cliff is focused on connecting with professionals and networks to raise awareness about the growing need for the education system to adapt to the increasing neurodiverse population. Join the community on Patreon to share experiences, access exclusive content, and work together for change!   This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

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  Episode #62

  From Anxiety and Depression to a Monk Sandwich and Himalayan Meditation

  Aug 4, 202659 min

  Is your child (or you) living with invisible pain - anxiety, overwhelm, thoughts of not wanting to be here? Do you minimise it because “others have it worse,” are you quietly worried what might happen if things keep going as they are? Today I’m joined by Piers Day, anxiety, and suicide‑prevention specialist, who’s spent nearly 30 years working with teens, young adults, and their families. We talk suicidal thinking, ADHD and rejection sensitivity, anxiety loops, labels, medication, Reiki, monks, and Piers shares one tiny daily practice that can literally change everything. This episode could change the way you see anxiety. EPISODE REVEALS ·      Anxiety is often your mind trying to protect you. But it is easy for it to get stuck in that groove, like a vinyl record, which leaves you very vulnerable. ·      Suicide leaves a grief that takes far, far longer to heal.   ·      Labels like anxious, depressed, non‑compliant or challenging don’t stay neutral. They can easily turn into negative programmes that your child starts to live up to, instead of a passing state they, like everyone else, occasionally move through.   ·      Swapping the term “he has anxiety” for specific, here‑and‑now language helps to keep things in context e.g. "he’s really worried about his maths test right now" instead of “he has anxiety” That better reflects reality an experience that can change, not a fixed identity.   ·      You can’t change past events, but you can change the way you think about them, what it means to you and, therefore, how it affects you, now.   ·      Simple daily tools are transformative. Examples include finger breathing and creating the perfect affirmation for you. They help to calm overwhelm in virtually any real-world situation.   ·      Asking for help isn’t weakness; it’s the moment things can start to get better. BEST MOMENTS “Your mind has one thing to do, and that is to protect you.”  “Anxiety isn't weakness; it's our mind trying to protect us.”  “Ask for help.”  "We are so immature as human beings when it comes to the power of our mind." ABOUT THE GUEST https://piersday.com/ https://www.suffolkhypnotherapy.co.uk/ Life Talks with Piers Day - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/life-talks-with-piers-day/id1746173210 https://www.thelivinggame.co.uk/ RESOURCES Evas channel: https://youtube.com/shorts/vX4xOtMG95w?si=uqWJ-TF8zzWrRMIS Famisafe Parental control App Link: https://wondersharesoftware.pxf.io/ParentingAUDHD What to Do When Your Child Shuts Down: Real-World Parenting Strategies for Neurodivergent Kids Who Shut Down, Refuse School, or Just Stop communicating with you: https://amzn.eu/d/0fBIfbhR CLIFF´S SERVICES Are you struggling with anxiety and want support from someone who has been there and come out the other side? - Message Cliff here and take advantage of his founding members offer: https://m.me/cliff.kilmister   CONTACT ME Instagram: @cliff_kilmister08 Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/cliff.kilmister X - @KilmisterCliff YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@ParentingAutismandADHD HOST BIO Cliff Kilmister is a dedicated parent, advocate, and cat whisperer with firsthand experience raising a child with autism, ADHD, and Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). Having navigated the challenges of school refusal, meltdowns, and sensory sensitivities, Cliff brings an empathetic, real-world perspective to the podcast. When he's not helping his child thrive, he’s dodging the evil stares of his three cats, who are plotting to take over the world (fortunately, they still haven’t figured out how to use the tin opener). Cliff offers practical advice, expert insights, and personal stories to help families facing similar struggles. Cliff is focused on connecting with professionals and networks to raise awareness about the growing need for the education system to adapt to the increasing neurodiverse population. Join the community on Patreon to share experiences, access exclusive content, and work together for change!   This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #61

  Magpie Minds: Collecting, Obsessing and Regulating in Neurodivergent Kids with OCD

