Episode 249: Unlocking Motivation in Neurodivergent Children

On Episode 249, Emily Kircher-Morris chats with Diane Dempster and Elaine Taylor-Klaus from Impact Parents, hosts of the Parenting with Impact podcast. They talk about the challenge of motivating neurodivergent kids, and break down why it’s challenging. The chat includes a framework called PINCH, a way to remember and think about important elements of motivation. You’ll come away with practical strategies for parents to foster a supportive environment that encourages engagement, and ways to move away from fear and stress as motivators.

Takeaways

Traditional parenting advice often doesn't apply to neurodivergent kids.
Motivation can be misunderstood; it's not always lack of interest.
Executive functioning skills play a crucial role in motivation.
Dopamine is essential for engaging in non-preferred tasks.
Fear-based parenting creates stress and is not sustainable.
Intrinsic motivation develops later in life, especially for neurodivergent individuals.
The PINCH framework helps identify different motivators for kids.
Interest in a subject can significantly boost motivation.
Competition can motivate but may also cause anxiety in some children.
Collaboration and connection with peers can enhance motivation.
Parents should experiment with different motivational strategies.
Transparency and vulnerability in parenting can build trust.

Elaine Taylor-Klaus and Diane Dempster co-founded ImpactParents.com in 2011 because traditional parenting advice wasn’t working for their complex kids and they found no training or coaching available designed specifically to support them as parents of complex kids.

Internationally recognized as leading parent educators, they use a coach-approach to help parents reduce the stress of raising children, teens, and young adults with ADHD, Anxiety, Autism, LD and more. They’re the creators of Sanity School® behavior training, and the authors of many books including Parenting ADHD Now: Easy Intervention Strategies to Empower Kids with ADHD and The Essential Guide to Raising Complex Kids with ADHD, Anxiety and More.