Getting a house full of children and adults ready for the day is daunting as it is. The amount of distractions, negotiations, and chores is only amplified when there is a child or adult with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Here are some useful tips for managing an ADHD morning routine for adults and children.

Why an ADHD Morning Routine is So Important

Starting the day off right is essential for everybody, regardless if they have ADHD. Think about those mornings where the kids threw up, or you spilled coffee all over your outfit, or the dog pooped in your shoe. These disruptions set the tone for a chaotic day.

Bumps will inevitably pop up, but you need firm structure to revert you back on track. That’s where a morning routine becomes handy. Having the foundational knowledge of all the tasks you need to accomplish will help you get ahead of the challenges.

In an interview with Forbes, productivity author Benjamin Stall explained, “When you start your morning with intention, you can bring your morning ‘wins’ with you into the rest of the day.”

After all, research shows that creating a habit is crucial for health. Our cells are on a biological clock that relies on an ADHD morning routine just as much as adults or children with ADHD do.

Hyperactivity is caused by nerve cells. So, we must do everything in our power to ensure that cell metabolism is running smoothly. Getting into a morning ADHD routine will help brain cells work more efficiently and set everybody up for a productive day.

Tips on Creating Morning Routines for Children with ADHD

Creating successful morning routines for kids with ADHD can be an exhausting experience for an adult. However, it’s pivotal if the parent ever hopes to get a little self-care in or to work on time. Here are some tips to help make the process smoother.

Create a Morning Routine for Kids with ADHD

First things first, you need to create a schedule. Grab a pen and paper and write down what the ideal timetable would be to get your child up, fed, brushed, dressed, and out of the house!

Knowing the pivotal benchmarks are essential for navigating the bumps along the way. This knowledge base will also help you determine if you need more or less time to get ready. Managing your expectations with reality will help you devise a fool-proof ADHD child morning routine.

Get the Right Supplies

Now that you have your expectations, you must share them with your child. They need a visual representation. Make them a chart outlining your morning routine benchmarks. 

You must engage with your child to get them on board. Find ways to have them interact with the chores. Buy colorful magnets and write the benchmarks on them. 

Put them in a “To Do” column. Once your child has completed part of their morning routine, they can move it over to “Done.”

Instead of magnets, you can try a reward system. Have your child place a popcorn kernel in a tiny jar every time they complete a task. Once the jar is full, it’s movie night with their choice of popcorn toppings! 

Your child is an individual. You know what makes tedious tasks fun for them. Embrace their spirit and get the right supplies to keep them on track.

Plan for Tomorrow Today

Sometimes keeping your child on task with their ADHD morning routine checklist is enough in the morning. Take time the night before to prepare for the next day.

Use the quiet time while your child is sleeping to put together lunches. Lay out their clothes and inspect if they need ironing. Be sure their homework is already in their bookbag. Little things you do today will save you a ton of time tomorrow.

Don’t Rush It

Creating a habit takes time. So, don’t jump in with both feet right away. Monumental changes can be devastating for your child.

Start implementing the new schedule slowly. Bring it up as a discussion first. They might oppose but try to keep your little one open-minded. 

Use words like, “Let’s try and see how it goes.” Don’t make them feel boxed into a corner. Once again, implementing a reward system may prove beneficial.

No TV

Don’t create distractions for your child. Make sure that the television isn’t on as they get ready for their day. Your child already doesn’t want to leave. 

A television gives them a momentary escape. Plus, the content might be so captivating that your child might lose track of their ADHD morning routine.

A Good Morning Routine for Kids with ADHD

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to crafting an ADHD morning routine for a child. However, there are a few useful things you can do. Here’s a solid routine that can set your child (and yourself) up for success.

Let Them Choose Things The Night Before

Just as parents should prep for their child’s morning routine, kids should have some input too. Your child wants to feel a part of the process. Allow them that opportunity. Just do it the night before!

Let your child express themselves by picking out their clothes the night before. Have them give a hand in prepping their next day’s lunch. Allow them to choose which book bag they’re going to bring. Little victories for them can go great lengths in easing your child into a new routine.

Get Up At The Same Time Every Day

Structure and repetition are important for any human to create a successful morning regimen. It’s crucial for a child with ADHD. 

Figure out the perfect time to get them up and let that be the one constant in your ADHD child morning routine. Again, rewarding your child with an incentive like putting popcorn kernels in a jar might make waking up a more pleasant experience. 

There are a few factors to consider when picking the ideal wakeup time:

• How Much Sleep Your Child Gets
• How Long It Takes For Them to Get Out Bed
• How Long It Takes to Get Out of the House

Of course, you also need to take moments of sanity for yourself. So, if you can create a morning routine that allows you five minutes of solitude, take it! Please take your “time-outs” into consideration as well!

Healthy Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It provides the body with the energy necessary to power through the day. Set your child up for success with a healthy breakfast.

There’s plenty of research that suggests that artificial colorings and other additives may impact a child’s hyperactivity. Try to give them foods that will promote healthy brain activity.

Brain-boosting foods in the morning include:

• Eggs
• Avocados
• Fruits
• Whole Grain Waffles
• Free-Range Sausage
• Yogurt

Try to use as many whole foods grown with organic practices as possible. Every bite your child takes causes chemical reactions in the body. Opt for foods that have a proven track record of boosting brainpower.

