Chaos &amp; Caffeine &#8211; ADHD Parenting Podcast

If you’ve ever wondered whether screens are helping your ADHD child regulate… or completely hijacking their brain, this episode is for you.

This week on Chaos & Caffeine, Danielle sits down with clinical psychologist Dr. Randy Kulman — founder of LearningWorks for Kids and creator of Digitally Nutritious — for one of the most nuanced conversations we’ve had yet about ADHD kids, screen time, dopamine, gaming, play, AI, and technology.

Because here’s the truth nobody seems willing to say out loud: neurodivergent kids experience screens differently.

And parents are exhausted trying to figure out where the line is between “helpful,” “educational,” “regulating,” “addictive,” and “please just let me cook dinner in peace.”

Dr. Kulman has spent more than 40 years studying how children learn through play and how technology impacts developing brains. In this episode, we unpack:

Why ADHD kids are often more intensely drawn to screens
The connection between dopamine, emotional regulation, and gaming
What “digitally nutritious” technology actually means
The difference between digital junk food and healthy screen experiences
Why play is critical for executive functioning and ADHD development
How AI and emerging technology may impact neurodivergent kids
Signs your child’s relationship with technology may be becoming unhealthy
Why “just take the screen away” usually backfires for ADHD families
Practical, judgment-free strategies for creating healthier tech boundaries

This is not a fear-based anti-screen episode.

It’s a real conversation about raising ADHD kids in a world where technology is everywhere — and learning how to navigate it without shame, panic, or perfectionism.

If you’re parenting a neurodivergent child in the age of iPads, YouTube, gaming, TikTok, AI, and endless dopamine traps… this episode will make you feel seen.

Connect with Dr. Randy Kulman 👉 Learning Works for Kids

This Month's Sponsors:

🌙 Moonbuddy

Helping kids calm their nervous systems without another screen in sight. Use code: CHAOSANDCAFFEINE10

Helping ADHD families get off screens without triggering a full-blown meltdown…

Helping families raise kids who can actually unplug.

Helping kids build the social and emotional skills that don’t always come naturally.

If you’ve got a kid who treats vegetables like a personal enemy, MaryRuth Organics might become your new best friend.

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

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.

ADHD Kids & Screen Time: Can Educational Apps Like Night Zookeeper Actually Help? | Josh Davidson Jun 09, 2026

Show notes

Are all screens bad for ADHD kids? Or are we finally asking the wrong question?

In this episode of Chaos & Caffeine, Danielle sits down with Josh Davidson, creator of, to talk about intentional screen time, ADHD brains, creativity, executive function, and why some digital experiences affect neurodivergent kids VERY differently than others.

Because let’s be real — ADHD parents are exhausted from hearing:
“Just take the screens away.”

But modern parenting isn’t happening in 1995 anymore. Our kids are growing up in a digital world, and many neurodivergent children thrive when technology is interactive, creative, and actually engages their brains instead of overstimulating them.

In this episode, we discuss:

ADHD kids and healthy screen time
The difference between passive vs active screen use
Why creativity changes learning for ADHD children
Educational apps for ADHD kids
Writing struggles and executive function challenges
How storytelling can build confidence in neurodivergent kids
Intentional technology use for families
Screen time guilt and ADHD parenting
Why some kids regulate better with creative digital experiences
The science behind engagement, dopamine, and learning

Josh also shares the story behind Night Zookeeper and how the platform helps kids transform from passive consumers into creators through storytelling, imagination, reading, and writing.

If you’ve been struggling to figure out healthy screen boundaries without constant shame, meltdowns, or power struggles… this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen now and discover why all screen time is NOT created equal.

Connect with Josh & Night Zookeeper 👉 Night Zookeeper

This Month's Sponsors:

🌙 Moonbuddy

Helping kids calm their nervous systems without another screen in sight. Use code: CHAOSANDCAFFEINE10

Helping ADHD families get off screens without triggering a full-blown meltdown…

Helping families raise kids who can actually unplug.

Helping kids build the social and emotional skills that don’t always come naturally.

If you’ve got a kid who treats vegetables like a personal enemy, MaryRuth Organics might become your new best friend.

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

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

Screen Time, ADHD Kids & The Truth No One Tells Parents ft. Dr. Rebecca Fontanetta | Chaos & Caffeine Podcast Jun 02, 2026

Show notes

Are screens helping ADHD kids regulate… or making emotional regulation even harder?

