Parenting Tips in Uncertain Times: Raising Kids Amid New Policies

Ready to breathe a sigh of relief? Welcome to Ask Dr. Jodi, where you get trauma-informed mental health and parenting advice you won’t hear anywhere else. Today, we’re exploring how shifting education policies impact neurodiverse children and what parents can do to advocate for their needs. Episode SummaryIn this powerful episode, Dr. Jodi Aman sits down with Genie Dawkins, a family special education coach and host of The Parenting Cipher podcast, to discuss the challenges of raising neurodiverse children in today’s changing educational landscape. Genie shares her personal journey as a mother of four neurodiverse children and explains why neuropsychological evaluations are essential for children with ADHD, dyslexia, and autism. Together, they uncover the barriers parents of color face in the special education system, the importance of executive functioning skills, and why schools often overlook key learning differences. If you're struggling to get the right IEP accommodations, school support, or advocacy resources, this episode is a must-listen.Key Takeaways✅ Neuropsychological Testing Matters – Standard ADHD tests often miss key learning challenges. A full neuropsychological evaluation provides deeper insights into your child's attention, memory, and cognitive processing.✅ Executive Functioning is Key – Many children struggle with organization, memory, and task management. Parents unknowingly act as their child’s executive function, which can delay independence.✅ Parents Must Be Their Child’s Advocate – Schools often claim they’re offering enough support, but many children need customized IEP accommodations to truly thrive.✅ Education Policy Changes Affect Special Needs Services – Potential shifts in education funding and privatization could reduce access to essential services, making parent advocacy more critical than ever.✅ Creating a Strong Support System is Essential – Parents should connect with special education advocates, community groups, and mental health professionals to help navigate the system.Resources Mentioned in This Episode📌 Follow Genie Dawkins: https://www.instagram.com/geniedawkins📌 Listen to The Parenting Cipher Podcast: https://pod.link/1525101433📌 Get Genie’s Books: Not My Child & The Joyful Family Planner : https://parentingcipher.com/products/joyful-family-planner-connecting-me-you-and-us-1📌 My episode on Genie's podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-help-empower-your-child-to-cope-with-anxiety-symptoms/id1525101433?i=1000492169984 Watch the video of this episode at the blog: https://jodiaman.com/blog/parenting-tips-in-uncertain-times/Dr. Jodi Aman’s YouTube Channel: @DoctorJodiGeneration Z Mental Health Resource Guide: jodiaman.com/guideRedirect Positive Mindset Cards jodiaman.com/order-redirect-flash-cardsEnCompass SEL Class Activity jodiaman.com/order-encompass-gameAnxiety, I'm So Done with You! BookThank you so much for listening to Ask Dr. Jodi⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ If you enjoyed today’s episode, please take a moment to leave a five-star review on Apple Podcasts and share it with someone who needs inspiration or help to heal!  You’re listening to the Ask Dr. Jodi - Mental Health & Relationship Advice with Jodi Aman.Sign up for text updates, where you can ask me your private questions! Text JODI to 8334583845 to get in the group. Want personalized coaching on the show? Sign up to be a call-in guest at jodiaman.com/live Remember, you can join me live every Monday at 8 p.m. Eastern on YouTube, @doctorjodi, where you can ask your questions in real time. 👉👉Get on the list to get reminders about the show, including the topic for the week. PLUS, receive my Gen Z Mental Health Resource Guide here: jodiaman.com/live.  Let's keep building a stronger, happier generation! Contact Doctor Jodi:• Website: jodiaman.com• TikTok: @doctorjodi• YouTube: @doctorjodi• Instagram: @doctorjodiaman About Dr. Jodi: Jodi Aman is a social work doctor with 28 years of experience in clinical practice. She helps clients heal from trauma, understand the world, and reclaim self-confidence. She created C.O.M.P.A.S.S., an emotional wellness curriculum for middle and high school health classes designed to mitigate symptoms of anxiety and depression. You can find hundreds of self-help videos on YouTube @doctorjodi. Also, watch her TEDx Wilmington talk, "Calm Anxious Kids," and read her award-winning book, Anxiety… I'm So Done with You! to learn how to understand and reverse the current mental health crisis. More about Jodi. Ask Dr. Jodi LiveWelcome to Ask Dr. Jodi, where you get trauma-informed mental health and relationship advice you won’t hear anywhere else. Advice that helps you breathe a sigh of relief.You’ll discover that your brain is not broken...that, whatever you are feeling, it is understandable. You are having a regular human response to the context of this crazy world. But that doesn’t mean you are destined to stay like this. You can get better. And we're here to help. We cover topics that you and those you love are dealing with every day, helping you understand the problem, yourself, and other people so you have the information you need to heal, shift beliefs, get relief, set strong limits, let go, and act in a way that helps you and those you love FEEL BETTER. I’m your host, Dr. Jodi. I've worked for 28 years as a psychotherapist, so I've seen and understood the nuances of human behavior and relationships from a rare perspective inside people’s minds and emotions. Together, we’ll discover how you are much  more  amazing than you think you are by building your confidence and accelerating your healing journey. We livestream this show on YT every Monday at 8 PM E, @doctrojodi, so follow me there so you can participate in the conversation. We do live coaching on air, and you can get personalized advice for your situation. You will gain a deeper understanding of yourself, gain practical tips, and hear from relatable guests who will show you how to get rid of worry, strengthen your emotional bandwidth, and create a happy, purposeful life. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.