Connected and Capable

What if one food could help your child feel safe enough to start expanding beyond the handful of foods they currently eat?

In this final episode of our picky eating series, I'm sharing what I call a gateway food, specifically a recipe that helped my own son move from eating one specific brand of chicken nuggets to eventually eating grilled chicken, different proteins, and a much wider variety of foods.

But this episode isn't really about chicken nuggets, although you'll learn exactly how to make them, because they are amazing effective and super tasty. The big takeaway is about understanding why certain foods feel safer to picky eaters, the simple characteristics that make kids more likely to try something new, and how to build bridges from foods your child already eats to foods they've never touched before.

I'll also share why progress often looks very different than parents expect and how to spot the small wins that are actually moving your child forward.

RESOURCES MENTIONED
Get a seat in the free picky eating workshop
Picky Eater Approved Chicken Nugget Recipe

KEY TIMESTAMPS
2:55 What progress really looks like
4:49 The gateway food
6:38 Three things picky eaters need
9:22 Building a bridge to new foods
17:21 Giving kids the right choices
24:47 When it doesn't work right away

MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU

Ready for a simple plan to overcome the attention, sleep, sensory, and big emotion challenges? I'll show you how for uniquely wired kids 1-18 years old in just 2-5 minutes a day. Join me in The Connection Hive-- https://YourKidsTable.com/TCH

LET'S CONNECT:

Instagram: https://Instagram.com/Yourkidstable
Facebook: https://Facebook.com/Yourkidstable
Pinterest: https://Pinterest.com/Yourkidstable

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd be so grateful if you left us a review! It's a huge help in encouraging us and letting us know what parents with uniquely wired kids need the most.

In this episode, we're digging into one of the most important factors for helping extreme picky eaters: they're struggling because something deeper is getting in the way.

There's 5 big reasons kids refuse to eat and it's not because of you're parenting or that they're just difficult.

Learn how to identify these signs yourself and how to start looking at your child's eating through a different lens and why identifying the "why" behind picky eating can completely change your next steps.

If you've ever felt frustrated, confused, or wondered why nothing seems to be working, this episode will help you connect some important dots and give you a clearer path forward.

RESOURCES MENTIONED
Get a seat in the free picky eating workshop
Constipation strategies article

KEY TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Welcome and picky eating mission
02:03 Previous episode and workshop recap
09:57 Oral motor skill struggles
11:53 The snowball picky eating
15:50 Physical causes to check
20:35 Anxiety behind food refusal
24:53 Next steps for families
27:34 Gateway food next episode teaser

MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU

Ready for a simple plan to overcome the attention, sleep, sensory, and big emotion challenges? I'll show you how for uniquely wired kids 1-18 years old in just 2-5 minutes a day. Join me in The Connection Hive-- https://YourKidsTable.com/TCH

LET'S CONNECT:

Instagram: https://Instagram.com/Yourkidstable
Facebook: https://Facebook.com/Yourkidstable
Pinterest: https://Pinterest.com/Yourkidstable

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd be so grateful if you left us a review! It's a huge help in encouraging us and letting us know what parents with uniquely wired kids need the most.

In this first episode of our picky eating series, I'm sharing the story of how my son went from gagging at the sight of food to becoming a kid that loves a wide variety of foods. A reality that wouldn't have happened if we had just waited for him to grow out of it.

You'll hear the mistakes I see parents make over and over again (through no fault of their own), and the 5-step framework that guided us from surviving mealtimes to actually enjoying them.

If you've ever wondered what's really behind picky eating, or how to help your kid's eating improve, this episode is for you!

RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Free Picky Eating Workshop

KEY TIMESTAMPS:
4:31 The child who changed my career
8:24 When my own son stopped eating
14:42 Step 1: The biggest mindset shift
16:38 Step 2: Why routines matter
18:30 Step 3: What's underneath picky eating
20:09 Steps 4 & 5: Building progress that lasts

MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU

Ready for a simple plan to overcome the attention, sleep, sensory, and big emotion challenges? I'll show you how for uniquely wired kids 1-18 years old in just 2-5 minutes a day. Join me in The Connection Hive-- https://YourKidsTable.com/TCH

LET'S CONNECT:

Instagram: https://Instagram.com/Yourkidstable
Facebook: https://Facebook.com/Yourkidstable
Pinterest: https://Pinterest.com/Yourkidstable

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd be so grateful if you left us a review! It's a huge help in encouraging us and letting us know what parents with uniquely wired kids need the most.

