Child Psych Podcast Episode #176

In this episode, we are joined by Mike Goldstein, an ADHD educator, writer, and executive coach who has worked with hundreds of families navigating the challenges of raising teens with ADHD. As the co-author of I’ll Do It Later, Mike brings both professional expertise and lived experience to the conversation. His practical, honest approach helps parents move beyond one-size-fits-all strategies and toward solutions that truly work for their individual child.

Introduction to the Conversation

Parenting a teen with ADHD can feel overwhelming, especially when traditional strategies fall short. Many families try organization systems, reward charts, and executive functioning tools, only to find that nothing sticks. This can lead to frustration, self-doubt, and increased tension at home.

In this conversation, we explore a more realistic and compassionate approach to supporting teens with ADHD. Instead of focusing on quick fixes, the discussion highlights the importance of understanding how ADHD actually shows up in daily life and what truly helps teens build skills, confidence, and independence.

What We Discuss in This Episode

This episode dives into the real-world experience of parenting teens with ADHD, including why common strategies often fail and what to do instead. We explore how boredom intolerance, emotional overwhelm, and executive functioning challenges impact motivation, follow-through, and school performance.

The conversation also highlights the importance of relationships in supporting behavior change. Rather than relying solely on parents or rigid systems, teens often benefit from having a trusted support person who can guide them through tasks in a practical, non-judgmental way.

We also discuss how environmental factors like school systems, screen time, and unrealistic expectations can unintentionally set teens up for failure, and how small, personalized adjustments can create meaningful change.

What You’ll Learn

• Why traditional executive functioning strategies like “chunking” often don’t work without hands-on support
• How boredom and overwhelm impact motivation in teens with ADHD
• The role of relationships and “body doubling” in improving focus and follow-through
• Why small, realistic changes lead to more success than big, rigid plans
• How to shift from power struggles to collaborative problem-solving with your teen

Who This Episode Is For

This episode is especially helpful for parents of teens with ADHD who are struggling with school, motivation, or daily routines. It is also valuable for educators, therapists, and professionals supporting neurodivergent children who want a more practical, relationship-based approach to building skills and confidence.