Grooming

A child needs to get dressed, brush their teeth, and comb their hair. Others might require a shower or have skin issues that require extensive lotioning. Everyone is unique, and there is enough time in the day for every person’s needs to be met.

We take for granted how quickly we can get ready. Our child might need more nurturing. Factor each task into your time table. Also, split the grooming up. 

Your child might feel anxious getting showered, dressed, and brushed all at once. Try showering them between waking up and breakfast. Follow breakfast with getting dressed. Have a mini dance party, and then brush their teeth.

Hugs and Kisses

Keeping your child on an ADHD morning routine can be difficult. It’s easy to lose your temper. Don’t. They’re going through enough internally. Your child doesn’t need to worry that their behavior is upsetting you. 

Compliment and encourage your loved one each time they complete a task. Also, be sure to show your kid plenty of affection. They’re adjusting to this routine, too. Positive reinforcement and love will help them feel comfortable with their new morning habits.

An Excellent Morning Routine for Adults with ADHD

Many of the suggestions outlined in our ADHD morning routine checklist for children can carry over to adults. However, adults have unique needs from their kids. Responsibilities are different, which might make crafting a morning routine more challenging. Here are a few morning routine tips for adults with ADHD.

Stay Away from the Phone

Social media and the news are two of the biggest detractors on a successful morning routine for adults with ADHD. Besides using your phone for an alarm, pay it no other mind. Don’t become overstimulated in an already stimulating world. 

Save your social media use for after work hours or your lunch break. You have to focus on the day ahead and the goals you’re looking to achieve. Everything else is just noise that complicates the desired outcome.

Get Your Feet on the Ground Immediately

Nothing is more dangerous than a game of Snooze Button Roulette. Consistently hitting snooze isn’t going to get your more sleep points in. It’s actually going to harm the body.

Each time you hit snooze, your body’s sleep cycle starts over. Just as you’re about to fall asleep again, you get shaken from your sleep by a loud buzzing noise. You’re just stressing the system out and inevitably poking the bear that is your hyperactivity. 

As soon as your alarm goes off, sit up. Put your feet on the ground and start your ADHD morning routine.

Healthy Breakfast, Upgraded

Much like a child with ADHD, breakfast is very important. You have a more sophisticated pallet than a little one. So, there are more brain-boosting options you might want to consider.

Fill your plate with:

• Salmon
• Sprouted Grains
• Quiche
• Protein Muffins
• Porridge
• Sweet Potatoes

Make sure to eat plenty of complex carbohydrates. You need your healthy gut bacteria to consume the dietary fibers in these foods. When healthy, these stomach bacteria will stimulate your vagus nerve, which improves communication throughout the brain.

Drink Less Caffeine

Many of us can’t imagine starting our day without coffee. However, this popular stimulant can add more anxiety to an already hyperactivity person. 

Try starting your morning off with lemon water. Drink it on an empty stomach to provide your gut with precious electrolytes. These ionic compounds will kickstart your metabolism, helping you fire on all cylinders.  It’s also an excellent source of natural energy.

If you drink caffeine, try to limit your intake. Switch over to a herbal tea or decaf coffee in the middle of the day. Otherwise, you might experience jitters or wandering thoughts.

Exercise

Set your day and health up for success with daily exercise. Exercise is an excellent way to get endorphins pumping throughout the body. These brain chemicals can improve your mood and help you maintain a positive outlook when ADHD symptoms pop up. 

You will also feel naturally energized after a good workout. This benefit can help you wean off the coffee that might exasperate your hyperactivity.

All-Natural Supplements

There’s a lot of stress that goes into starting your day. The uncertainty of work emails, your child struggling in school, or relationship issues may all weigh heavily. Your mind might need some support to get through the day.

All-natural supplements like Focusene are an excellent way to kickstart a morning routine for adults with ADHD. Focusene contains all-natural botanicals, such as dandelion and forskolin. 

These natural ingredients help boost levels of cAMP in the brain. cAMP is responsible for maintaining neural pathways so that communication is efficient throughout the system.

This proprietary formula also contains amino acids, Phenylalanine and L-Theanine. These essential nutrients are precursors to dopamine and GABA, respectively. 

With more dopamine and GABA actively available, our body won’t default to producing our stress hormone, cortisol. That way, we’re less likely to be overwhelmed by obstacles and procrastinate.

How to Start an ADHD Morning Routine

Finding an ADHD morning routine might take some time. But it’s worth it to help set you up for the day and handle whatever happens. 

When you make these lifestyle changes, go slow. There’s a lot of uncertainty and racing thoughts in a person’s mind who has ADHD. Sudden changes can heighten these symptoms and make the transition more difficult.

ADHD is just a fraction of who a person is. They can still live a healthy, happy, and purposeful life with a little structure and lots of consistency. Following the right ADHD morning routine checklist for you or your loved one is the first step for everyone to meet their goals.

Key Takeaways:

• Morning routines set everybody up for success.
• Parents of kids with ADHD should plan for their ADHD child morning routine the night before.
• Visual cues like lists should be a major factor in crafting a morning routine for kids with ADHD.
• The ideal morning routine for adults with ADHD has less social media and caffeine, but healthier foods and exercise.