If you’ve ever felt like sensory strategies sound helpful in theory… but impossible to actually fit into real life, this episode is for you.

We’re talking about small, realistic ways to build regulation into the moments that are already happening throughout your day using quick sensory “doses” that can help with focus, emotional regulation, transitions, and big behaviors.

You’ll also hear:

Why sensory strategies don’t have to be complicated to work
The idea of “habit stacking” and how parents are using it in everyday life
How movement, deep pressure, vibration, and even hydration can impact the nervous system
Ways to help sensory seekers and easily overwhelmed kids differently
Practical ideas you can start using immediately at home, in the car, during homework, transitions, and more

If your child seems dysregulated often, struggles with transitions, or you’re just trying to make daily life feel calmer and more manageable, this episode will leave you with simple ideas that actually feel doable.

LINKS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED:
Join Fun and Function Giveaway (receive 10% off)
Grab the Free Sensory Toolkit

KEY TIMESTAMPS:
04:39 – Habit stacking sensory tools
06:59 – Weighted input & crawling
13:33 – Vibration & fidgets
18:25 – Movement for regulation
25:08 – Why water helps regulate

MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU

Ready for a simple plan to overcome the attention, sleep, sensory, and big emotion challenges? I'll show you how for uniquely wired kids 1-18 years old in just 2-5 minutes a day. Join me in The Connection Hive-- https://YourKidsTable.com/TCH

LET'S CONNECT:

Instagram: https://Instagram.com/Yourkidstable
Facebook: https://Facebook.com/Yourkidstable
Pinterest: https://Pinterest.com/Yourkidstable

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd be so grateful if you left us a review! It's a huge help in encouraging us and letting us know what parents with uniquely wired kids need the most.

If you’ve ever wondered… does nutrition actually affect ADHD symptoms? Or is it all hype online?

In this episode of the Connected + Capable Podcast, we’re digging into what the research really says about ADHD and nutrition in a practical, parent-friendly way.

We’re talking about:
▶️ elimination diets and anti-inflammatory eating
▶️ food dyes and processed foods
▶️ fish oil and omega-3s
▶️ iron/ferritin and zinc
▶️ vitamin D and magnesium
▶️ what the studies actually show (and what they don’t)

As both a pediatric OT and a mom of a child with ADHD, I know how overwhelming this conversation can feel. One person says nutrition changes everything… another says it doesn’t matter at all.

The truth is much more nuanced.

This episode is NOT about “curing” ADHD or giving you a giant list of supplements to start tomorrow. Instead, I want to help you understand:
- where the evidence is strongest
- which approaches may help some kids
- why there’s no one-size-fits-all answer
- and how to think through these options without fear or pressure

We also talk honestly about sensory-based picky eating, the emotional toll of restrictive diets, how to approach nutrition without all-or-nothing thinking, and why supporting a child’s relationship with food matters too

If your child struggles with ADHD, emotional regulation, hyperactivity, attention, sleep, or picky eating, this conversation will give you a grounded place to start.

LINKS + RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Supplement links + research articles referenced
Free picky eating workshop: 3 Keys to Turn Around Picky Eating

MORE RESOURCES FOR YOU

Ready for a simple plan to overcome the attention, sleep, sensory, and big emotion challenges? I'll show you how for uniquely wired kids 1-18 years old in just 2-5 minutes a day. Join me in The Connection Hive-- https://YourKidsTable.com/TCH

LET'S CONNECT:

Instagram: https://Instagram.com/Yourkidstable
Facebook: https://Facebook.com/Yourkidstable
Pinterest: https://Pinterest.com/Yourkidstable

If you enjoyed this episode, we'd be so grateful if you left us a review! It's a huge help in encouraging us and letting us know what parents with uniquely wired kids need the most.