In this brutally honest episode of Chaos & Caffeine, Danielle Kelly sits down with Dr. Rebecca Fontanetta of The Neuropsychlopedia
for a real-world conversation about screen time, ADHD kids, emotional regulation, dopamine, meltdowns, and the parenting expectations that completely fall apart once you actually have children.

And unlike many screen time conversations online, this one isn’t based in shame, fear, or unrealistic parenting standards.

Dr. Fontanetta opens up about how becoming a mom to a three-year-old changed the way she thought she would approach screens, boundaries, and modern parenting — especially while raising a neurodivergent child in a world built around devices.

In this episode, we discuss:

ADHD and screen addiction concerns
Why transitions off screens feel so explosive
Emotional regulation and dopamine in ADHD kids
Healthy screen time boundaries for young children
What parents at the beginning of the screen-time journey should know
The difference between survival parenting and intentional parenting
How guilt impacts ADHD parents
Realistic screen time strategies that actually work in busy homes
Whether screens help or hurt ADHD self-regulation
How to reduce daily screen battles without constant meltdowns

If you’re raising an ADHD child and feel overwhelmed trying to navigate YouTube, gaming, tablets, emotional outbursts, or constant screen-time guilt… this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen now and join the conversation that ADHD parents everywhere are desperate to have.

Connect with Dr. Fontanetta 👉 The Neuropsychlopedia

This Month's Sponsors:

🌙 Moonbuddy

Helping kids calm their nervous systems without another screen in sight. Use code: CHAOSANDCAFFEINE10

Helping ADHD families get off screens without triggering a full-blown meltdown…

Helping families raise kids who can actually unplug.

Helping kids build the social and emotional skills that don’t always come naturally.

If you’ve got a kid who treats vegetables like a personal enemy, MaryRuth Organics might become your new best friend.

🕹️ The Op Games
Building focus, connection, and social skills—one ridiculously fun, screen-free game at a time.

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

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

Are Screens Ruining Emotional Regulation? The ADHD Meltdown Truth No One Talks About (ft. Jenny Radesky) May 26, 2026

Show notes

If you’ve ever handed your kid a phone during a meltdown just to survive the moment… this episode is for you.

Because what if that “quick fix” is actually doing something deeper to your child’s emotional development?

In this powerful and honest conversation, I sit down with Jenny Radesky, developmental behavioral pediatrician and leading expert on kids, media, and brain development, to unpack one of the biggest parenting questions of our time:

👉 Are screens helping kids regulate their emotions… or replacing the skills they actually need to build?

And if you’re raising a child with ADHD? This conversation hits even harder.

We’re diving into:

The difference between true emotional regulation vs. distraction
Why screens “work” in the moment—but may backfire later
What’s actually happening in your child’s brain during a meltdown
How screen use impacts ADHD emotional development
Real-life strategies for handling public meltdowns (yes, even in Target 😅)
What to do instead of reaching for a device—without losing your mind

No guilt. No shame. Just real, science-backed insight for parents who are doing their best in a world full of screens.

If you’ve been wondering whether screen time is helping or hurting your ADHD child’s ability to cope, regulate, and thrive… this episode will change how you see those everyday moments.

🎧 Hit play, and let’s rethink what “calm” really means.

Connect with Dr. Radesky 👉 Center of Excellence

This Month's Sponsors:

Helping ADHD families get off screens without triggering a full-blown meltdown…

Helping families raise kids who can actually unplug.

Helping kids build the social and emotional skills that don’t always come naturally.

If you’ve got a kid who treats vegetables like a personal enemy, MaryRuth Organics might become your new best friend.

🕹️ The Op Games
Building focus, connection, and social skills—one ridiculously fun, screen-free game at a time.

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

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

ADHD Kids & Screen Time: What Actually Works (Dr. Michael Rich, The Mediatrician) May 19, 2026

Show notes

If you’ve ever wondered whether screens are helping your ADHD child… or quietly making everything harder — this episode is your wake-up call (in the best way).

Today on Chaos & Caffeine, I’m joined by Dr. Michael Rich — pediatrician, researcher, and founder of the Digital Wellness Lab at Boston Children's Hospital — also known as The Mediatrician. He’s spent decades studying how digital media impacts kids’ brains, behavior, attention, sleep, and emotional regulation… especially in neurodivergent kids.

And what he shares in this episode?
It’s not the tired “just limit screen time” advice.

