THE MISSION
At Empowerment EDU, we believe that ADHD is not a deficit to be fixed — it is a different way of thinking, creating, feeling, and moving through the world. Nearly 11% of the population is born with an ADHD brain, and these individuals are often our innovators, entrepreneurs, artists, adventurers, and visionaries. Their energy, creativity, and intensity hold extraordinary potential.
But without the right support, that potential can become buried beneath frustration, shame, conflict, and constant overwhelm. Traditional systems and parenting strategies often fail ADHD individuals and their families, leaving children and adults feeling misunderstood instead of empowered.
That is why this work matters.
Our mission is to equip individuals with ADHD and the families who support them with the tools, understanding, and strategies they need to thrive. Through compassionate coaching, practical skill-building, and neuroscience-informed support, we help families move from chaos to connection, from conflict to confidence, and from survival mode to sustainable growth.
We believe parents are one of the missing links in ADHD support. When parents are empowered with the right framework, children gain the structure, confidence, and emotional safety they need to build independence and succeed in school, relationships, and life.
Founded by ADHD Head Coach Maggie Tatum, Empowerment EDU has helped dozens of families create calmer homes, stronger relationships, and meaningful lasting change. With more than a decade of experience, our work is rooted in the belief that ADHDers deserve to fully step into their strengths and share their gifts with the world.
Because this is more than coaching.
This is EMPOWERMENT.
Sound like your thing?
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
YOU'VE TRIED THE
Sticker Charts
The Diet Changes
The Reminders
The Stricter Routines
The Consequences
The Yelling
And somehow, despite how hard you’re trying, everyday life still feels exhausting.
Homework turns into a battle.
Simple routines become emotional explosions.
Mornings feel chaotic.
Bedtime feels impossible.
And don't even get us started on the screens.
You’re constantly walking the line between helping too much
and feeling like nothing you do is helping at all.
So if you're hitting a daily bingo with these phrases:
-
“Please just focus!”
-
“Why did/didn’t you do it?!”
-
“I just asked you five times!”
-
“Why is everything such a struggle?”
Then it's time to invest in a new way of doing things.
And these are the thoughts keeping you up at night:
• Will my kid be ok?
• Am I failing them?
• Why does everything feel so hard?
• What happens if things never get better?
• Will they be living with me forever?
Because underneath the power struggles, meltdowns, and missing homework, your kid is feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, and incapable.
If all of this feels familiar, you are far from alone.
The truth is, traditional parenting strategies often don’t work for ADHD kids — not because your child is “bad,” lazy, manipulative, or unmotivated,
and not because you’re doing something wrong or not enough.
ADHD brains need a different approach.
When kids struggle with executive functioning, emotional regulation, sensory overwhelm, impulsivity, and motivation, typical parenting advice can actually increase shame, conflict, and frustration for everyone involved.
That’s why parent support matters so deeply.
When parents understand how ADHD actually works — and have practical tools designed for complex kids — families begin to experience meaningful change:
• less conflict
• fewer meltdowns
• more connection and stronger relationships
• increased independence
• calmer, more confident parenting
• and a child who feels understood and valued
instead of constantly corrected
You do not have to keep doing this alone.
Come get some support!
WHY ADHD & COMPLEX KIDS NEED A DIFFERENT APPROACH
ADHD isn't a moral problem. It is not laziness, bad parenting, or a lack of intelligence.
It's a regulation, executive functioning, and nervous system challenge.
ADHD is a difference in how the brain develops and manages executive functioning skills like emotional regulation, impulse control, organization, focus, time management, and task initiation.
That means many ADHD kids are trying incredibly hard —
even when it doesn’t look like it from the outside.
TRADITIONAL PARENTING ASSUMES
that children can consistently meet expectations when they are:
Motivated enough
Given the right consequences or punishments
Have the right strategy
But for ADHD kids, the challenge is rarely about knowing what to do.
It's about doing what you know you need to do consistently in the moment.
That’s why systems like:
• repeated reminders
• punishment-based consequences
• sticker charts
• stricter discipline
• lectures about responsibility
often stop working over time — and can leave both parents and children feeling frustrated, disconnected, and discouraged.
ADHD kids need support that works with their brains, not against them.
THAT MEANS FOCUSING ON:
Structures & Scaffolding that Build Independence
Skill Building &
Problem Solving instead of Shame
Emotional Regulation Support before Compliance
Environments Designed for Success not Overwhelm
Practical Collaborative Systems that Support Executive Function
Connection before Correction
When parents understand the “why” behind their child’s behavior, everything starts to shift.
• Instead of seeing a child who “won’t,” you begin to see a child who often “can’t yet.”
• Instead of constant conflict, you begin building collaboration.
