What ADHD Really Looks Like at Home: Our Day in Real Life

When people hear "ADHD", they often picture a child bouncing off the walls, zoning out in class, or tearing up the class. But for us it's really not that simple. ADHD in our home looks like bursts of creativity, sudden tears, random dance breaks and singing, loud uncontrollable laughter, and deep focus on Roblox one minute--and complete distraction the next. And that includes me too lol.

That is one of the many things my daughter and I have in common. Coming to grips with her being diagnosed was a reality check for me. Especially coming from a background where conditions like this are not recognized and are often dismissed. However, I had no idea what having a child with ADHD would look like or how to handle it.

Mornings are loud. All day is loud really lol. My alarm goes off at 5am and I try to get some quiet time before my kids wake up. Some days are met with singing and twirling while getting dressed or an occasional sneak and hide with the iPad. Other days we are on a scavenger hunt for jackets, shoes and last-minute grabs right before walking out the door.

Homework time is unpredictable. Sometimes we breeze through it. Other times, every pencil is suddenly "wrong", or the eraser isn't right, or she needs 6 snack breaks or bathroom runs to finish one assignment. Many times, homework sessions are met with frustration, irritation and even tears. But tell her to draw an anime character or any other character and she's completely locked in.

Evenings are a roller coaster. We alternate between hysterical laughter over silly TikTok dances and managing meltdowns over who gets to shower first. Constant sibling spats and an endless rendition of me repeating myself to put on pajamas or get in bed. Structure helps-- but so does flexibility, humor, and deep breaths.

ADHD doesn't look the same every day, and that's okay. What matters is that she's learning to understand herself--and I am learning too.