Welcome to
Climbing Fish Parenting Podcast
Your Weekly Dose of Sanity
Deep-dive episodes on the biggest parenting challenges
Behavioral science made simple and actionable
For parents who’ve tried everything - and need something different
Your kid isn’t broken. Your parenting isn’t broken. Sometimes, we’re just asking our fish to climb trees.
If you're an exhausted parent who's tried everything and nothing has worked—this podcast is for you. You're carrying guilt about your parenting. Your child's behaviors don't respond to the typical strategies. The advice from books, friends, and even professionals just... doesn't fit.
Here's what I need you to know: You're not failing. You're just using the wrong map.
I'm Dr. Kristi, a psychologist and behavior analyst, and I help parents understand their child's unique wiring and use strategies that actually work. Whether your child has a diagnosis or you just know they're wired differently—whether it's ADHD, ASD, anxiety, sensory sensitivities, or they're just... not like the parenting books describe—this is for you.
No fluff. No shame. Just practical, evidence-based guidance from someone who gets it.
Each episode gives you real strategies for real challenges—meltdowns, school struggles, bedtime battles, and everything in between. This is where we stop asking fish to climb trees and start helping them swim.
Ep 47: The Fear of Finding Out: Should You Get Your Child a Diagnosis?
In this episode:
Why not knowing doesn't actually protect your child from who they are — and what it quietly costs to keep guessing instead of understanding them
The four things a diagnosis genuinely gives a kid: understanding, validation, access to services that are often locked without it, and support that actually fits
The honest answer to "but what if the label follows them?" — and what the adults around your child already sense
A simple exercise for weighing the decision, fears and all, whether you're considering testing or just wondering if you really understand your kid yet
Ep 46: Why "Just Get Him Evaluated" Is Such Confusing Advice
You're not looking for a title on a door. You're looking for someone who can figure out the answers to the question you're actually asking.
Ep 45: Why Pool Days Keep Ending in Meltdowns (Even the Fun Ones)
The irritability, withdrawal, and shutdown aren't typical teen behavior — they're the cost of holding it together all day. Learn how to read what your teenager is carrying.
Ep. 36: The Child Only You Know
The gap between how your child presents at school and home isn't inconsistency — it's clinically meaningful data. Learn why your observations are the most important ones.
Ep. 35: Why Your Teenager Holds It Together All Day — And What That's Actually Costing Them
The irritability, withdrawal, and shutdown aren't typical teen behavior — they're the cost of holding it together all day. Learn how to read what your teenager is carrying.
Ep. 29: Your Teen Isn’t Checking Out. They’re Running on Empty
Teenage academic failure often has nothing to do with motivation. Learn how to tell the difference between an executive function problem and a motivation problem.
Ep. 24: When Your Tween Pushes You Away But Still Needs You
The tween push-pull is exhausting — especially when your child is wired differently. Learn why distance isn't disconnection and how to stay close without pushing them further away.
Ep. 21: Morning Routines for Tweens and Teens: When They 'Should Know Better'
Your teenager still needing morning support isn't a failure — it's an executive function issue. Learn how to support without nagging or triggering resistance.
Ep. 6: When Your Teen Can't Handle 'No': Door-Slamming, Silent Treatment, and What Actually Works
Adolescent brains are wired for intensity. Learn how to validate without caving and help your teen build frustration tolerance without destroying your relationship.