• Instead of reacting emotionally, you gain tools to respond with clarity and confidence.
This approach does not lower expectations for ADHD kids.
It gives them the support they need to meet those expectations successfully.
Because with the right tools, understanding, and environment, ADHD kids can thrive.
We have spent hundreds of hours learning how the ADHD mind works, and even more hours using that learning to make
radical improvements in the lives of our clients.
If you are ready to enjoy parenting again and reclaim your relationship with your kid, check out our packages below.
We work together to:
✔ Reduce conflict and emotional overwhelm
✔ Create routines that actually work
✔ Build executive functioning skills
✔ Increase independence
✔ Strengthen your relationship with your child
✔ Develop your confidence as a parent
Support Options:
• 1:1 coaching
• On-demand courses
• Parent workshops
• Ongoing support through
daily check-ins
ADHD
Parent Coaching
15% Off All Items
15% Off All Items
ADHD
Kid Coaching
We work together to:
✔ Harness strengths to manage weaknesses
✔ Reduce conflict and emotional overwhelm
✔ Create routines that actually work
✔ Build executive functioning skills
✔ Increase independence
✔ Develop a growth mindset
✔ Foster curiosity and creativity
Support Options:
• 1:1 coaching
• Ongoing support through
daily check-ins
• Supplemental academic tutoring
• Skill workshops
CLIENTS WALK AWAY WITH
WHAT COACHING LOOKS LIKE
KNOWLEDGE
A better understanding of themselves, how an ADHD brain works, and how to approach challenges with confidence.
STRATEGIES
Concrete, actionable, research-based strategies that work, aid independence, and make living well with ADHD possible.
EMPOWERMENT
A sense of control and agency over their lives that comes from a place of honoring and honing their differences for success.
Through ADHD parent coaching, families begin to move out of survival mode
and into a more sustainable, connected way of living.
IMAGINE
Fewer power struggles over homework, routines, and screen time
A child who feels confident instead of constantly discouraged
Building systems that actually work for your child’s brain
Less yelling, tension, and emotional exhaustion
Knowing how to respond to challenges without second-guessing yourself
Watching your child grow in independence, resilience, and self-awareness
Mornings that feel smoother and more manageable
Feeling equipped instead of overwhelmed
Enjoying your child again instead of feeling stuck in constant correction
Most parents don’t want perfection.
They want peace.
Connection.
Confidence that their child can thrive.
Our goal is not to “fix” your child. It’s to help your family better understand ADHD, reduce unnecessary struggle, and create an environment where your child’s strengths can shine.
Because ADHD kids are capable of extraordinary things when they are supported in the right way.
And when parents have the right tools, everything begins to change.
Interested in Coaching?
TESTIMONIALS
Deborah W.
When our teenage son was formally diagnosed with ADHD inattentive type, something we had long suspected but not known how to deal with, we had the incredible good fortune to find Maggie Tatum to work with him as an executive function coach. After a previous negative experience, with a coach who treated our son as though he were much younger and less capable, it was refreshing to find Maggie, who honored our son's intellect and strengths and helped him build on them. In record time, our son was transformed -- from a student who was very bright, but utterly unable to focus and filter out distractions, he became a student who is working to his potential and is making progress on his plans for the future by following through on the small steps necessary to achieve them. Because we are not constantly haranguing him about missing homework, our relationship with him is better, and we can enjoy watching him succeed. Maggie's work was instrumental in bringing this about.
Nancy F.
Our son is a bright child who was diagnosed with ADHD (inattentive type) in early elementary school. Getting homework completed was a source of tension and frustration in our family for many years. In addition, our son has struggled with writing since early elementary school. As middle school approached, we worried that our son would get lost with multiple assignments coming from so many different classes every day. In particular, we feared that he would struggle with the basics, wouldn’t be able to keep up in general or have time to work on writing, and that as a result he’d feel lost and middle school would be a miserable experience. After we found Maggie Tatum, and she started working with him to develop and maintain habits for tracking his assignments and managing his workload, things improved. He has achieved much more academically than we ever imagined, and also feels more in control of his time. He goes to school confident, positive, interested in learning, and able to let his strengths shine through. Maggie and my son have developed a trusting and supportive relationship—he listens to her, and follows her advice, much more than to us. She is also an excellent communicator. We have come to rely on her recaps of every session (even the short check-ins), as well as on her good advice on things like 504 plan accommodations and how to engage with teachers. After just over half a year of middle school we feel very lucky to have found her, and can’t imagine how our son would actually be enjoying middle school without her.
Nicole H.
Working with Maggie has been a dream. She truly connects with my son and he has improved his EF skills greatly. Instead of fighting with me, he can have a productive meeting with Maggie. We are seeing so much growth.
