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. 28: Your Child Isn’t Falling Apart - Their Brain Just Hit Its Limit
Your child's hardest moments aren't random — they're the predictable result of a working memory system that's been filling up all day. Learn how to read the pattern.
Ep. 27: How to Talk to Grandparents About Your Child's Needs (Without Losing Your Mind)
Grandparents who don't understand your child's wiring can make everything harder. Learn how to translate neurodivergent behavior into language family can actually hear.
Ep. 26: Why Your Child's Meltdowns Don't Mean They Hate You
Meltdowns with safe caregivers aren't a sign of a broken relationship — they're a sign of one that's working. Learn the neuroscience behind why and what to do.
Ep. 25: Listener Q&A
Why is my child so slow? Why fine at school but a disaster at home? How do I support a child who refuses help? Real answers to your biggest parenting questions.
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. 23: The Resentment You Don't Want to Admit
Resenting your child sometimes doesn't make you a bad parent. It means you're carrying too much for too long. Learn what to do before it destroys your relationships.
Ep. 22: When Your Child Refuses Medication: What's Really Happening and What Actually Works
Medication refusal is either a skill problem or a buy-in problem — and each needs a different approach. Learn how to tell the difference and what actually works.
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. 20: The One Morning Routine Mistake That's Sabotaging Everything Else
Scope creep is why most morning routines collapse. Learn how to simplify your routine to what actually matters and build independence that sticks.
Ep. 19: Why Traditional Morning Routine Charts Fail Kids Wired Differently
Visual schedules fail because they're being used as teaching tools instead of reminder systems. Learn what needs to happen first before any chart will work.
Ep. 18: Building a Support System When You Feel Totally Alone
Parents of neurodivergent kids often become isolated — and that isolation makes everything harder. Learn how to build support that actually fits your life.
Ep. 17: Your Nervous System Matters Too: Co-Regulation Starts with Self-Regulation
You can't co-regulate your child from a depleted nervous system. Learn practical self-regulation strategies that work even on your hardest days.
Ep. 16: The Myth of "Doing It All": What Sustainable Parenting Actually Looks Like
The expectation that you should be able to do it all without burning out is actively making things harder. Learn what sustainable parenting actually looks like.
Ep. 15: Why Parenting a Child Who's Wired Differently is So Exhausting (And It's Not Your Fault)
Parenting a neurodivergent child isn't harder because you're doing it wrong. The invisible demands are genuinely greater — and it's not your fault.
Ep. 14: The Power of Validation: Why Your Kid Desperately Needs It
Validation isn't about agreeing or removing consequences. It's about acknowledging feelings — and that one shift reduces meltdown intensity over time.
Ep. 13: Grief and The Holidays: How to Help Your Child (And Yourself) Through Loss
Grief looks different across ages and neurotypes — especially during the holidays. Learn how to help your child process loss without creating shame.
Ep. 12: Why Behavior Gets Worse Before It Gets Better (And How to Survive It)
When behavior intensifies after you try something new, it usually means it's working. Learn what an extinction burst is and how to survive it.
Ep. 11: Backtalk and Defiance: What Your Child Really Means (And How to Respond)
Most backtalk isn't disrespect — it's a poorly delivered attempt at self-advocacy. Learn what's underneath it and how to respond without losing authority.
Ep. 10: What's Normal Pushback vs. Actual Disrespect (By Age)
Not every pushback is defiance. Learn how to tell the difference between developmentally normal behavior and genuine disrespect — by age.
Ep. 9: Why Your Boundaries Matter More Than You Think (And How to Set Them)
Healthy boundaries aren't about control — they're about teaching your child what safe relationships look like. Learn why yours matter more than you think.