Chaos & Caffeine - ADHD Parenting Podcast

ADHD Moms: Why You Keep Losing Your Cool (And How to Regulate Your Nervous System) with Jenna Free

Danielle Kelly Season 1 Episode 98

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0:00 | 59:44

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Are you constantly overwhelmed, overstimulated, and wondering why you're losing your patience with your ADHD child—even when you're trying your absolute best?

In this powerful episode of Chaos & Caffeine, ADHD coach and nervous system expert Jenna Free joins Danielle Kelly for a conversation every ADHD parent needs to hear.

But here's the twist:

This episode isn't about fixing our kids.

It's about us.

Because when you're parenting a child with ADHD, anxiety, autism, sensory challenges, or emotional dysregulation, it's easy to spend all your energy focused on helping them while completely ignoring what's happening inside your own nervous system.

Jenna explains why ADHD isn't simply a focus problem—it's often a regulation problem. Together, Danielle and Jenna explore what happens when parents get stuck in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn responses, why so many ADHD moms experience burnout and overwhelm, and how nervous system regulation can transform the way we show up for ourselves and our children.

You'll also hear Jenna walk Danielle through parts of her process in real time, offering practical tools that parents can begin using immediately.

In this episode, you'll learn:

✔ Why ADHD parents are more vulnerable to emotional dysregulation
 ✔ The connection between ADHD, stress, burnout, and nervous system overload
 ✔ What happens in the brain during reactive parenting moments
 ✔ How fight, flight, freeze, and fawn responses impact family life
 ✔ Practical somatic tools for emotional regulation
 ✔ Why breathing techniques actually work for ADHD brains
 ✔ How to create a pause between emotions and reactions
 ✔ The importance of self-regulation before co-regulation
 ✔ Why perfection isn't the goal of parenting
 ✔ How healing your nervous system can improve your relationship with your child

If you've ever ended the day feeling guilty, exhausted, overwhelmed, or like you're failing as a parent, this episode will remind you that you're not broken—and that there is a path forward.

Because sometimes the most important thing we can do for our children is learn how to care for ourselves first.

Connect with Jenna 👉 Jenna Free

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📧 Have questions or ideas for future episodes? Email us at chaosandcaffeinepodcast@gmail.com.

Support the show

Danielle is the host of Chaos & Caffeine, a fast-growing ADHD parenting podcast where she interviews leading psychologists, clinicians, researchers, and neurodivergent advocates about what actually helps ADHD kids thrive in the real world. Through science-backed conversations and very real mom-in-the-trenches storytelling, the show helps parents navigate executive function challenges, emotional regulation struggles, learning differences, and the everyday chaos of raising neurodivergent kids.

Each week, Danielle translates complex ADHD research into practical tools parents can actually use — from building routines that support developing brains to helping kids strengthen focus, flexibility, and self-regulation skills.

Listen to the podcast and explore expert interviews at:
https://linktr.ee/chaosandcaffeinepodcast

Danielle frequently speaks and writes about ADHD parenting strategies, executive function development, emotional regulation, screen use and attention, learning challenges like dyslexia, and building resilient neurodivergent families.