Anya
Maggie not only helps our daughter develop executive functioning skills, she also helps us, the parents, understand the complexities of ADHD and coaches us on how to help our daughter gain the necessary skills to be successful academically and socially. This is done in manageable and achievable steps that help build our daughter’s confidence. Maggie sends us helpful status updates weekly and calls our daughter throughout the week to keep her on track. We appreciate Maggie’s knowledge, professionalism, and guidance. Her kind and cheerful demeanor makes her easy to work with and our daughter enjoys her sessions with Maggie. Thanks to Maggie, we are seeing some improvements with our daughter's executive function and we look forward to continue working with her.
ABOUT ME
Hi, I’m Maggie Tatum — founder and head coach at Empowerment EDU.
I created Empowerment EDU because I believe ADHDers are some of the most creative, insightful, passionate, and capable people in the world. But too often, they grow up feeling misunderstood, constantly corrected, or convinced they are failing inside systems that were never designed for the way their brains work.
I also know how overwhelming it can feel for parents having grown up in a neurodivergent household and now raising a few neurospicy kids of my own. Many families come to coaching exhausted from constant conflict, emotional meltdowns, school struggles, and parenting advice that simply doesn’t work for their child. They are doing everything they can — and still feeling stuck.
That’s where a different approach matters.
For more than 14 years, I have lived and taught all over the world from public schools in NYC to international schools in Costa Rica and China, and 1:1 Coaching. I’ve worked with children, teens, adults, and families with ADHD to help them better understand their brains, build practical problem-solving and life skills, and create systems that support lasting success. My coaching combines education, strategy, emotional support, and real-world tools that families can actually use in everyday life.
At Empowerment EDU, we focus on more than managing symptoms. We focus on helping families create calmer homes, stronger relationships, greater confidence, and sustainable growth.
There is little in this life that brings me more joy than helping others tap into their innate greatness and light. I believe in our goodness. I know we do better when we can. I am certain we are all always doing our best. My work is to unlock the potential within so that our best can be elevated. My work is to invite people into the gift of choice so that they may live empowered lives.
My goal is never perfection. It’s helping families move from overwhelm to empowerment — one step at a time.
Because ADHD is not a character flaw. And your family is not broken.
With the right support, your child’s strengths can shine, your relationship can grow stronger, and your home can feel hopeful again.
MY CREDENTIALS
• University of Georgia Alum with a degree in English
• Teach for America Alum
• CUNY Brooklyn College Alum with a
Master's in Special Education
• 14+ years of teaching experience
• Certified ADHD Coach for Kids, Teens, & Adults
• Certified Mindfulness & Meditation Facilitator
• Certified Breathwork Facilitator
OUR COACHES
Jillian Abballe - ADHD Coach
I’m a business owner, ADHD and Executive Functioning coach, advocate, and trained mediator based in Washington, DC. I joined Empowerment EDU with both professional expertise and personal experience growing up in a family impacted by ADHD.
My brother was diagnosed with ADHD later in life, and seeing his challenges firsthand shaped my understanding of how differently ADHD individuals can experience the world. Although we shared the same home and opportunities, his experience was often misunderstood. His diagnosis brought clarity and reinforced my belief that with the right support, ADHD individuals can better understand their brains, build confidence, and thrive.
I’m passionate about helping children, adults, and families with ADHD create practical systems that support success at school, work, home, and in relationships. My work combines strategy, emotional support, and strengths-based coaching.
My background spans education, mediation, advocacy, and facilitation. I began my career at CitySquash in the Bronx, supporting students and families with academic and personal development. I am also a certified mediator trained to help people navigate conflict and improve communication.
Above all, I’m committed to helping families feel empowered, supported, and equipped to build fulfilling, sustainable lives.
THE EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING SKILLS
Executive functioning skills are the brain functions we use to manage
our ATTENTION, our EMOTIONS, & our BEHAVIOR as we pursue our GOALS.
These are the skills most impacted by ADHD.
They are divided into 2 categories:
Metacognitive (Thinking) Skills & Social-Emotional Skills
THE METACOGNITIVE SKILLS
Time Management
Estimating how much time you have, how you should spend your time, and how to turn things in & do things on time.
Planning & Strategizing
The ability to create a
roadmap to reach a goal or
complete a task.
Organization
Creating and sticking with systems to keep track of important information & belongings.
Sustained Attention
Sticking with one focus even when there are other things competing for our attention & even when we're bored.
Self-Monitoring
Thinking about your own thinking, and using self-talk to control your behavior.
Task Initiation
Starting chores, homework, schoolwork, and tasks without undue procrastination.
Working Memory
The mental workspace where we keep and manipulate info like thoughts, ideas, facts, & directions.
Goal Setting
Identifying what you want, deciding what steps you need to take to get it, and carrying out those steps.
