On this episode of The ADHD Mums Podcast, Jane welcomes Lael Stone, an educator, TEDx speaker, author, and parenting counsellor, to discuss raising emotionally intelligent children in neurodiverse families. Lael’s extensive background in working with families for over 20 years, especially in the realm of birth education, postnatal trauma counselling, and parenting education, makes her a valuable resource for this topic.
Jane and Lael dive into a conversation about the challenges parents face in maintaining emotional intelligence in neurodiverse families. Lael emphasises the importance of self-compassion, acknowledging the difficulties of parenting in today’s stressful environment, and the need to release judgment and self-criticism. The discussion touches on permissive parenting and the struggle parents face in setting boundaries, especially in neurodiverse families where emotional regulation can be challenging. Lael advocates for building a tolerance for handling children’s big feelings and the significance of modelling healthy ways to express and move emotions.
Jane and Lael also explore the concept of self-care for parents, acknowledging the difficulty of finding time for oneself. Lael suggests embracing micro-moments of self-care throughout the day, involving children in these moments, and redefining self-care beyond traditional expectations. The conversation highlights the importance of creating supportive communities and breaking the myth of perfect parenting, aiming for a realistic and compassionate approach.
Check out more about Lael Stone here:
https://laelstone.com.au/
(I love her book!)
Follow Jane on @adhdmums on IG
Join Jane in her community FB group called
ADHD Mum’s in Australia – Podcast here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/777102743903210/