As a parent, you might ask, “What is it like to have ADHD?”The estimated number of children aged 3–17 years ever diagnosed with ADHD, according to a national survey of parents, is 6 million (9.8%) To help your neurodivergent kids, it’s important to understand their experiences. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through a day in the life of a child with ADHD. You’ll learn about their challenges and strengths and how you can support them with tools like Goally.
Table of Contents
Morning: Getting Ready for the Day
Kids with ADHD often find mornings tough. Waking up, getting dressed, and finishing their morning routine can be hard. Being patient is important. Your child isn’t trying to make mornings hard on purpose. Their brain works differently.
Here’s how you can help:
- Make a regular routine
- Use charts or checklists as reminders
- Give gentle reminders and support
- Allow extra time for changes
Goally can be a great tool to help establish routines and provide visual reminders for your child. Here is a FREE printable morning routine chart.
School: Learning and Making Friends
At school, kids with ADHD face many challenges. They might need help with focusing, staying organized, and controlling their actions. So, what is it like to have ADHD at school? A typical day might include having trouble paying attention in class, finding it hard to stay organized, getting distracted, and acting without thinking, which can make it hard to make friends.
You can help your child by talking to their teachers and asking for changes that make learning easier, like sitting closer to the teacher or getting extra time on tests. Goally can also be a helpful tool for keeping track of assignments and staying organized.
After School: Fun and Structure
After school, kids with ADHD need time to relax. But they also need activities that help them use their energy and learn social skills. Balance is key. Your child needs time to relax, but too much free time can make them bored and more likely to act without thinking.
Here are some ideas:
- Encourage playing outside or doing sports
- Sign them up for activities they enjoy
- Make time for homework with short breaks
- Create a regular after-school routine
Read more: Goodbye Bedtime Battles
Evening: Getting Ready for Bed
Bedtime can be hard for kids with ADHD. They might have trouble calming down and falling asleep. Good sleep is important for kids with ADHD. It helps them focus, feel better, and do well in their daily life.
To help your child sleep better, try:
- Having a calming bedtime routine
- Limiting screen time before bed
- Teaching relaxation techniques, like deep breathing
- Making their sleep space comfortable and quiet
Try Goally For Your Child With ADHD
Goally helps kids with ADHD stay focused and build skills. Unlike a Kindle or an iPad that kids get easily distracted on, Goally has no YouTube, no social media, no web browser, and especially no ads.
Goally uses game play as a points-based motivator for your kiddo with ADHD and helps them learn emotional regulation skills. It’s simple to set up and has an expert-informed design.
Understanding Life with ADHD
So, what is it like to have ADHD? It’s a unique experience with its own challenges and strengths. By knowing what your child goes through every day and giving them the right support, you can help them do their best and be happy. Goally can be a valuable tool in supporting your child’s daily routines and organization. Keep in mind that every child with ADHD is different, and their needs may change as they grow. Be flexible, talk openly, and be ready to change your approach when needed. Together, you and your child can handle the world of ADHD and celebrate their unique way of thinking.
This post was originally published on 04/28/2023. It was updated on 08/07/2023.
Goally
We help parents teach their kids life skills, like doing bedtime and morning independently. Backed by science, we incorporate evidence-based practices and expert-informed designs in all of our apps and content.