We’re diving into:

Why screen time isn’t the real problem (and what actually is)
How screens can amplify ADHD symptoms like impulsivity, inattention, and emotional dysregulation
The difference between healthy vs. problematic media use
Why content and context matter more than minutes
How screens impact sleep, focus, and executive function
What ADHD parents should do instead of constant restriction and power struggles
Practical, science-backed strategies to create calmer, more intentional screen habits

If you’re stuck in daily battles over devices…
If you feel like screens have a grip on your kid’s brain…
If you’ve tried limits, timers, threats, and nothing sticks…

This episode will help you stop guessing — and start parenting screens with clarity, strategy, and a whole lot less guilt.

🎧 Hit play, send this to a fellow ADHD parent, and let’s figure this out together.

Connect with Dr. Rich 👉 Digital Wellness Lab

This Month's Sponsors:

Helping ADHD families get off screens without triggering a full-blown meltdown…

Helping families raise kids who can actually unplug.

Helping kids build the social and emotional skills that don’t always come naturally.

If you’ve got a kid who treats vegetables like a personal enemy, MaryRuth Organics might become your new best friend.

🕹️ The Op Games
Building focus, connection, and social skills—one ridiculously fun, screen-free game at a time.

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

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

ADHD Kids & Screen Time: The Dopamine Trap Causing Meltdowns, Anxiety & Emotional Chaos (w/ Dr. Sajita Setia) May 12, 2026

Show notes

If your ADHD kid turns into a completely different human after screens… you’re not imagining it—and you’re not alone.

In this episode of Chaos & Caffeine, I’m joined by Dr. Sajita Setia, physician and mental health expert, to break down what’s actually happening in your child’s brain when it comes to screen time.

We’re talking about the dopamine hit, the emotional crashes, and why ADHD kids are especially vulnerable to the cycle of screens → irritability → meltdowns → guilt (for them and for us).

Dr. Setia connects the dots between screen use, anxiety, depression, and emotional dysregulation—and explains why so many of us feel like we’re constantly putting out fires after the tablet turns off.

We cover:

Why ADHD brains are more sensitive to screen-driven dopamine
How screen time impacts emotional regulation, focus, and behavior
What to replace screens with (that actually works for ADHD kids)
How to break the screen → meltdown → guilt cycle as a parent

If you’ve ever handed your kid a screen just to survive—and then paid for it later… this episode will hit.

Connect with Dr. Setia 👉 Dr. Sajita Setia

This Month's Sponsors:

Helping ADHD families get off screens without triggering a full-blown meltdown…

Helping families raise kids who can actually unplug.

Helping kids build the social and emotional skills that don’t always come naturally.

If you’ve got a kid who treats vegetables like a personal enemy, MaryRuth Organics might become your new best friend.

🕹️ The Op Games
Building focus, connection, and social skills—one ridiculously fun, screen-free game at a time.

A thoughtfully curated marketplace created by an educator and parent who actually gets neurodivergent families.

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

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

Are Screens Rewiring Your ADHD Child’s Brain? The Truth About Social Media, Dopamine & Attention (ft. Dr. Jane Shawcroft) May 05, 2026

Show notes

Are screens actually rewiring your child’s brain… or are we just being dramatic?

In this episode of Chaos & Caffeine, I sit down with Dr. Jane Shawcroft to break down what research actually says about screen time, social media, and kids — especially for children with ADHD.

Because here’s the reality no one is saying loud enough:
ADHD brains are already wired for dopamine, novelty, and instant feedback… and today’s digital platforms are built to deliver exactly that.

So what happens when those two collide?

We dig into:
✔️ Whether social media is designed to be addictive for kids
✔️ Why ADHD children may be more vulnerable to problematic screen use
✔️ The long-term effects of early screen habits on behavior and mental health
✔️ What actually works for ADHD families when limiting screen time feels impossible

This is not about guilt.
This is about understanding what your child is up against — and how to support them without losing your mind in the process.

If you’ve ever wondered why your child melts down when screens turn off…
why focus feels harder after device time…
or if you’re “doing screens wrong”…

This episode will change how you see it.

Connect with Dr. Shawcroft 👉 Media Across Development

This Month's Sponsors:

Helping families raise kids who can actually unplug.

Helping kids build the social and emotional skills that don’t always come naturally.

Helping ADHD families get off screens without triggering a full-blown meltdown…

If you’ve got a kid who treats vegetables like a personal enemy, MaryRuth Organics might become your new best friend.

A thoughtfully curated marketplace created by an educator and parent who actually gets neurodivergent families.

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

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

ADHD, Screen Time & Emotional Regulation: What’s Really Happening in Your Child’s Brain | with Dr. Jody Carrington Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

If screen time feels like it has a stronger grip on your child than you do… this episode is going to change the way you see everything.

