S1 E20 ADHD Moms, Sensory Kids: Real-World Holiday Co-Regulation That Actually Works

The holidays hit different when you’re an ADHD woman trying to keep yourself regulated while your kids bounce between overstimulation, sugar crashes, and relative-induced chaos. In this episode, Jess and Jeannine break down real-world co-regulation strategies that actually work for ADHD moms and sensory-sensitive kids without shame, perfection pressure, or Pinterest-mom energy. We talk about: 🎄 Why co-regulation isn’t codependence (and how to tell the difference) 🧠 Using curiosity instead of control when your kid melts down 🙅‍♀️ Consent hellos, body autonomy, and navigating pushy relatives 🔊 Sensory overload survival: sunglasses, Loops, headphones & coping candy 👜 The ADHD “Santa Survival Kit” for car rides, stores, and family gatherings 💬 Emotional honesty & why your kids can always read your stress 💗 How to stay connected when everyone’s overstimulated (including you) This episode is for every ADHD mom who’s trying to make the holidays feel safe, manageable, and actually enjoyable without sacrificing your sanity or your kids’ nervous systems. If you’ve ever whispered “I need a timeout too,” this one’s your episode. 00:00 – Cold Open: Holiday Chaos Meets ADHD Brains Mariah Carey, meltdowns, pine-scented overstimulation, and why December hits different for ADHD women. 01:02 – Co-Regulation vs. Codependence (And Why It Matters Today) Understanding emotional regulation during the holidays — without absorbing everyone else’s stress. 03:10 – Curiosity Over Control: The ADHD-Friendly Parenting Reset Ditching the pre-party “be on your best behavior” script and using curiosity to defuse meltdowns. 07:14 – Consent, Autonomy, and Holiday Boundaries for Kids How to model body autonomy, support kids’ comfort, and handle pushy relatives without guilt. 12:32 – Sensory Overload: Prevent, Support, Protect Holiday environments are sensory traps. Tools that work: sunglasses, scents, Loop earplugs, headphones, coping candy, and more. 17:30 – The Santa Survival Kit & Reset Rituals How to create a car-ready regulation kit to prevent overstimulation and why modeling resets builds trust. 22:07 – Survival Mode, Emotional Honesty & Staying Connected How kids read your stress, why transparency matters, and how to co-regulate through holiday overwhelm.

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