Mom Parent ADHD

About Mom Parent ADHD

Mom Parent ADHD is a podcast for moms raising children with ADHD who are carrying a lot and need support that feels real. Hosted by Lola Swaby, this show offers practical routines, emotional regulation tools, school advocacy guidance, and honest encouragement for the messy, beautiful journey of parenting a child with ADHD. From the perspective of a mom who is also parenting a child with ADHD. lolamswaby.substack.com (https://lolamswaby.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast)

Publisher

Lola Swaby

Category

education · kids & family

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

15 Apr 2026

Latest episode

14 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

24 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   14 Oct 2026

   ADHD School Support: Do I Have to Wait for the Grades to Drop?

   ADHD School Support: Do I Have to Wait for the Grades to Drop? A conversation for moms after an IEP or 504 denial about explaining the reminders, missed steps, and help behind good grades. Season 2, Episode 12 | The Prepared Advocate Series “If I stopped checking, would the school finally understand?” You’re proud of your child’s grades. You also know how many reminders, reopened assignments, and late evenings sit behind them. After an IEP or 504 eligibility meeting, you may leave wondering whether anyone will take the difficulty seriously while the report card still looks good. That is a painful place to find yourself. You want to help your child succeed, and you want the school to understand what it takes to get there. In this episode of the Mom Parent ADHD Podcast, Lola M. Swaby explores how to make the help behind the grades visible without withdrawing support simply to produce evidence of failure. We talk about describing what your child completes independently, where a task gets stuck, and what happens when you step in. There is also a plain-language explanation of why IDEA does not require an otherwise eligible child to fail a class or repeat a grade before receiving special education services. A diagnosis alone does not establish eligibility, and Section 504 uses a different standard. The conversation offers a place to begin after a denial: an accurate example and a question about how the evaluation considered that difficulty. In This Episode The pressure a mother may feel when strong grades seem to overshadow her concerns. Why she may wonder whether her help is making the difficulty less visible. How to describe a completed assignment that was never submitted while recognizing her child’s independence. What to ask about the evaluation’s consideration of repeated difficulties and assistance at home. What IDEA says about otherwise eligible children who are passing and moving from grade to grade. Why changes in help deserve to be considered around the child’s needs and the family’s capacity. A Moment of Reflection: Think about a recent assignment your child completed. What did they do independently, and where did your help come in? Consider how you could describe that event accurately, giving your child credit while making the missed step clear. Continue The Prepared Advocate Series: This episode accompanies Monday’s article, Your Child Has ADHD and Good Grades. School Says No to Support (https://lolamswaby.substack.com/p/adhd-good-grades-504-iep-denied?r=79oin1). The article explores what to ask about an IEP or 504 denial when academic achievement seems to overshadow difficulties with managing schoolwork. Join us in the free ADHD Mom Advocacy Community on Skool (https://www.skool.com/exhale-reset-adhd-moms-3852/about) for connection and encouragement. For deeper advocacy education, the full The Prepared Advocate Series classroom is included in the paid Advocacy & Exhale Membership. More Support From Mom Parent ADHD: If you need somewhere to sort through the worry and frustration you’re carrying before the next conversation, explore From Chaos to Calm: A 30-Day Rescue Plan for ADHD Moms and From Chaos to Calm in 30 Days Workbook. Explore the Guide (https://momparentadhd.com/from-chaos-to-calm#guide) Explore the Workbook (https://momparentadhd.com/from-chaos-to-calm#workbook) Visit momparentadhd.com/resource-room for more ADHD resources and ways to stay connected. Stay Connected: Subscribe on Substack or YouTube, and follow @MomParentADHD on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads. You can also listen to the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. If this conversation helped you, share it with another mom who might need it. About Your Host: Lola M. Swaby is the founder and head educator of Mom Parent ADHD, an attorney with approximately 30 years of experience, an author, and a mom parenting a son with ADHD and autism. She offers practical advocacy education and support for moms raising children with ADHD. Lola is the author of From Chaos to Calm: A 30-Day Rescue Plan for ADHD Moms and the companion From Chaos to Calm in 30 Days Workbook. Legal References Mentioned in This Episode: (If you ever want to look up the rules yourself or have them handy for a school meeting): - What an evaluation has to look at: 34 C.F.R. § 300.304(b)(1)–(2). This addresses functional, developmental, and academic information, parent input, and the rule that a school cannot use a single measure as the sole reason to deny eligibility. You can also look at 34 C.F.R. §§ 104.35(b)(2) and 104.35(c)(1)–(2) under Section 504, which require schools to pull from multiple information sources and give them careful consideration based on the child's specific educational needs. - How Section 504 defines disability: 29 U.S.C. § 794; 29 U.S.C. §§ 705(9)(B) and 705(20)(B); and 42 U.S.C. §§ 12102(1)–(2). The Rehabilitation Act incorporates the ADA's definition of a disability, which explicitly includes major life activities and major bodily functions like concentrating, thinking, and brain function. - Written notice, records, and your safeguards: 34 C.F.R. §§ 300.501, 300.503, and 300.504 under IDEA; and 34 C.F.R. § 104.36 under Section 504. - IEP and 504 eligibility boundaries: 34 C.F.R. § 300.8(a)(1), which covers IDEA’s requirement for both a qualifying disability and a resulting need for special education. For Section 504, see 34 C.F.R. §§ 104.3(j) and 104.33(a)–(b), which address the Section 504 disability standard and the right to educational service requirements (FAPE). Important Note: This episode shares general advocacy education and parenting experience relating to U.S. public schools for educational and informational purposes. It does not replace legal, medical, mental health, or individualized educational advice. Listening does not create an attorney-client relationship. Eligibility decisions depend on each child’s individual circumstances; good grades, an ADHD diagnosis, or parent assistance alone do not determine eligibility. Get full access to Mom Parent ADHD at lolamswaby.substack.com/subscribe (https://lolamswaby.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