Today on Chaos & Caffeine, I’m sitting down with clinical psychologist and globally recognized expert Dr. Jody Carrington to break down what’s actually happening in ADHD brains when it comes to screens, emotional regulation, and those next-level meltdowns that hit the second you say, “time to turn it off.”

Because this isn’t just about screen time.
This is about nervous system regulation, connection, and why ADHD kids aren’t “addicted” to screens—they’re often using them to cope.

In this episode, we get into:

Why ADHD kids struggle so hard to transition off screens
What’s happening in the brain during screen use (and why it feels impossible to compete)
The difference between screen “addiction” vs. emotional regulation
How dysregulation shows up as behavior—and what your child actually needs in those moments
Why connection beats control (and how to actually do that in real life)
What to do after a full-blown screen meltdown (without shame or punishment)
Practical ways to reduce screen battles in your home starting today

If you’re exhausted from fighting the same screen-time battles on repeat…
If you’ve ever thought, “Why does this feel so much harder for my kid?”
If you want real, science-backed strategies that actually work for ADHD families…

This conversation will hit different.

Connect with Dr. Jody 👉 Dr. Jody Carrington

This Month's Sponsors:

Helping families raise kids who can actually unplug.

Helping kids build the social and emotional skills that don’t always come naturally.

If you’ve got a kid who treats vegetables like a personal enemy, MaryRuth Organics might become your new best friend.

A thoughtfully curated marketplace created by an educator and parent who actually gets neurodivergent families.

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

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

What Screens Are Stealing From ADHD Kids (And How to Rebuild Those Skills) | Michelle Garcia Winner Apr 21, 2026

Show notes

Screens aren’t the enemy. But they are replacing something our ADHD kids desperately need: real-world skill practice.

In this powerful kickoff episode of the Chaos & Caffeine Screens Campaign, Danielle sits down with internationally recognized social-cognitive specialist Michelle Garcia Winner, founder of Social Thinking and one of the leading experts in how children develop the invisible social skills that shape friendships, emotional regulation, and real-life success.

And when screens take up more and more of childhood, those practice opportunities quietly disappear.

In this conversation we unpack:

• The social thinking skills screens are quietly replacing
• Why ADHD kids struggle with flexible thinking, perspective taking, and reading the room
• How screen-heavy environments impact executive functioning and emotional regulation
• The gap between digital competence and real-world social confidence
• How parents can intentionally rebuild the skills that make friendships and conversations work
• Practical ways to coach social awareness, frustration tolerance, and flexible thinking at home

This conversation launches our Chaos & Caffeine Screens Campaign, where we explore the complex relationship between screens and neurodivergent brains — not from a place of panic, but from a place of strategy.

Connect with Michelle 👉 Social Thinking

This Month's Sponsors:

Helping families raise kids who can actually unplug.

Helping kids build the social and emotional skills that don’t always come naturally.

Helping ADHD families get off screens without triggering a full-blown meltdown…

If you’ve got a kid who treats vegetables like a personal enemy, MaryRuth Organics might become your new best friend.

A thoughtfully curated marketplace created by an educator and parent who actually gets neurodivergent families.

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

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

ADHD Kids & Screen Time: Why Turning Screens Off Triggers Meltdowns (And What Actually Works) | ScreenCoach Apr 14, 2026

Show notes

If asking your ADHD child to turn off screens feels like lighting a match near a gasoline can… you’re not imagining it.

For many neurodivergent kids, screen time isn’t just entertainment. It’s a dopamine firehose, which means stopping can trigger emotional explosions, power struggles, and daily family conflict.

And if you’ve ever wondered…

• Why screens are so hard for ADHD brains to walk away from
• Why timers, limits, and parental controls often fail
• Why screen battles can take over your entire household
• And how to actually reset your family’s relationship with technology

…this episode is for you.

Today on Chaos & Caffeine, Danielle sits down with Stephanie and Peter Kakris, founders of ScreenCoach — a system designed to help families turn screen time from a daily fight into something kids earn through real-world activities like movement, creativity, chores, and learning.

Stephanie brings a background in psychology and behavior change, while Peter is a serial tech entrepreneur who has spent his career building software that solves real-world problems.

But ScreenCoach didn’t start in a lab.

It started in their own home — trying to solve the same screen battles millions of parents are fighting right now.

Connect with Peter & Stephanie 👉 Social Thinking

This Month's Sponsors:

Helping families raise kids who can actually unplug.

Helping kids build the social and emotional skills that don’t always come naturally.

Helping ADHD families get off screens without triggering a full-blown meltdown…