Q: “Mornings are stressful for my entire family. My teen son, who has ADHD, doesn’t seem to notice that the clock is ticking.
I drop him off at school, but I risk running late for work because of how long it takes him to move along. I end up rushing him most mornings, which I know makes him anxious and inevitably stresses all of us out.
How can we break the cycle?”The morning rush is hard on many families, especially when attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is present. (I should know, as a parent with ADHD raising teens with ADHD.) Rushing your child, even if it’s well-intentioned, undoubtedly adds to the morning stress and may influence how the rest of their day looks.ADHD is associated with time blindness, so it’s not unusual for your son to have difficulty “sensing” the passage of time, which may help explain morning delays.
That said, it doesn’t excuse being late to school, and, in your case, being late for work. Try the following strategies to make mornings as stress-free as possible:[Free Download: The Morning Survival Guide for ADHD Families]The content for this article was derived, in part, from the ADDitude ADHD Experts webinar titled, “Anxiety in Children: Overlooked Signs and Effective Supports” [Video Replay & Podcast #401],” with Caroline Buzanko, Ph.D., which was broadcast on May 19, 2022.SUPPORT ADDITUDE Thank you for reading ADDitude.