It's 9:47pm, the kitchen is "less dangerous," and then a totally normal school email sends your brain into full threat-detection mode. In this episode, Dr. Amy Patenaude breaks down how to use AI tools like ChatGPT for parenting and school support without letting them fuel anxiety spirals, rewrite loops, or panic-research. You'll get guardrails, a simple stop sign, and tiny scripts that help you sound like your regulated self, not your 10pm self.

• Why AI can be helpful and also a surprisingly efficient anxiety amplifier when you're depleted
• The core frame to remember: AI is the intern, you are the principal
• A quick stop sign for the spiral moment and a one-step reset you can do in under 30 seconds
• What AI is good for in school-world and what not to use it for
• A "hero example" for writing a school email that is warm, clear, and collaborative
• The guardrails that keep you out of the rabbit hole: the 3-Prompt Rule and the 10-minute timer with a definition of done

• Set a 10-minute timer before you open AI and decide what "done" means (one email you can actually send)
• Use the 3-Prompt Rule: draft, revise tone, final, then stop
• Use the stoplight filter
  • Green: drafts, scripts, brainstorming, organizing notes
  • Yellow: school support language and behavior ideas (slow down, use judgment)
  • Red: diagnosis, safety plans, legal advice
• De-identify your child's story: no names, no school, no screenshots of private documents
• Use the freebie the Tiny Wins way: one prompt, one sticky-note script, try it once

Pick one. One is enough.

• 50 AI Prompts for Tired Parents
  Tiny scripts, not perfect parenting, to help you get unstuck fast.
  https://psyched2parent.myflodesk.com/aiprompts4parents
• Boredom Buster Guide
  Quick, low-prep ideas to reduce boredom spirals without you becoming the entertainment committee.
  https://psyched2parent.myflodesk.com/boredomebusterguide
• Big Feeling Decoder
  Turn "hard behavior" into brain-based insight plus next-step scripts for the messy moments.
  https://psyched2parent.myflodesk.com/bigfeelingsdecoder
• Research snapshot

  Research mentioned: Szondy and Magyary (2025), Wiederhold (2018), Sun et al. (2024), Ashraf (2024), and Isernia (2024).

  Disclaimer

  This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical, psychological, or legal advice. Listening to this podcast does not create a provider-client relationship. If you're concerned about your child's mental health, safety, or development, please consult a qualified professional in your area.

  Share with a friend

  If you know a parent who's rewriting school emails at 10:30pm with a tight chest and 47 tabs open, text them this episode and say: "This made me feel less alone."

Mornings, homework, transitions, and bedtime can turn into total chaos when your child's executive function system hits overload. In this episode, I'll help you spot an executive function "traffic jam" in real time, translate "won't" into "can't yet, not like this," and use simple supports that lower conflict without lowering expectations. You'll leave with scripts you can say out loud and Tiny Wins that act like on-ramps when real life is coming in hot at 7:42 a.m.

• What executive functioning is (and what it is not) in plain parent language
• How to tell the difference between a skill problem, a fuel problem, and a support mismatch with the Jam Check: Skill, Fuel, Fit
• A brain-based traffic system metaphor that makes working memory, inhibition, flexibility, planning, initiation, time, and regulation finally click
• Why "they can do it sometimes" is not proof of manipulation, it's often proof of overload under stress
• What to say in the moment so you can add support without turning it into a debate
• A quick School Translator Minute so teacher feedback like "capable but inconsistent" turns into practical supports you can request

• Create one Drop Zone for the daily essentials (backpack, shoes, water bottle, instrument) and make it ridiculously easy to use
• Make one visual checklist for one routine (3 to 5 steps max) so fewer steps have to live in your voice
• Preview plus buffer for a recurring transition: "In five minutes we're switching. Two minutes before, I'll remind you."
• Use a body double for ignition: stay nearby just long enough for your child to start
• Make one micro-agreement for one recurring battle (homework start, shoes, bedtime steps) and keep it predictable for a week

Pick one. One is enough.

• Boredom Buster Guide
  Quick, low-prep ideas to reduce boredom spirals without you becoming the entertainment committee.
  https://psyched2parent.myflodesk.com/boredomebusterguide
• Big Feeling Decoder
  Turn "hard behavior" into brain-based insight plus next-step scripts for the messy moments.
  https://psyched2parent.myflodesk.com/bigfeelingsdecoder
• 50 AI Prompts for Tired Parents
  Parent-friendly prompts to reduce decision fatigue and help you get unstuck faster.
  https://psyched2parent.myflodesk.com/aiprompts4parents

Research mentioned: Jacobson et al. (2011), Lucassen et al. (2015), Spruijt et al. (2020), and O'Reilly et al. (2025).

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical, psychological, or legal advice. Listening to this podcast does not create a provider-client relationship. If you're concerned about your child's mental health, safety, or development, please consult a qualified professional in your area.

If your house turns into a courtroom at 4:07pm (shoes, snack, homework, all the feelings), you are not alone. In this episode, Dr. Amy Patenaude breaks down the "Invisible Rule Book" at home: all the expectations living in your head that your child cannot actually see. You'll learn how to make expectations clear, doable, and way less arguable, especially for strong willed, big feeling kids and neurodivergent kids with executive function challenges.

• Spot the invisible expectations that trigger daily power struggles after school
• Reframe "defiance" as a skills plus nervous system moment (often not "won't," but "can't yet")
• Define what "done" looks like so your child is not set up to fail (or argue)
• Use three simple scripts that reduce arguing and transition explosions: Define Done, First Then, and Choice within Structure
• Run one seven day micro routine experiment without turning your whole household into a chart system

• Choose one friction point (start with the after school routine)
• Name the invisible expectation you are holding in your head
• Turn it into a three step "Done List" (three steps, not ten)
• Put it where it happens (by the door, snack spot, or homework station)
• Use the same words for seven days, then adjust after a week (not after one rough day)

Pick one. One is enough.

• Boredom Buster Guide: Quick, low prep ideas for those "I'm bored" moments that tend to turn into chaos. Get it here.
• Big Feelings Decoder: Translate meltdowns into brain and nervous system language, plus what to try next. Get it here.
• 50 AI Prompts for Tired Parents: Copy and paste prompts to get scripts, calm responses, and next steps when your brain is fried. Get it here.
• Tiny Wins Email List: Get scripts, tiny experiments, and realistic resets for real life parenting (especially the after school danger zone). Join here.

• Teacher and parent expectations do not perfectly match, which helps explain why kids can look "defiant" when they are actually bumping into different unspoken rules across settings. (Lane et al., 2007)
• Expectations work best when adults define them clearly and then teach and practice them, instead of assuming kids will infer what we mean. (Carter & Pool, 2012)
• Routines and rules function like "structure that holds" when they are taught in small steps and practiced until they are established, reducing the need for constant correction. (Fink & Siedentop, 1989)

This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical, psychological, or legal advice. Listening to this podcast does not create a provider-client relationship. If you're concerned about your child's mental health, safety, or development, please consult a qualified professional in your area.