Juggling between work and parenting is a huge responsibility on its own. When you add ADHD to that list, it can become overwhelming. You have too many tasks at home and your workplace, and you must do them while struggling with forgetfulness and inattention. Sometimes, you may forget important events, like an appointment with your kid’s teacher or attending your kid’s sporting event. Parenting with Adhd is tough but doable.
7 Tips for Parenting with Adhd
Can you be a successful parent with ADHD? Many parents have managed to raise their kids well despite having ADHD. You can implement the tips below to make your life simpler and less strained to focus more on your parental skills.
Focus on One Task at a Time
Forgetfulness, distractibility, and inattention are some of the challenges of parenting with ADHD. It’s easy to forget some tasks when you have too much to do or constantly switch between them.
Learn to focus on one task at a time. If you remember something else you need to do, write it down, but don’t start it before completing the current task. It can always help to start the day by making a to-do list to avoid forgetting important things.
Set Rules
ADHD often comes with emotional dysregulation. That means you may respond differently when your kids make mistakes. When you’re highly irritable, you may react angrily to small errors or give disproportionate punishments. This lack of consistency can make you unpredictable and hard to relate with.
To avoid that, make rules and set consequences for breaking them. Discuss the practices with your kids to ensure they understand and stick to them regardless of emotional swings. And if your behavior starts to disrupt your relationships significantly, consider trying virtual ADHD treatment with licensed therapists.
Create a Schedule of Activities
If you feel overwhelmed by everything you must do, creating a schedule of activities can help you. You can allocate specific time to work, play with your kids, relax, and hang out with friends. If you don’t spend time with kids, they’ll feel disconnected. In other words, you need to create a weekly schedule showing the time for each activity. You may need an assistant if you realize you have too much to do.
Get an Assistant
It can be challenging parenting with Adhd is tough, but there is always a way to get help. You can share some responsibilities with your spouse or other relatives or, for example, hire someone to babysit your kids during the school holidays. Getting your child a tutor can also help remove some of your workload. That can buy you time to be alone and unwind.
Place Items Where You Can See Them
As the adage says, out of sight, out of mind, you’re likely to forget something if you can’t see it. Let’s say you have a letter to mail or a package to deliver. Placing such items in drawers will make it easier to forget them. So take everything you need when leaving for work, and put those things close to where you put your car keys. You’ll see the items and remember to carry them when picking up the keys.
Alternatively, you can put your stuff on a chair and place the chair blocking your way. When leaving your house, you’ll stumble on the chair and remember to pick the items. If you must leave early in the morning, pack your items at night and put them in your briefcase or handbag. It’s easy to forget something in the morning in a hurry. This strategy can help with physical items, but what if you have an appointment? In this case, you’ll need reminders.
Use Visible Reminders
Reminders are only good if you see them. Let’s assume there’s a bill you must pay before the end of the month, and you keep forgetting it. You can write a reminder on a sticky note and stick it to your fridge. Every time you open the fridge, you’ll see it. And it will be more helpful if you write it in large, visible fonts and if your fridge isn’t clustered with many notes.
Alternatively, get a good reminder app for your phone that will alert you when it’s time for a different activity. When your kids tell you important events that you must attend, create a reminder immediately before you forget.
Seek Treatment
Parents with ADHD who seek treatment can better navigate their parenting and workplace responsibilities. ADHD medication can help you regain focus, making you more productive on a busy day. In addition to drugs, you can also seek behavior therapy to help you learn how to control your emotions. Seeking treatment doesn’t add to your pile of things to do: you can attend online appointments from home when free.
Parenting with Adhd: The Bottom Line
Parenting with ADHD, you can face challenges raising your kids. Sometimes you’ll make mistakes, but the important thing is to keep trying. The above tips will help you overcome some of the negative results of ADHD symptoms. As you implement those strategies, don’t forget to seek ADHD treatment. Taking medications can help you regain focus, and speaking to a behavioral therapist can help you regain control of your emotions.