Have you ever watched popcorn pop? It’s random, chaotic, and flies all over the place. This is very much a picture of what’s happening inside the minds of children with ADHD. Their ADHD can make it difficult for them to create order out of their thoughts and impulses.
Parenting a child with ADHD means working tirelessly to help them contain those random “kernels” so that they can have success in their daily lives and make the most of their positive attributes. While it’s not always easy to parent a child with ADHD, these 5 lifesavers can help you calm the chaos.
1. Set alarms and timers…
…because the concept of time is lost otherwise. A child with ADHD becomes quickly focused on anything more interesting than the task at hand. Getting my own child with ADHD to focus on finishing her breakfast each morning requires cunning and coffee (for me, not her). Kids with ADHD immerse themselves in the things that are of high interest to them. So whatever seems mundane, like a schedule or the need to be somewhere at a certain time, holds little importance. Setting alarms for bath time, homework, and bedtime is critical to keep them from getting lost in things that are more fun or interesting. But setting the alarm is only one part of the process. You have to make it clear when you set it that the sound means it’s time to move on to another task. Be available when the alarm sounds so you can help guide your child to the next task.
2. Post visible checklists…
…because they cut down on questions and the need for constant reminders. A child with ADHD feels a deep need for freedom and dislikes it when that sense of freedom is undermined. Researchers call this need “self-determination.” The Institute of Child Psychology suggests using checklists in visible locations that outline steps for tasks to give children with ADHD more independence. Checklists give my daughter the freedom to roam about life without Mom breathing down her neck. Checklists with tasks to complete before school, after school, before bed, and in between leave children feeling more in control and parents less harried.
3. Provide personal calendars…
…because they foster a strong sense of independence. Parenting a child with ADHD requires creativity. Younger children struggling with ADHD benefit from verbal rundowns of their calendar of activities or visual activity schedules. Researchers say visual activity schedules “can include pictures, drawings, photographs, or a set of images that cue” children so they can “complete their activity or assignment.” Children with ADHD can thrive if they know what is expected of them in the day ahead. iMOM has free printable calendars you can use.
4. Build in time cushions…
…because time is a commodity. Parenting a child with ADHD involves helping your child with time management. Even with checklists, schedules, timers, and alarms, time awareness is still difficult for children with ADHD—though those strategies can help. Creating time cushions is another solution. If you notice it takes an extra 10 minutes to find and put on shoes, add that buffer to your schedule. Your child will feel less rushed, and you won’t feel quite as harassed by the ever-present clock.
5. Give them an outlet…
…because that energy needs somewhere to go. Some children with ADHD resemble a bottle of soda shaken vigorously. From the moment they awake, their pent-up energy needs an outlet. If that energy has nowhere to go, it’s only a matter of time before something explodes. A study released in 2025 found that physical activities are a way to channel that excess energy. Depleted stores of excess energy lead to quicker and smoother transitions into nighttime routines like dinner, bath, and bedtime.
Parenting a child with ADHD is all about keeping the popcorn as contained as possible. A few kernels will spill out occasionally. It can’t be helped. But helping your child learn how to navigate life while also decreasing the stress in your day can be a real lifesaver for you and your child.
What do you do to manage the time and energy of a child with ADHD?
