Low Demand Parenting

10 Episodes
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By: Amanda Diekman

The Low Demand Parenting Podcast is your space to let go of the pressure and embrace a more joyful, authentic approach to parenting. Hosted by Amanda Diekman—author, autistic adult, and mom of three—this podcast isn’t about perfection or expert advice. It’s about learning together how to drop the demands that weigh us down and find the ease we crave in our families. Whether you’re navigating neurodivergence, challenging behaviors, or simply the highs and lows of life, this show offers honest conversations, practical insights, and a whole lot of compassion. Let's thrive, even when it feels like life...

Mailbag: Low demand partnerships
Last Monday at 12:00 PM

This week, I’m answering your questions about partnerships — about how to talk to your spouse about low demand parenting, what to do when they’re not on board, how to respond when they’re getting really triggered by meltdowns or moments of being hit or yelled at, and how to support a PDA partner in sharing their emotions safely. I share how I approach partnerships: with radical acceptance, deep listening, and letting go of expectations that are too hard. I also name that this conversation is based on my own experience being married to the person I co-parent with — a...


From high-demand to low-demand: my journey of letting go
04/21/2025

This is a deeply personal episode. I am in the guest seat to share my transformation from high-demand, perfectionist parenting to the radical practice of Low Demand Parenting. Interviewed by my dear friend Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman, I open up about the turning point in my parenting journey, how the collapse of old paradigms gave way to deep healing, and why letting go isn’t failure—it’s freedom. Together, we explore the spiritual depth of radical acceptance, the impact of privilege on parenting choices, and why practicing low demand is never all-or-nothing. This episode is a love letter to the...


From high-demand to low-demand: my journey of letting go
04/21/2025

This is a deeply personal episode. I am in the guest seat to share my transformation from high-demand, perfectionist parenting to the radical practice of Low Demand Parenting. Interviewed by my dear friend Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman, I open up about the turning point in my parenting journey, how the collapse of old paradigms gave way to deep healing, and why letting go isn’t failure—it’s freedom. Together, we explore the spiritual depth of radical acceptance, the impact of privilege on parenting choices, and why practicing low demand is never all-or-nothing. This episode is a love letter to the...


Why motherhood is killing us
03/31/2025

In this powerful and deeply moving conversation, I am joined by Ambreia Meadows-Hernandez of Free Black Motherhood. Together, we unpack what it means to mother freely within systems built to demand your erasure. Ambreia shares how she is deconstructing martyr-based motherhood, reclaiming her identity as a liberated Black mother, and moving toward a more expansive and embodied parenting practice rooted in presence, emotional transparency, and intergenerational healing. We talk about the impossibility of perfection, the false expectations placed on mothers—especially Black mothers—and how parenting can be a radical act of justice. If you’ve ever felt like you had...


Mailbag: Should I pull my kid from school?
03/24/2025

I respond to a question from a parent navigating a painful dilemma: when a child is really struggling in school, how do we know when it’s time to pull them out? I explore two intertwined questions—how to recognize when it’s truly “too much,” and how to care for ourselves in the aftermath of such a big, life-changing decision. I share tools for tuning into our child’s nervous system, identifying red flags, and listening to our own inner knowing. I also talk about how to create sustainable routines, even in the chaos of burnout and unpredictability. This is an e...


What I Wish I Knew Sooner About My Kid's Brain
03/17/2025

In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Robyn Gobbel, trauma therapist and author of Big Baffling Behaviors. Together, we explore how to talk to our kids about their brains, why it matters so much, and how understanding our nervous systems helps us parent with compassion and connection. Robyn shares her Owl, Watchdog, and Possum framework—a playful and accessible way to explain our brain states—and we dive deep into how nervous system science can transform the way we understand our kids’ struggles, our own reactions, and the path to healing for the whole family. This episode is for an...


Won't versus Can't: The mindset shift that changes everything
03/03/2025

When I started practicing low demand parenting, it wasn’t because I read a book or found a perfect system. It was because our family hit a wall—and nothing else was working. One of the very first mindset shifts that saved me, and continues to guide me every single day, is this: shifting from won’t to can’t.

 

This episode is all about that shift—from believing our kids (or ourselves) won’t do something, to realizing they can’t in this moment. I unpack:

 Where the “won’t” mentality comes from and why it’s so ingrai...


Mailbag: Toileting & body care
02/24/2025

Toileting struggles, periods, and body care—these are some of the trickiest internal demands our kids face. When a child refuses to wear a seatbelt, smears poop, or struggles with managing their period, how do we support them in a way that respects their nervous system while still meeting real needs?

 

In this episode, I break down:

 • What internal demands are and why they can be so distressing for neurodivergent kids

 • How burnout impacts basic needs like sleep, eating, and toileting

 • Why forcing solutions backfires—and how to approach these struggles t...


Marriage and PDA: Living the low demand way
02/17/2025

How do you create a low-demand partnership while raising neurodivergent kids? This week, I sit down with Lindsay and Daryl Flanagan—fellow low-demand parents—who share their journey of shifting from traditional parenting to a more intuitive, needs-centered approach. We explore how dropping demands for each other and for our children has transformed their relationship and family life.

In this episode, we discuss:

✔️ Letting go of traditional expectations in relationships and parenting.

✔️ Navigating marriage when one or both partners are neurodivergent.

✔️ The power of humor, shorthand phrases, and texting in low-demand communication.<...


Trusting Their 'No'
02/10/2025

In this heartfelt and insightful episode, I dive into the essential work of teaching our kids to trust themselves, even when the world tells them otherwise. Using real-life examples, I share how traditional parenting approaches—like pushing through discomfort or faking calm—can break trust and escalate stress. Instead, I advocate for dropping the demands, honoring a child’s “no,” and embracing co-regulation as a path to healing and connection.

You’ll learn:

Why your child’s meltdowns are not your fault and how to reframe them as panic responses. The power of honoring your child’s body cues and...