Let me start with this: I have ADHD. Always have. And now, as fate would have it, I’m raising a child with ADHD—my son. When the diagnosis came, it wasn’t a shock. The signs were there—impulsivity, trouble focusing, the infamous energy bursts at 9 PM when it’s clearly bedtime. But as I looked at him, bouncing a fidget cube from hand to hand while half-listening to the doctor, I saw myself at his age. I knew exactly what was going on in that brain of his.
Now, we’re not anti-medication in this house. I’ve used meds myself, and I’m not here to judge any parent who goes that route. But for us, right now, we wanted to try everything we could before reaching for a prescription pad. Maybe you're in that same boat. So I want to share a few things that have worked for us—some trial and error, some researched, and a lot of “Dad intuition.”
If ADHD brains thrive on anything, it’s structure—and ironically, we’re the first to rebel against it. But I’ve found that a clear, predictable schedule helps my son (and me) stay grounded. Morning routines, set homework times, evening wind-down rituals—all these reduce the mental clutter and make the day feel more manageable.
Pro Dad Tip: Make your routines flexible enough to allow for hiccups but consistent enough that they become automatic. Think “same dance, different music.”
ADHD isn’t just about mental focus—it’s about the body needing to move. I call it “overflow.” My son’s brain is so full of thoughts that his limbs just have to express the excess. Sometimes he's practically bouncing off the walls just to explain a thought.
We’ve embraced this by working in movement breaks. After homework? Time on the trampoline. Reading time? Let him sit upside down on the couch. PE class doesn’t cut it for a child with ADHD—they need constant movement integrated throughout the day.
Bonus: We added sports events every Monday as well as Sunday, and it’s been incredible for building focus, discipline, and confidence. I think next up for little man is martial arts classes.
I’m not about to suggest some strict elimination diet that makes you miserable, but we did start paying attention to how certain foods affected focus and behavior. Artificial dyes and excess sugar? Red flags. Protein-heavy breakfasts? Solid gold.
We didn’t go gluten-free or cut out every treat—but we got smarter about food as fuel. And I let him help plan meals, which gives him agency and makes him more mindful. This is, of course, a learning process for everyone in my household as we have admittedly not been great in this regard.
Now, ADHD and sitting still don’t usually mix. But mindfulness doesn’t mean sitting like a monk. We’ve used short breathing exercises, counting exercises, and even simply asked him how he is feeling before bed to help him get in touch with his emotions.
One favorite is the “5-4-3-2-1” grounding technique when he’s overwhelmed—name 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, etc. It brings him (and me!) back to earth.
There’s no shame in using what works. We’ve used:
When I was his age, I just got labeled the “distracted” kid. Now we have tools—let’s use them.
This one’s huge and I cannot stress its importance enough. I’ve had to work on managing my own ADHD more intentionally so I can model it for him. When I forget something, I don’t get mad—I show him how I regroup. When I feel overwhelmed, I say it out loud and walk him through how I handle it. Don't just ask your child to clean, but schedule time with them to clean together.
He needs to see that ADHD isn’t a curse—it’s just a different operating system. And that you can do awesome things with it. Sometimes this doesn't go perfectly, but he also knows I am human and we are both constantly working on it.
At the end of the day, ADHD kids hear way too much about what they can’t do. So we make it a point to celebrate what he can do. He’s great at creative storytelling, has a weirdly good memory for video games, and is a great older brother.
We build around those strengths, not just patch up weaknesses. That mindset shift makes a world of difference.
Raising a child with ADHD without medication is not the “easy way” or the “natural way” or any other oversimplified label—it’s just a way. It takes effort, empathy, and a whole lot of experimenting. But when your kid starts to thrive on their own terms—when they find their rhythm and realize that their brain isn’t broken—it’s the best feeling in the world.
So if you’re a parent navigating this wild ride, just know—you’re not alone. And if you’ve got ADHD too? Well, welcome to the club. We may forget where we put the keys, but we never forget how much our kids need us to believe in them.
Stay curious, stay flexible, and never stop thinking outside the Bunn.
