💡 Why downtime turns into wasted time & how to fix it for good

Your son or daughter with ADHD isn’t lazy.
They’re just out of fuel.

After seven hours of pushing through the school day, their brain has spent all its energy forcing focus and following directions. So when they walk in the door after school, what looks like defiance is often depletion.

If your afternoons drift into wasted time, nagging, and emotional storms, this week’s short video will help you turn that chaos into calm.

You’ll learn three science-backed strategies that work with the ADHD brain instead of against it:

1️⃣ Soft Choices

The ADHD brain runs on interest, not duty.
Give your teen choices that are all “parent-approved,” so they feel ownership and momentum.

“Would you rather unload or load the dishwasher?”
“Do you want to start with Math or English tonight?”

Try this: make a list of 10 chores, and let them choose 5. Suddenly, the 5 chores become their own ideas—and far more likely to get done.

2️⃣ Routine Is Queen 👑

Because of time blindness, ADHD teens don’t sense time passing.
Help by externalizing time—use a notebook or time-blocking template to plan after-school hours.

Then collaborate. When your teen helps design the routine, they’re much more likely to follow it. Pair it with a Pomodoro timer (25 min on, 5 min off) to smooth transitions and reduce resistance.

3️⃣ Gamify Everything 🎮

ADHD brains light up with novelty and reward.
Use simple "If–Then" challenges to make chores feel like games:

If I finish vacuuming in one Pomodoro, then I get 10 minutes of screen time.

Immediate, attainable rewards build motivation—and FUN!

✨ Remember:

• Choices are gold.

• Routine creates peace.

• Gamifying makes it all stick.