2. 

   8 Oct 2026

   Is Your Child With ADHD Afraid of Disappointing You?

   Title: Is Your Child With ADHD Afraid of Disappointing You? Subtitle: How to help your child talk about hard days when they’re worried about letting you down. Season 2, Episode 11 | The Prepared Advocate Series “Will you still be proud of me if tomorrow isn’t a good day?” You wanted your child to enjoy hearing that things were going better. You hadn’t considered that they might also be worried about keeping you happy with that progress. Some children notice how tired Mom looks after another school conversation, or how relieved she seems when the news is good. They may hesitate to tell her something is difficult because they don’t want to give her one more thing to worry about. In this episode of the Mom Parent ADHD Podcast, Lola M. Swaby explores this tender moment and what it can mean for advocacy. When children keep their struggles to themselves, Mom and the adults at school may be missing something they need to understand. Lola talks about opening that conversation warmly, making room for a child who cannot explain their worry yet, and helping a teacher understand when fear of disappointing someone is getting in the way of speaking up. There is also room for Mom’s exhaustion and for returning to a conversation when her first response came out sharper than she intended. You can enjoy your child’s good days while helping them feel comfortable telling you about a difficult one. In This Episode: * How a child’s wish to spare Mom more worry may make them hesitant to share a struggle. * What you might say when your child worries about letting you down. * How to listen without pressing for an immediate explanation. * When it may be helpful to share the concern with a teacher and invite their perspective. * How to return to the conversation after reacting out of frustration. A Moment of Reflection: If your child told you something was hard after a good stretch at school, what might they worry you would think? Consider how you could help them understand that telling you is welcome, even when you need a moment to take it in. Continue The Prepared Advocate Series: This episode accompanies Monday’s article, Does Your Child With ADHD Still Need School Support? The article explores how to understand what is helping your child improve before discussing a change in school support. The episode turns toward what your child may hesitate to tell you once everyone is pleased with their progress. Read the Monday Article Here (https://lolamswaby.substack.com/p/child-adhd-school-support-progress?r=79oin1) Join the community: For deeper advocacy education, The Prepared Advocate Series is included in the paid Advocacy & Exhale Membership inside the ADHD Mom Advocacy Community on Skool. Access it here (https://www.skool.com/exhale-reset-adhd-moms-3852/about) More Support From Mom Parent ADHD: If you need somewhere to sort through the worry and frustration you’re carrying before the next conversation, explore From Chaos to Calm: A 30-Day Rescue Plan for ADHD Moms and the From Chaos to Calm in 30 Days Workbook. Visit the Mom Parent ADHD Resource Room (http://MomParentADHD.com/resource-room) to explore our resources. Stay Connected: Subscribe on Substack or YouTube, and follow @MomParentADHD on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads. You can also listen to the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. If this conversation helped you, please share it with another mom who might need it. About Your Host: Lola M. Swaby is the co-founder and head educator of Mom Parent ADHD, an attorney with approximately 30 years of experience, an author, and a mom parenting a son with ADHD and autism. She offers practical advocacy education and support for moms raising children with ADHD. Lola is the author of From Chaos to Calm: A 30-Day Rescue Plan for ADHD Moms and the companion From Chaos to Calm in 30 Days Workbook. Important Note: This episode shares general advocacy education and parenting experience for educational and informational purposes. It does not replace legal, medical, mental health, or individualized educational advice. If you have concerns about your child’s behavior, health, education, mental health, or individual support needs, consider speaking with an appropriately qualified professional who can evaluate your child’s circumstances. Get full access to Mom Parent ADHD at lolamswaby.substack.com/subscribe (https://lolamswaby.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

3. 

