Why Getting Out the Door Feels Like an Olympic Sport

🏃♀️ Why Getting Out the Door Feels Like an Olympic Sport

(When You’re Parenting ADHD Kids)

If you’ve ever felt like mornings should come with a coach, a stopwatch, and maybe even a gold medal ceremony… you’re in good company.

Because let’s be real: getting out the door with ADHD kids can feel like training for the Olympics. There are hurdles (missing shoes), sprints (we’re late again!), and even the occasional long jump (usually over a pile of backpacks).

But here’s the good news: you’re not alone and there are ways to make this daily event a little less… extreme.

🎒 Why It’s So Hard (The ADHD Brain in Action)

For ADHD kids, mornings are tough because they’re a perfect storm of:

Transitions (hard for ADHD brains).
Time blindness (“5 minutes” = no sense at all).
Distractions (squirrels everywhere 🐿️).
Executive function overload (planning, organizing, remembering).

What looks like resistance is really their brain struggling to juggle 10 invisible balls at once.

🧦 Real-Life Example

You say: “Shoes on, we’re leaving in 5 minutes.”
They hear: “Blah blah blah… ooo, Legos!”
Cue the meltdown when you’re standing at the door with keys in hand.

🛠️ How to Make It Easier

1. Visual Routines Beat Words

Instead of repeating yourself 100 times, use a Morning Routine Chart.
✅ Picture steps: get dressed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, grab backpack.
✅ Let them check off each step → builds independence and reduces nagging.

2. Make Time Visible

Time blindness is real. Try:
⏰ Timers or countdown clocks.
🎶 Music cues → one song to get dressed, one for brushing teeth, one for “out the door.”

3. Prep Like a Pro

Future You will always thank Present You if you prep the night before.

Clothes laid out 👕
Backpacks packed 🎒
Lunches ready 🍎

4. Add Playfulness

ADHD brains thrive on novelty + fun.

Race against the timer (“Can you beat the 3-minute challenge?”).
“Mission Impossible” music while putting on shoes.
Gold stars, silly dances, or even a “Leaving the House Victory Song.”

💛 Final Word

Getting out the door with ADHD kids isn’t about discipline or perfection. It’s about creating routines that match how their brains actually work — with structure, visuals, and a sprinkle of fun.

So tomorrow morning, instead of feeling like a frazzled coach, picture yourself as the team captain. You’ve got this. And hey — every day you make it out the door (even if socks are mismatched), you deserve a medal too. 🥇💛