⚡ Sticker charts, punishments, time-outs — most ADHD mums have tried them. And most of us have felt the gut-punch of guilt when they “don’t work.” But here’s the truth: what looks like “bad behaviour” is usually a dysregulated nervous system asking for help, not a child trying to make life harder .

In this episode, Jane speaks with psychologist Leanne Tran about why conventional behaviour strategies fail ADHD kids, how shame sneaks in, and what parents can do instead. Together, they reframe “naughtiness” as communication — and offer practical tools for scaffolding, connection, and regulation .

• Why ADHD behaviour challenges are about regulation, not defiance
• The limits of sticker charts and why they often backfire
• Punishment vs reinforcement: why one creates shame, the other builds skills
• How to support kids before chaos — scaffolding, structure, and skill-building
• Quick-win strategies for meltdowns: novelty, humour, and breaking stress loops
• Boundaries vs values: why flexibility matters when ADHD is in the mix
• Why behaviour isn’t a reflection of your parenting — and how to drop the shame

• You’ve spent money on sticker charts, pens, and rewards — only to feel like you failed when they didn’t work
• You’re sick of judgment from schools, family, or strangers about your child’s behaviour
• You want alternatives to punishment that don’t just pile on shame
• You struggle with consistency yourself and feel guilty for not “parenting perfectly”
• You need tools that actually work for ADHD kids — and for ADHD mums who can’t parent like robots

• Check out Leanne Tran’s website: https://www.leannetran.com.au/
• Follow her on IG: @leannetranpsychology
• Lean’s Upcoming Webinar: Next steps for parents of neurodivergent kids - 10th of every month at 7pm

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Meal planning was built for neurotypicals. That’s why it breaks ADHD mums.

In this Quick Reset, Jane calls out the shame trap of “just get organised” and explains why meal planning feels impossible when it demands six executive functions at once. From frozen meat to kids refusing everything you bought, this episode offers ADHD-friendly hacks for surviving dinner when you’re already on the edge .

• Why meal planning is an executive function overload, not laziness
• The invisible cost: six domains firing at once — predict, remember, plan, shop, cook, clean
• Why “future you” can’t be trusted to follow perfect systems
• How to design a “burnout menu” for your worst days
• Theme nights, breakfast-for-dinner, and recurring online orders as ADHD-friendly tools
• Why bubble baths don’t fix brain fog — but survival food does

• You hate meal planning, cooking, or even thinking about food
• You keep forgetting key ingredients or end up with “nothing to cook” after shopping
• Your kids’ picky eating, ARFID, or sensory issues make one-meal-fits-all impossible
• You feel guilty for not sticking to meal plans
• You want hacks that actually work on burnout days, not Pinterest fantasy boards

Claim: “Meal planning reduces executive function load, supports emotional regulation, and creates predictability for ADHD households — especially when meals are visually structured, repetitive, and simplified.”

Executive Function and Planning Impairments in ADHD

• Barkley, R. A., & Murphy, K. R. (2006). Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Clinical Workbook (3rd ed.).
• Highlights impairments in planning, organisation, and future thinking in ADHD adults and families. Recommends routines and external structures for managing daily demands.

Decision Fatigue and ADHD

• Baumeister, R. F., et al. (2008). Ego Depletion: Is the Active Self a Limited Resource? Journal of Consumer Research, 36(4), 543–556.
• Explains how repeated decision-making (like “What’s for dinner?”) leads to emotional exhaustion and poor impulse control — especially in people with existing cognitive load issues.

Routine and Predictability Reduce Stress

• Pelham, W. E., Fabiano, G. A. (2008). Evidence-Based Psychosocial Treatments for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 37(1), 184–214.
• Shows that structured routines like planned meals and consistent eating times reduce behavioural stress in ADHD children.

Visual and Repetitive Meal Systems Help ADHD Households

• Tuckman, A. R. (2009). More Attention, Less Deficit: Success Strategies for Adults with ADHD.
• Recommends simplifying meals, using visual lists or repeating favourite foods to limit overwhelm and improve follow-through in ADHD adults.

Link Between Blood Sugar Stability, Nutrition, and Emotional Regulation

• Benton, D., & Donohoe, R. T. (1999). The Effects of Nutrients on Mood. Public Health...

Night sweats, meltdowns, migraines, brain fog — and still dismissed as “mum stress.” For ADHD women, perimenopause isn’t weakness — it’s biology colliding with a system that refuses to notice.

In this episode, Jane speaks with Dr Lara Briden, naturopathic doctor and author of Hormone Repair Manual, to unpack what perimenopause really looks like for ADHD women, why blood tests often come back “normal,” and how body-identical hormone therapy can help.

• Why blood tests often miss perimenopause — and why “normal” doesn’t mean well
• How ADHD and hormones collide to intensify brain fog, rage, and sleep problems
• The role of histamine, thyroid, and iron in brain fog and exhaustion
• What HRT actually is — body-identical vs synthetic hormones
• Why antidepressants are over-prescribed when perimenopause is misdiagnosed
• Practical survival tools: progesterone, circadian rhythm resets, and magnesium — because bubble baths don’t fix brain fog
• Why perimenopause is puberty 2.0 — a transition, not a failure

• You’re over 37 and struggling with new rage, brain fog, or sleep issues
• You’ve been told your blood tests are “normal,” but you feel broken
• You’ve been dismissed with antidepressants when your body was screaming hormones
• You’re curious about how HRT interacts with ADHD and stimulants
• You want validation that perimenopause isn’t hysteria — it’s biology in transition

• Dr Lara Briden website: https://www.larabriden.com/
• Hormone Repair Manual — Lara’s book on navigating perimenopause:
• Lara Briden’s guide to natural treatment ideas for premenstrual mood symptoms: larabriden.com/top-6-natural-treatments-for-premenstrual-mood-symptoms
• Insights from Dr Jerilynn Prior in the final bonus session of The Hormone Whisperers: tanyaborowski.com/shop/p/the-hormone-whisperers-may25-recordings

• The Perimenopause Crash — Progesterone, Stress, and the Rage Nobody Warned Us About
• Histamine + Hormones: Why You Feel Like You’re Falling Apart

🎧 Listen now: HORMONES: HRT, ADHD & Perimenopause — What No One’s Explaining to Women — on Spotify, Apple, or adhdmums.com.au

JOIN THE COMMUNITY:

Have questions or want to connect with other ADHD mums? Join our supportive Facebook group here and dive into the conversation. No question is too small, and I love answering in a group format!

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Get daily tips, insights, and relatable content for ADHD mums by following me on