Holiday Calm for ADHD Families: A Simple Parent Plan

Host & Guest: Kate Brownfield, Certified Whole Person & ADHD Parent Coach

Episode Description

Hi, it’s Kate Brownfield from ADHDKidsCanThrive.com. In this solo episode, I’m talking directly to you, the parent who wants the holidays to feel a little less chaotic and a lot more grounded for your ADHD child and your family.

The holidays can be gorgeous and fun… and they can also be really hard. Extra noise, broken routines, travel, sugar, relatives, expectations, it all adds up, especially for a sensitive ADHD nervous system (yours and your child’s). In this conversation, I walk you through simple, doable ways to lower the volume on holiday overwhelm and build a plan that actually protects everyone’s capacity.

My hope is that this episode feels like a steady hand on your shoulder and gives you a few concrete, compassionate tools you can start using right away.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why holidays feel “louder” for ADHD families
  How excitement, uncertainty, and social demands overstimulate ADHD nervous systems and why that’s not a parenting failure.

• Three daily anchors to protect regulation
  A simple “map the day” framework that protects sleep, screens, and movement without turning your home into a military schedule.

• Getting extended family on the same page (without drama)
  How to kindly give relatives a clear role in a cozy connection, rather than acting as behavior police, and use short, simple limits with your child.

• Making the day visible for your ADHD child
  Using checklists, visual schedules, and quick previews helps your child know what’s coming and what’s expected versus what's unexpected.

• The 60-second spike reset for you and your child
  A quick reset you can use when emotions spike: one long breath, one next step, one tiny, concrete choice.

• Planning for expected fidgeting and big feelings
  How to meet your child where they are developmentally, and give them a plan for restlessness, boredom, or sibling conflict.

If You Need More Support

If you’re heading into a hard season or you want a clearer plan, you can always find me at ADHDKidsCanThrive.com for education, coaching, and tools to support your ADHD child and your family.

If this episode is helpful, please share it with another parent who might need a little steadiness and support this holiday season.

Wishing you and your ADHD kiddo a warm, gentle, and truly happy holiday.