x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Beautifully Complex

Join parenting coach and mom-in-the-trenches, Penny Williams, as she helps parents, caregivers, and educators harness the realization that we are all beautifully complex and marvelously imperfect. Each week she delivers insights and actionable strategies on parenting and educating neurodivergent kids — those with ADHD, autism, anxiety, learning disabilities... Her approach to decoding behavior while honoring neurodiversity, and parenting the individual child you have will provide you with the tools

kids & family parenting

All Episodes

07:23

233F Refocus on Big Picture Goals

Beautifully Complex ·

2023/09/27

I’m diving into the big picture goals of education and how refocusing on those overarching goals helps struggling learners thrive. Join me as I discuss how understanding the true purpose of education and the true purpose of each task or assignment can level the playing field for struggling learners and enhance a child's learning journey.

en

05:37

233E Neurobiology’s Role in Availability to Learn

Beautifully Complex ·

2023/09/26

In this episode, I discuss the role of neurobiology in our ability to learn. Join me as we uncover the science behind how our nervous system’s state impacts our availability to learn. We will explore the concept of regulation and why it is crucial for optimal learning. Get ready for some eye-opening insights that will challenge the traditional educational norms we've been accustomed to.

en

06:08

233D Offering Just Right Challenges

Beautifully Complex ·

2023/09/24

The concept of the "just right challenge" plays a crucial role in supporting growth and success for neurodivergent kids in school. I share insights on finding the balance between pushing children outside their comfort zones and ensuring they can still achieve success. I emphasize the need to meet kids where they are and create opportunities for growth, all while understanding the ever-changing nature of neurodiversity. Tune in to learn more about the Zone of Proximal Development and how to navigate

en

05:07

233C Fostering a Culture of Community in Schools

Beautifully Complex ·

2023/09/23

Connection and a sense of belonging are integral to learning. Join me as I explore strategies for creating a community that not only supports academic growth but also celebrates individual differences. Tune in to discover how building a culture of community can positively impact students' emotional well-being and engagement in the learning process.

en

04:36

233B Normalizing Differences in Education

Beautifully Complex ·

2023/09/22

Normalizing differences in education is a key topic for creating schools that are equitable to all learners. I share valuable lessons learned from experts on how to embrace neurodiversity, different learning styles, and unique needs in the classroom. Join me as I uncover strategies to create a culture of acceptance, foster community, and encourage open conversations about alternative approaches to learning. It's time to make education a place where every student feels seen, understood, and

en

07:35

233A The Need for Flexibility in Education

Beautifully Complex ·

2023/09/21

In this episode, I explore the crucial importance of providing adaptable approaches to education for neurodivergent children and those who struggle in school. Prepare to discover three key ways to implement flexibility in education, ranging from the flexibility of the learning environment to accommodating different modalities of learning and allowing individualized planning and organization.

en

22:51

232: How to Talk to Kids About School Shootings, with...

Beautifully Complex ·

2023/09/14

In 2022, 34 students and adults died in school shootings, while more than 43,000 children were exposed to gunfire at school. These are startling statistics, but an epidemic that many Americans have grown somewhat numb to. While we’ve become accustomed to expecting more school shootings, it doesn’t reduce the fear and anxiety kids and parents feel. In fact, the inevitability keeps the lack of control top of mind. In this episode, I’m joined by the Executive Director of the Trauma and Grief Centers,

en

31:41

231: Sensory Strategies for Self-Regulation, with...

Beautifully Complex ·

2023/09/07

Everyone has eight senses — the five we know commonly, which are our “far” senses, and the three additional senses that are our “near” senses. The three additional senses of vestibular, proprioceptive, and interoception are vitally important to regulation. In this episode, I’m joined by occupational therapists, Rachel Harrington and Jessica Hill, hosts of the All Things Sensory podcast. Listen in to learn about the three “near” senses, how to put on your sensory goggles to decode behavior and

en

24:45

230: Setting Neurodivergent Kids Up for Success at...

Beautifully Complex ·

2023/08/31

School is hard for neurodivergent kids — there's no question about that. Traditional educational systems are not designed for kids who learn differently. That means we have to advocate for our children and take steps to provide a path for success. First and foremost, we must understand the end goal of schooling: to provide our children with the education and skills they need to thrive as adults. We can't achieve that if we get caught up in just conforming to a rigid system. Instead, let's focus on

en

26:25

229: Nurturing Grit — The Art of Failing Forward,...

Beautifully Complex ·

2023/08/17

Everyone needs grit for self-actualization. Without experiencing that we can do hard things and be okay on the other side, we don’t feel truly successful and fulfilled. Of course, we want this for our kids — we want them to have grit and to feel a great sense of achievement and purpose. So how do we foster grit in our kids (and ourselves, btw)? The short answer is that we allow failure and then learn and grow from it. As the executive director of SOAR, John Willson (or Big John as I and his campers

en

34:43

228: Shifting Away from a Rules & Limits Mentality,...

Beautifully Complex ·

2023/08/03

Our culture is pretty rigid and it calls for parents to be rigid in their parenting as well — you set rules and limits, kids break them, you punish them. But, this is not good parenting! Kids do need structure but they also need the space to be authentically who they are and find their own path. Rigidity doesn’t allow kids to be true to themselves, it doesn’t allow parents to feel good about their relationships with their kids, and it doesn’t prepare kids for adulthood and independence. There is a

en

33:11

227: The Trauma of Parenting and How to Heal, with...

