taming the tornado with checklists

Because Who Needs Chaos Anyway?

It’s morning and my two ADHDers need to get to school.  And I need to get to work.  And 20 minutes before the bus is supposed to be there, one kid is missing their pants, another is camped in front of the tv and I realized, neither of you are even close to being ready.  Worse?  I had zero idea what they needed to do to get done. 

So, I started barking orders in the least ADHD-friendly (but very mom I-will-put-you-on-the-bus-in-your-underwear friendly) way. 

Me: put your pants on, wait have you packed your water bottle?  Wait, why are you still not in pants?

My kid:  You keep telling me to do different things.  Which one am I supposed to do? 

Me: %$&**(&^ (under my breath, but probably loud enough for them and the neighbors to hear).

And that was the beginning of my quest to reclaim the morning.  We do the same thing every day.  For years. 

So why can’t we get out of the house?

There are a thousand reasons, not the least of which is that I too have ADHD so I decided to figure out how those mornings could go smoother.  Because once the chaos of getting out the door ended, it took me all this time to recover so I could get to work. So true to my ADHD nature, I decided to work smarter not harder.   

Enter the checklist.  It actually just started with me writing down what we needed to get done in the morning. I love a good list- not because I’m organized.  Quite the opposite.  It takes the thoughts swirling in my head and puts them somewhere else. 

Then it hit me.  We just need a list to follow so everyone knows what they’re supposed to be doing next.

So I made a checklist.  With boxes to check off and everything!  The next morning I promptly handed them to my kids and said, here you go.  Start at the top and move down. Wouldn’t you know? It worked.  Frightening well.  And not just for them.  For me too. 

I could visually see what was left. Which was a thousand times easier than asking an ADHD who is hyperfocused on their Minecraft build to tell me. 

And it’s STILL working. 

Over a year later.  Which, in ADHD time is about 10 years.  We ADHDers love shiny new things, but get bored with said shiny new things a  couple weeks in (I’m talking to you Bullet Journal).

So why does it work?

Because Predictability is a Breath of Fresh Air! Picture this: a kid who can't remember whether they're coming or going, tasked with using a checklist to keep track of their morning. It's like providing a GPS for the mind – a way to navigate the ADHD maze.

Some Benefits of Using Checklists for ADHD Kids (No Joke, They're Kind of Awesome):

1.     Enhanced Focus: Miraculously, watching a kid engage with a checklist is like watching a squirrel pause to contemplate its acorn collection. It's almost serene.

2.     Improved Time Management: Who needs a time-turner when you've got a checklist? Say goodbye to the hours lost in a vortex of aimless distractions.

3.     Reduced Anxiety: Imagine the tranquility of knowing exactly what needs to be done, without the looming specter of forgotten tasks. It's like zen for the brain.

4.     Increased Independence: Children taking charge of their own tasks? It's like witnessing a butterfly emerge from its chaotic cocoon.

5.     Consistency and Routine: The checklist routine: a calming dance of organized steps that makes even the most tumultuous days feel somewhat stable.

6.     Communication Aid: Can't find your child? Just follow the breadcrumb trail of completed checkmarks. It's like a treasure map leading to peace of mind.

Creating Your "Calming" Checklist:

1.     Keep it Simple: Keep sentences concise, like a master chef crafting a delicate dish. Because simplicity is the secret sauce to an organized life.

2.     Break Tasks Down: Transform daunting tasks into manageable bites. It's like turning a mountain into a collection of pebbles – suddenly, climbing becomes achievable. No, “get ready.” Instead: get dressed, brush teeth, comb hair, etc.

3.     Prioritize: Highlight essential tasks to give them the attention they deserve. It's like giving VIP status to tasks, and who doesn't want to be a task VIP?

4.     Dopamine Burst: We ADHDers are low on the stuff. But it’s pretty necessary to get started on mundane or routine tasks.  Know what increases dopamine?  Checking off something on a checklist.  Think about how good you feel when you cross it off your list (c’mon, I know you add stuff to your lists that are done so you can cross them off). The same is true for kids with ADHD.  And, bonus, it doesn’t require them to remember anything. 

I can’t promise that the checklist will help your kid find their pants. Or that one shoe.  BUT, I do know that it will change how your mornings go. 

Don’t know where to start?  Get my free checklist here. It’s editable, with lots of extra lines to add those previously accomplished tasks!