How many times have you questioned whether you are a “good mom”? In the last 2 months, I’ve asked myself this at least 4000 times. This summer did not go as expected which made me doubt if I’m being a good mom. Am I spending enough time with my boys? Am I putting my phone down and paying attention when they talk? Am I making my kids a priority over endless stress and anxious thoughts swirling around my head?  Here’s some wise advice I received recently from an older, more experienced mom, on how to deal with challenging decisions and seasons. Plus, I’m sharing what is working for me to keep my head above the water and continue paddling (upstream) right now.  For more emotional regulation support so you can feel like you’ve got this even when life feels like you’re paddling upstream, join me at the Create the Calm all-inclusive luxury weekend retreat or for the next round of small group ADHD coaching.  Retreat registration closes TODAY, August 31st!  The next round of group coaching starts September 14, 2023. Find links to everything mentioned in this episode & read the transcript here:  https://www.patriciasung.com/podcast/episode-204-how-to-be-a-good-mom READY TO GET AWAY?  Our annual ADHD Moms Luxury Weekend Retreat is coming up October 6-8, 2023 in Houston, Texas! You're officially invited :)  “Gift yourself the opportunity to meet like-minded people (literally), make instant friendships, and the space to finally be yourself.” –ADHD Mama T.H.  I’ll take care of all the details - you simply show up and enjoy.  Put it on your calendar now. Because you deserve to take care of yourself too. Grab your all-inclusive ticket here: https://www.patriciasung.com/adhd-mom-retreat

Are you juggling 6,358 things?  If life’s been a little too much today or in general, let’s talk. I’m hanging on for dear life as things get next-level chaotic over here in the Sung house… And I haven’t lost my ish on anyone yet! *celebration* Last year, I couldn’t have said that.  I would have yelled at kids or my spouse or both, felt awful about it, and then hid under my covers and as I sunk into shame and guilt. But this year is different. I’m prioritizing different things, and they aren’t fancy or obvious self care ideas. It’s the little things. It’s the tools I’ve built up in my emotional regulation toolbox to take care of myself, which allow me to keep moving forward and get stuff done without shutting down or exploding. Even with a giant weight on your shoulders, you can be mentally present with your family. (You can watch my Instagram stories @motherhoodinadhd for the behind the scenes of the chaos LOL.) Listen in for what’s helping me right now, as I hope it helps you, too. I’m also sharing behind the scenes of the retreat in this episode, because you are invited! Come hang out with me and 8 other mamas next month! You deserve rest, care, and relaxation, too. Because taking care of yourself IS taking care of your family. Learn how to Create the Calm in your life at this year’s luxury retreat for ADHD Moms.  Find links to everything mentioned in this episode & read the transcript here: https://www.patriciasung.com/podcast/episode-203-create-the-calm-retreat-adhd-lesser-known-ways-to-reduce-stress-for-moms  You’re not alone. “This is a chance to invest in yourself and build a community that will empower your future. Worth it!” –ADHD Mama D.B. Our annual ADHD Moms Luxury Weekend Retreat is coming up October 6-8, 2023 in Houston, Texas! And we hope you’re coming, too! I’ll take care of all the details - you simply show up and enjoy. Put it on your calendar now. Having a circle of moms who support you and believe in you matters. Register for your all-inclusive ticket here:  https://www.patriciasung.com/adhd-mom-retreat

“My partner says I’m using my ADHD as an excuse. They’re not really understanding ADHD at all or how it affects me!”  You shared your relationship struggles and you’re not the only one! Today’s guest, Melissa Orlov, answers YOUR questions from my free Facebook group. We discuss ADHD as an excuse, partners who don’t understand ADHD, communication obstacles between ADHD partners and non-ADHD partners.  We also dive into guilt, shame, trust, coping with RSD (rejection sensitivity dysphoria) when it feels like your partner is constantly criticizing you, how all of this affects intimacy, and life after divorce. Melissa is the founder of ADHDmarriage.com and works with couples impacted by ADHD.  There’s hope for your relationship, too, mama.  Let’s dive into your questions! Links mentioned in this episode : Melissa’s recent read: Barbara Kingsolver's Poisonwood Bible Melissa’s Blog post:  https://www.adhdmarriage.com/content/maybe-just-maybe-adhd-excuse-act-heartless-jerk How to connect with Melissa:  Her website: http://www.ADHDmarriage.com Her instagram:  @adhd_marriage Find links to everything mentioned in this episode & read the transcript here:  https://www.patriciasung.com/podcast/episode-202-Same-Fight-Again-how-to-Improve-Romantic-Relationship-when-Impacted-by-ADHD-with-Melissa Orlov  Stop Medusa Mom in her tracks with these 10 tips to calm down before you lose your cool! Watch (or read) the free video here: https://www.patriciasung.com/calm