  Jul 28, 202634 min

  Today we are talking about OCD. For so many of us in neurodivergent families, “OCD” doesn’t look like a TV stereotype. It looks like dishwashers that have to be stacked just so, teddies arranged in invisible themes, and kids who can’t settle until every collection is complete.  In this episode I sit down with my daughter Eva to explore our shared “operating system”: my dishwasher rules and Star Trek comic sets, her Builder Bears, dinosaurs and engine-obsessed brain, our two-week Minecraft phases, and the painful lessons of Roblox scams. I unpack what’s really going on underneath these quirks, and how you can start working with, not against, your child’s systems – protecting them online without shame, honouring their rituals without letting them run the house, and using shared special interests as one of the strongest bridges to connection in a neurodivergent family. EPISODE REVEALS Often, OCD acts as a regulating tool; it helps to bring order and control. It is a regulation tool rather than your child being difficult. Joining your child´s world instead of dismissing things as phases can help to bring you closer and gives you a chance to have fun collecting or playing together. Creative outlets are a good way for young people to express themselves, process experiences and regulate their emotions.  A calm, peaceful home is not created by “fixing” behaviours, understanding what is going on in your child´s brain and adapting where needed works better, overall. BEST MOMENTS "If that is not done correctly, I can't even look in that drawer, which is weird because I'm quite messy person."   "Our family hasn't been trying to fix each other. It's been taking the time to understand, adapt, to empathise, and to connect." "That deeper understanding has strengthened the bond between us, and I genuinely believe it's one of the biggest reasons we're as close as we are today." "It helps me regulate my emotions if I post something sad." RESOURCES Evas channel: https://youtube.com/shorts/vX4xOtMG95w?si=uqWJ-TF8zzWrRMIS Famisafe Parental control App Link: https://wondersharesoftware.pxf.io/ParentingAUDHD What to Do When Your Child Shuts Down: Real-World Parenting Strategies for Neurodivergent Kids Who Shut Down, Refuse School, or Just Stop communicating with you: https://amzn.eu/d/0fBIfbhR   CLIFF´S SERVICES Are you struggling with anxiety and want support from someone who has been there and come out the other side? - Message Cliff here and take advantage of his founding members offer: https://m.me/cliff.kilmister   CONTACT ME Instagram: @cliff_kilmister08 Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/cliff.kilmister X - @KilmisterCliff YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@ParentingAutismandADHD HOST BIO Cliff Kilmister is a dedicated parent, advocate, and cat whisperer with firsthand experience raising a child with autism, ADHD, and Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). Having navigated the challenges of school refusal, meltdowns, and sensory sensitivities, Cliff brings an empathetic, real-world perspective to the podcast. When he's not helping his child thrive, he’s dodging the evil stares of his three cats, who are plotting to take over the world (fortunately, they still haven’t figured out how to use the tin opener). Cliff offers practical advice, expert insights, and personal stories to help families facing similar struggles. Cliff is focused on connecting with professionals and networks to raise awareness about the growing need for the education system to adapt to the increasing neurodiverse population. Join the community on Patreon to share experiences, access exclusive content, and work together for change! This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #60

  Beyond Punishment: How Non-Violent Resistance Can Transform Family Dynamics

  Jul 21, 202651 min

  In this insightful episode, Cliff speaks with Tyler Baldwin, a trauma-informed Non-Violent Resistance practitioner and founder of Stay Grounded. Tyler shares his journey from adventure coaching to working in children’s services with high-trauma families, offering a fresh, empathetic lens on child aggression, school refusal, and behavioral challenges.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Connect Before You Correct: You cannot force control over a child’s behavior, but you can control your own presence and consistency. Lend your calm, regulated nervous system to your child before attempting to address or correct their actions. Behavior Signals an Unmet Need: Rather than viewing emotional meltdowns or aggression as a child's personal failure, recognize them as a sign that their system is overwhelmed by an unmet physical, sensory, or emotional need. You Can't Fake Calm: Children are remarkably perceptive to stress, body language, and subconscious fear signals. Authentic de-escalation requires parents to focus on genuinely calming themselves first. Defer the Conversation: You don't need to enforce consequences or resolve an issue in the heat of the moment. Wait until both you and your child have returned to a calm state before addressing boundaries. Parental Self-Care Is Foundational: Prioritizing your own well-being and stress management isn't selfish—it is the essential baseline required to stay grounded and effectively support a dysregulated child. BEST MOMENTS "You can't control a child's behavior, but you can control your own presence, your consistency, and your own response." "You put shame on anybody, it automatically makes them withdraw... We want to try and aim for guilt over shame." "If someone doesn't understand something, they are going to push back. It doesn't matter if it's the most sensible thing in the world... if they don't understand it, they're not going to comply with it." "You can't fake calm. If you're scared, they're going to know." "Think of escalation as a bit of a system failure as opposed to a child failure... Ask: what is the unmet need here, and what can I do about it?" Tyler Baldwin’s Links:  http://www.stay-grounded.co.uk/  CLIFF´S SERVICES Are you struggling with anxiety and want support from someone who has been there and come out the other side? - Message Cliff here and take advantage of his founding members offer: https://m.me/cliff.kilmister   CONTACT ME Instagram: @cliff_kilmister08 Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/cliff.kilmister X - @KilmisterCliff YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@ParentingAutismandADHD HOST BIO Cliff Kilmister is a dedicated parent, advocate, and cat whisperer with firsthand experience raising a child with autism, ADHD, and Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). Having navigated the challenges of school refusal, meltdowns, and sensory sensitivities, Cliff brings an empathetic, real-world perspective to the podcast. When he's not helping his child thrive, he’s dodging the evil stares of his three cats, who are plotting to take over the world (fortunately, they still haven’t figured out how to use the tin opener). Cliff offers practical advice, expert insights, and personal stories to help families facing similar struggles. Cliff is focused on connecting with professionals and networks to raise awareness about the growing need for the education system to adapt to the increasing neurodiverse population. Join the community on Patreon to share experiences, access exclusive content, and work together for change! This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/

  ListenShow Notes

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