Podcast

#212: ADHD and Self-Esteem: How to Help Your Child Feel Good About Who They Are

February 2, 2026

Releasing others’ opinions may be the key to your child’s confidence and self-worth.

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We're Lori, Mallory, & Katie

We created The Childhood Collective blog to bring you simple, science-backed strategies to help you and your child with ADHD thrive!

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We are talking with Penny Williams, host of the Beautifully Complex podcast, about ADHD and self-esteem. Penny vulnerably shares how her own social anxiety once made her overly critical, driven by a need for her kids to look “put together” as a reflection of her. We explore how letting go of others’ opinions can be a powerful turning point, especially for parents raising kids with ADHD and autism. Penny introduces the authenticity mirror and offers practical ways to reflect acceptance, confidence, and pride back to your child so they can feel good about who they truly are.

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MEET PENNY WILLIAMS

Penny Williams is a behavior and parenting coach, author, and educator who supports families raising neurodivergent kids, including those with ADHD, autism, and anxiety. Through her science-informed, compassion-centered SIGNAL Parenting™ framework, she helps parents understand what behavior is communicating and respond with connection instead of punishment.

Penny is the award-winning author of Boy Without Instructions, host of the Beautifully Complex Podcast with over 5 million downloads, and founder of the Regulated Kids Project. Her work has been featured in leading parenting and neurodiversity publications.

At the heart of Penny’s work is one powerful belief: Behavior isn’t the problem — it’s the signal.

LINKS + RESOURCES

Episode #212 Transcript

Penny’s Website

Beautifully Complex Podcast

Penny’s Instagram

The Childhood Collective Instagram

Have a question or want to share some thoughts? Shoot us an email at hello@thechildhoodcollective.com

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Dr. Lori Long (left) child psychologist
Dr. Mallory Yee (right) child psychologist
Katie Severson (middle) speech language pathologist

We deliver the ADHD science with the compassion of ADHD moms

We are Lori, Katie, & Mallory.

Dr. Lori Long and Dr. Mallory Yee are child psychologists and Katie Severson is a speech-language pathologist. We have spent decades supporting thousands of families navigating ADHD. But we're also moms; some of us raising kids with ADHD and some of us navigating it ourselves...which means we understand both the science and the real-life moments that don't make it into textbooks.

We created ADHD Parenting Together because parents deserve more than information. You deserve connection, trusted guidance, and somewhere to turn as your child grows.

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Learn 6 keys for raising a happy and independent child with ADHD.

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Can you imagine having tools to help your child listen, manage frequent meltdowns, and connect with your child?