Beautifully Complex ·

2023/07/20

Parenting itself can be traumatic — it feels like the weight of the world is on your shoulders to protect your child while also teaching them to live their truth and live it fearlessly. When you add in neurodivergence, you amplify the stress, anxiety, and intensity. And your body holds onto that stress, anxiety, and intensity — it doesn’t feel safe and it signals you not just emotionally and mentally, but physically as well. I’m honored to have the founder of The Biology of Trauma, Dr. Aimie

en

36:40

226: 5 Tools to Foster Self-Regulation, with Sarah...

Beautifully Complex ·

2023/07/13

One of the struggles we hear from parents again and again is that their child lacks self-regulation. Being with a kid who can’t self-regulate day in and day out is challenging, no doubt. But you can help your kid calm and kids can learn to self-regulate — you just need the right strategies. In this episode of Beautifully Complex, outline five strategies to help your child get regulated or to foster their own self-regulation skills. Most of these can be woven into your everyday lives and things

en

34:31

225: Beating Overwhelm: Manage Your Energy, Not Your...

Beautifully Complex ·

2023/06/22

It’s hard not to get overwhelmed when parenting neurodivergent kids. The chaos, the school meetings, the appointments, the seemingly never-ending need… it’s a lot to juggle. But what our souls crave — what we need to truly live — is joy, ease, and presence. In this episode, Heather Chauvin of Emotionally Uncomfortable reminds us that overwhelm is just a symptom, not a lifestyle. Instead, focusing on how you feel and how you want to feel can create a transformation in your body, mind, and spirit

en

37:32

224: Hiding in Plain Sight: Understanding...

Beautifully Complex ·

2023/06/08

Though our understanding of autism has greatly expanded, many autistic individuals are still missed or misdiagnosed. Not all autistics are severely outwardly impacted, like Rainman. Autism is a spectrum and it can show up in many different ways — even camouflaged. In this episode, I’m talking with Donna Henderson, Psy.D. & Sarah Wayland, Ph.D., authors of the new book, Is This Autism? A guide for clinicians and everyone else. We talk through the diagnostic criteria of autism in a new way —

en

23:18

223: Feeling Stuck in the Stuck of Stuck, with Penny...

Beautifully Complex ·

2023/05/25

We talk a lot about strategies for when our kids get stuck, but what about us? Parents can certainly feel stuck too. I’m feeling it to the nth degree these days, and I’ve decided to share my current feelings of being stuck in the stuck of stuck and what I’m doing to slowly find my way out of that darkness. In this episode I share my current stuckness, how doing simple things has been hard for me, and what my therapist is helping me do to feel better so I can do better. I hope that my openness in

en

31:23

222: Managing the Overwhelm in Neurodiverse Families,...

Beautifully Complex ·

2023/05/18

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by your child’s behavior, numerous possible interventions, school struggles, medication trials, and your feelings about all those things when you have a child with ADHD or autism. And we can’t live our best lives, or help our children live their best lives, when we’re overwhelmed and trying to do too much at once. “We’re living in systems that make it hard for [parents of ND kids],” says Dr. Kelly Fradin. That inherently brings more difficulty to parenting complex kids

en

32:30

221: The Suicide Epidemic, with Jonathan B. Singer,...

Beautifully Complex ·

2023/05/06

The rate of suicide in children is rising sharply, not at a true crisis point. It’s something we worry about as parents, and rightfully so. Especially when we’re talking about a marginalized population like neurodivergent kids. Conversations with our kids about suicide are paramount, but often avoided because it’s a really hard topic to think and talk about. In this episode, Jonathan Singer, Ph.D., LCSW joins me to talk about suicide. As an expert in the field, Jonathan shares the latest

en

31:43

220: Helping with Executive Functioning While Also...

Beautifully Complex ·

2023/05/04

Parents and teachers often worry that if they help a kid with lagging executive functioning skills that the kid won’t develop skills for independence — that they won’t be able to function on their own. But, the truth is, you can help a child with functioning skills and teach them independence skills. The first step is to replace doing things for the child with doing things with the child. In this episode, we talk about the difference between helping in a way that is enabling, versus helping in a way

en

33:44

219: Weeding Out Misinformation, with The Behavior...

Beautifully Complex ·

2023/04/27

There is a LOT online about ADHD and autism. A LOT! How do you know what to trust, what to try? It can be tough, especially when you’re searching through a lens of fear and worry for your child. In this episode of Beautifully Complex, we offer some guidelines on knowing what to trust and considering what interventions are worth trying. We talk about ADHD medication, diet, brain training, and more.

en

339 results

Similar Podcasts

Tale Teller Kids™

Sarnia de la Mare

米克馬故事坊

咪萊

Imagination Station

Imagination Station

Die Pferde sind nicht das Problem - und du bist nicht zu blöd. Der Aha-Podcast für Pferdemenschen

Silke Jahn & Maren Diehl

Hanna fragt Papa - Der Podcast für neugierige Kinder und Eltern

Hanna und Thomas Schamberger