5 Things I Remind Myself Daily As an ADHD Mom

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Navigating the day as an ADHD mom has its highs and lows. Here are things that a remind myself on a daily basis that help me and our journey.

I haven’t written an update on our ADHD journey in quite some time. While I don’t have much of an update, as not much has changed, I had one of those frustrating moments recently where I gave what felt like the millionth reminder of the day and it was still ignored, and I knew I wasn’t the only one going through this. I couldn’t be.

I yelled. I lost it. One can only handle so much, right?

So I opened my laptop and decided to write a few things down that have become mantras, reminders, difficult things to navigate that I just need to learn to live with, on a daily basis.

Writing these down is cathartic in a way, and hearing from other ADHD moms who are navigating similar challenges makes me feel less alone in our journey. However, it doesn’t make them any easier to navigate. Some days are so challenging that I want to scream, while others are smooth and much more easy-going. I never know what I’m going to get when I wake up and do my best to push through without triggering my own anxiety in the process.

5 Things I Remind Myself Daily As an ADHD Mom

Can you relate, mama?

1. I have to understand that what works for me might not work for him.

This is a big one for me. I am an advice-giver. A people pleaser. And a problem-solver. But I also don’t have all the answers. The only information I have to give is about what has worked for me or others through sharing their experiences with me. I’m always trying to help Branden when it comes to his organization and try as I might, most of my advice is fallen on deaf ears. I have to remind myself lately that what works for me or someone else, may not work for Branden. And that is okay.

2. Sometimes he needs to fail in order to succeed.

Point one brings me directly to point two. I have to remind myself that just like I might need to fail at something to figure out a different way of trying or pick myself back up again, the same goes for my dear boy. As he gets older, and now in his teenage years, he’s being molded into the person he is going to be for the rest of his life. Sometimes this means me stepping aside, and letting him do things his way. If he fails, it will teach him how to overcome failure.

3. The reminders will always be never-ending.

This is something that I too often let get the best of me. I always find myself telling my husband “but, I’ve been reminding him until I’m blue in the face!” This isn’t going to change…ever. As much as I wish I didn’t have to repeat myself over and over again, these daily reminders will always be coming out of my mouth.

4. Communication with school is so important.

Does anyone else get sick of constantly seeing the school’s phone number pop up on your phone quite regularly? As annoying as it is because most of the time seeing that number causes an instant pit in my stomach to form, it is essential. I will also say that this year Branden has an amazing IEP teacher who keeps in constant communication with me about all of the good things, too. Hearing the positive, mixed in with the negative, has helped ease my mind whenever I see an email or phone call coming through.

5. Trust him.

As Branden is getting older I see so many positive changes in him. But as a mom, I’m still conditioned to overcompensate or plan for dealing with all of his ADHD quirks. Recently, he’s been getting extra grouchy in the morning whenever I call him down to catch the bus, saying, “I know, mom.” Then one day, I got caught up in work and forgot to remind him and he came downstairs on time and made it to the bus on time. Now that we know he is capable of doing this, it’s become something he’s in charge of and one less this on my plate.