Sensory Regulation & ADHD: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World w/ Greer Jones
Neurodivergence Series
Equipping parents during their child’s academic years to bring learning to daily moments.
The Parenting IQ Podcast is a part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network. To find practical and spiritual resources to help you grow into the parent you want to be, visit www.christianparenting.org
On today’s episode…
What if your child’s “meltdown” was actually a message? In this episode, Kelly Cagle sits down with Greer Jones to talk about parenting through the lens of neurodiversity—navigating ADHD, autism, and the sensory world our kids live in. You’ll walk away with fresh perspective, practical tools, and the reminder that your child’s uniqueness is their superpower.
Insights
Understanding Sensory Regulation in Kids: A Parenting Guide for Navigating Neurodiversity
If your child struggles with transitions, becomes overwhelmed by clothing textures or loud noises, or has intense meltdowns after school—you’re not alone. And more importantly, your child isn’t “bad”—they may simply be processing the world differently.
In this powerful episode of the Parenting IQ Podcast, host Dr. Kelly Cagle interviews Greer Jones, mom of two and host of The Unfinished Idea, to unpack the topic of sensory regulation in neurodivergent children—especially those with ADHD or autism.
Whether your child has a formal diagnosis or you’re simply noticing heightened sensitivities, this episode teaches parents how to better understand, support, and advocate for their children’s sensory needs.
What Is Sensory Regulation in Kids?
Sensory regulation is the ability to filter, process, and respond appropriately to sensory input—like sounds, textures, movement, and light. For many neurodivergent kids, this system works differently. A scratchy clothing tag may feel unbearable, birds chirping outside might seem too loud, and transitions can trigger anxiety or meltdowns.
This episode helps parents differentiate between what might look like “bad behavior” and what’s really a sensory overload or a stress response.
Key Takeaways from This Episode:
1. Meltdowns Are Not Tantrums
Many parents hear this for the first time in frustration: “My child holds it together at school but loses it at home.” Greer explains this is because home is a safe space—where children finally release the stress they’ve been suppressing. This is not defiance. It’s exhaustion.
2. Become a Student of Your Child
Greer emphasizes the importance of observing patterns—what causes sensory overwhelm, when meltdowns happen, and how your child decompresses best. Tracking behavior helps parents identify triggers and create a supportive environment.
3. Create Space for Regulation
After-school meltdowns are common because kids are overstimulated. One powerful strategy? Give them 30 minutes of no demands—whether it’s outdoor time, a movie, or just silence. This decompression window can be a game-changer.
4. Empower Your Child to Self-Advocate
Even at age six, Greer’s son was encouraged to articulate how clothes made him feel (“It’s like cats scratching my legs”). Giving kids words to explain their needs builds self-awareness and long-term emotional regulation.
5. Highlight Strengths Alongside Challenges
Greer now begins every school meeting by asking teachers to name one positive thing about her child. It’s a simple but powerful reminder that our kids are more than their struggles—they are whole, capable people with unique strengths.
Why Sensory Awareness Matters for All Parents
Even if your child doesn’t have an ADHD or autism diagnosis, this episode will help you tune into what your child is communicating through behavior. You'll learn how to:
Spot signs of sensory dysregulation
Build routines that reduce overwhelm
Encourage intrapersonal intelligence (self-awareness)
Approach parenting from a place of compassion, not correction
Listen to the Full Episode
Parenting is never one-size-fits-all. But with the right tools, we can build homes that support every child—especially those who experience the world differently.
🎧 Tune in now to Parenting IQ Podcast
🔗 Learn more about Greer at TheUnfinishedIdea.com
HEY THERE! I’M DR. CAGLE… DO YOU NEED HELP WITH CREATING GREAT HABITS???
Parenting is hard work. It requires tons of boundaries, daily consistency, so much awareness, as well as lots of patience, grace, wisdom, and filters. Combine that hefty list with all of life’s demands and others’ voice may become louder than yours in your child’s life, increasing their anxiety, fears, and doubts.
Healthy parenting is about seeing yourself as your child’s #1 teacher, saying the right words (or nothing at all) at the right time, and having the right tools to be intentional and impactful. Guessing your way through life, which is what most parents do, is a recipe for failure, but following the lead of someone who has two decades of research-based information and fully understands the demands of parenthood is a recipe for a full life— for you and your child.
With a PhD in education, I’m here to teach you how to use daily moments are learning opportunities so you raise confident and competent lifelong learners that thrive in an ever-changing world.
Additionally, I offer workshops and keynotes on various topics to parents, educators, students, and business leaders— because the need to understand, support, and empower learners is everywhere..