   2 Oct 2026

   I’m Not Making Excuses for My Child With ADHD

   Season 2, Episode 10: I’m Not Making Excuses for My Child With ADHD Subtitle: How to explain your child’s behavior without excusing it... and speak up when something important still needs to be understood. Have you ever started explaining something about your child to a teacher and suddenly heard yourself say, “I’m not making excuses…” before anyone had even accused you of making one? That single moment says so much about the immense pressure we carry as moms raising children with ADHD. You may know your child was wrong. You may completely agree that someone was hurt, a rule was broken, or a consequence is appropriate. But you also know something fundamental about your child that still matters; and suddenly, you are left wondering whether saying it out loud will just make you sound defensive. In this episode of The Prepared Advocate Series, we are talking about that uncomfortable, messy space between explaining a behavior and excusing it. This is not about finding an ADHD explanation for everything our children do. Sometimes our kids simply make a bad choice, and they need to own it. But when there is something vital to understand, the fear of being labeled an “excuse-making mom” should not automatically silence you. Sometimes, the more useful question is not, “Will this sound like an excuse?” It is: “Why am I bringing this up?” Am I trying to make what happened disappear, or am I sharing something that could help us understand what my child still needs to learn? That small shift can change the entire conversation. In This Episode, We Talk About: 1. The Defensive Trap The Preemptive Shield: Why so many ADHD moms say “I’m not making excuses” before anyone has even accused them of doing so. The Cost of Silence: What happens when the fear of sounding defensive causes Mom to leave crucial information unsaid. The Accountability Over-Correction: Why moms become so determined to prove they believe in accountability that they accidentally start silencing themselves. 2. The Reality of ADHD The Knowing-Doing Gap: The frustrating stretch between a child knowing what they are supposed to do, and being able to actually do it when emotions run high. Finding the Balance: Why ADHD does not explain every single difficult behavior—and why it should never automatically be ignored when it genuinely matters. Consequence vs. Lesson: Why a punishment alone rarely tells us what a skill a child actually needs to practice before the next difficult moment arrives. 3. Grounded Advocacy Impact vs. Intent: Why understanding what made a behavior difficult does not erase the painful effect that behavior had on someone else. Separating Behavior from Identity: Why you can firmly disagree with how your child is spoken to or labeled afterward, even when you completely agree that your child was in the wrong. Creating Space: How giving yourself the time to process anger, embarrassment, fear, and worry allows you to speak to the school from a deeply grounded place. A Sentence to Carry With You You do not have to apologize for knowing your child. Understanding why something was difficult for them does not mean you are saying what they did was okay. Sometimes, you are simply trying to understand the exact place where your child keeps getting stuck, so you can help them grow beyond it. Continue The Prepared Advocate Series This episode is part of The Prepared Advocate Series, a Mom Parent ADHD series about the advocacy moments that are often harder to prepare for until you are standing right in the middle of them. This week, we are sitting with one of the most uncomfortable parts of advocacy: what happens when your child really was wrong, but there is still something important you believe the adults around them need to understand. Inside the ADHD Mom Advocacy Community, we continue conversations like these in a space created specifically for moms raising children with ADHD who want practical advocacy education, deep support, and room to talk honestly about the situations that do not come with simple answers. If you have ever left a school conversation thinking, “I wish I had said what I was really thinking,” this is exactly the place to work through it together. More Support From Mom Parent ADHD If you are carrying a lot after a difficult school call, meeting, or parenting moment, you can find deep support in: From Chaos to Calm: A 30-Day Rescue Plan for ADHD Moms (https://momparentadhd.com/from-chaos-to-calm#guide) From Chaos to Calm in 30 Days Workbook (https://momparentadhd.com/from-chaos-to-calm#workbook) (Companion) These resources were lovingly created for those moments when your mind feels incredibly loud and you need some room to sort through what belongs to the situation, what belongs to your own worry, and what you actually want to do next. They are not about giving you a rigid parenting formula or telling you what consequence your child should receive. They are about making a little more room for you while you are parenting and advocating for your child. Stay Connected With Mom Parent ADHD You can stay connected with Mom Parent ADHD at MomParentADHD.com (http://MomParentADHD.com), right here on Substack, and on YouTube, Instagram, and Threads. You can listen to the Mom Parent ADHD Podcast on Substack, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. And if this episode reminded you of another mom who has ever worried that explaining her child will make her sound like she is making excuses, please consider sharing it with her today. Sometimes another mom just needs to hear: You can acknowledge what your child did and still say what you know about the child you are raising. Important Note This podcast shares personal experience, general educational information, and practical support for moms raising children with ADHD. It is not medical, mental health, educational, clinical, or legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every child and every situation is different. If you have concerns about your child’s behavior, health, education, mental health, or individual support needs, consider speaking with an appropriately qualified professional who can evaluate your child’s circumstances. Get full access to Mom Parent ADHD at lolamswaby.substack.com/subscribe (https://lolamswaby.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4)

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