Task-Persistence
Following through on a goal without getting sidetracked and without quitting
when it gets hard.
THE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS
Impulse Control
Being able to think before we act. Not doing or saying things that are hurtful just because we think of them.
Emotional Control
The ability to understand, accept, and manage our emotions and to respond to them in an appropriate way.
Flexibility
The ability to revise our plans when we hit an obstacle or when something doesn't go the way we thought it would.
Stress Tolerance
The ability to deal with and navigate stressful situations, pressure, and changes.
WHY TEACHING
EXECUTIVE SKILLS MATTERS
PILLS DON'T TEACH SKILLS.
Medication is often an essential component of ADHD treatment.
At the proper dosage, medication can have a tremendous impact on:
impulse control, task initiation, and sustained attention.
But for the rest of the skills, explicit coaching and practice are needed to see meaningful life improvements.
Your doctor and clinician are the best people to work with
on diagnoses and medication.
We've got you covered for the rest.
If you have ADHD, or you're here for a child who does,
chances are the Executive Functioning challenges listed below
will sound very familiar to you.
The good news?
Coaching can address
ALL OF THEM.
ORGANIZATION
-
School/work items like bags and notebooks are messy and lack organizational systems
-
Often forgets to bring home items that are needed for homework
-
Often misplaces important items for work
-
Personal areas around the house (desk, room, bathroom) are generally messy
-
Bedroom and personal possessions in a state of disarray
SELF-MONITORING
-
Gets stalled during homework/work and chores by seemingly minor challenges and struggles to problem solve on the fly or independently
-
Struggles to determine how they’re doing during a project or task--self-assessment is a challenge
PLANNING & STRAT
-
Avoids/struggles to make decisions about the topic or content of school/work projects
-
Avoids/struggles to develop clear plans for writing assignments or projects
-
Tends to just “wing it” and hopes things will turn out okay
-
Avoids/has difficulty developing plans to manage other daily complex tasks like cleaning their room
ATTENTION•FOCUS
-
Easily distracted during non-preferred tasks
-
Needs numerous prompts/cues from adults/supervisors to stay focused or on task
-
Struggles to stay focused while reading
-
Rushes through HW/work assignments and chores
-
Appears to pay little attention to the quality/accuracy of work and is often unaware of errors
TASK INITIATION
-
Needs multiple prompts from parents/teachers/partners/supervisors in order to start HW/work & other non-preferred projects
-
Opts to do any other thing before starting the undesired task
WORKING MEMORY
-
Finds multi-step directions challenging
-
Forgets to do things like turning off lights or closing doors
-
Forgets details of non-preferred tasks
-
Forgets directions for daily assignments/tasks
-
Frequently loses train of thought
-
Struggles with getting ideas down in writing
-
Struggles with recalling things read
GOAL SETTING
-
Avoids/struggles with setting personal goals regarding school/work achievement and/or other important activities (i.e. getting better at a sport or instrument)
-
Seems to live without making many plans
-
Avoids/struggles with developing clear goals/plans for task completion and outcomes
TASK PERSISTENCE
-
Struggles to keep going when things get challenging
-
Seems to lack resiliency
-
Gets sidetracked and is not able to return to work or focus in a timely manner
-
Often has numerous unfinished projects
-
Seems to run out of “juice” in the middle of projects
IMPULSE CONTROL
-
Does/says things without stopping and thinking that often lead to feelings of regret and are embarrassing and upsetting to others
-
Often interrupts conversational turns
-
Struggles with waiting for turn in games
-
Rushes into and through assignments and projects without giving adequate consideration to the instructions
-
Tends to hurt self or others because of impulsive action
FLEXIBILITY
-
Reacts with significant frustration to changes in routine and unplanned events
-
Reacts with significant frustration, sadness, or anger to being disappointed
-
Struggles to adjust when things don't go as planned
STRESS TOLERANCE
-
Struggles to manage the pressure of school or work environments
-
Are overwhelmed by demanding, fast-paced environments
-
Experience distress when events and situations are unpredictable
EMOTIONAL CONTROL
-
Becomes very frustrated by events/situations that would not likely frustrate others as much
-
Overreacts when frustrated, saying or doing things that result in significant difficulty for self or others (low frustration tolerance)
-
Becomes easily and intensely upset/angered by the actions of others
-
Lashes out verbally or physically at others when upset/angry
TIME MANAGEMENT
-
Struggles to correctly estimate how long daily homework/job assignments will take
-
Rarely completes daily homework/work tasks and longer-term projects on time
-
Rarely arrives on time for school/work and other important activities
-
Often spends tens of minutes in the bathroom or doing activities that should take much less time
CURIOUS
CONFIDENT
CONNECTED
CAPABLE