How do you explain ADHD to your child?   Start with the Journey with Me Through ADHD, a podcast for kids. Katelyn’s humongous heart for helping kids understand their ADHD is contagious! She knows just how to explain tough or complicated stuff in a digestible manner so kids can feel confident and empowered. Katelyn speaks straight into the heart and mind of kids with ADHD. Helping them learn and understand the way their brain is wired differently and come up with tools and strategies that work best for them. Her podcast is a great conversation tool for trusted adults to use as you navigate this diagnosis alongside your child. In this episode, Katelyn Mabry and I chat about Practice Makes Progress Not Perfect: ADHD and Perfectionism on her podcast, Journey With Me Through ADHD, where Katelyn helps educate, empower, and encourage kids with ADHD and their families to understand their unique minds and discover tools and strategies that will help them thrive day by day. All this while gaining confidence in who they were created to be! "Practice makes perfect" has always been a phrase that drives me bonkers because it's just not true!!! NO ONE is or ever will be perfect! We all make mistakes and then are faced with the choice of how to respond to our mistakes! Who else here struggles with perfectionism? You may even have it and you don't even realize it's a struggle! Often times, kids are asked to "try harder" or are told that they are making "careless mistakes" and over time, this can lead to becoming a perfectionist because of fear of failure or simply not wanting to make a mistake and upset someone. In this episode, you will hear from Patricia Sung, who has ADHD like we do and she is on a mission to help other mamas with ADHD through her podcast titled, "Motherhood in ADHD."  You may be wondering why she's on a podcast for kids with ADHD and the answer is simple...she was a teacher for 7 years to kids from grade 4th-7th and has a passion for sharing her own journey through childhood with ADHD. One of her biggest challenges has been battling being a perfectionist. She shares about the kind of armor she found helpful as an ADHD warrior and uses a great visual of becoming a scientist as we face new things!  Be sure to subscribe to the Journey With Me Through ADHD Podcast. Katelyn Mabry’s website: www.katelynmabry.com Katelyn Mabry’s instagram: @journey_with_me_through_adhd Katelyn Mabry’s Facebook: Katelyn Mabry's ADHD Journey Katelyn Mabry’s Twitter:  @katelyn_mabry While I’m slowing down for the summer, making space for more family time and accounting for our emergency construction project, I simply couldn’t leave you hanging for the next few weeks. And my ADHD brain didn’t want to do another vanilla Best Of series… Cue Light Bulb!  Welcome to the Best Of Friends Series, where you are meeting a few of my favorite friends in the podcast community. I’m sharing interviews that I have done on other friends’ podcasts. Not only do you get a new episode, I hope that you’ll find a few shows to add to your podcast queue. There’s a wide variety of topics coming your way, so keep an eye out for a new friend each week of the summer.  Find links to everything mentioned in this episode & read the transcript here: https://www.patriciasung.com/podcast/episode-201-practice-makes-progress-not-perfect-adhd-perfectionism-journey-with-me-through-adhd-podcast-katelyn-mabry   Struggling to let go of perfectionism? Hop into Successful Mama Meetups because you deserve to make mom friends who are letting go of perfection, too! Join us here: https://www.patriciasung.com/meetup

Have you ever hated your own child?  While you may not want to say it out loud, sometimes parenting is just. so. hard. that this burning hatred overtakes you in a fiery blaze. And when your child is extra… extra needy, extra sensitive, extra different, extra angry, extra aggressive, extra anything, the usual parenting advice doesn’t work.  Maybe you feel like a failure or a terrible mom. Meet Megan Champion, who started her podcast as a “regular mom” who needed to know she was not alone struggling to parent her out-of-the-box child. So she shares stories from other “regular” parents, who are navigating out-of-the-box kids. Megan’s vulnerability and openness is refreshing in a world of glossy Instagram photos. We finally got to meet in person in May and she is just as kind and honest in person as she is online, which is a delight!  In this episode, Megan Champion and I chat about Understanding ADHD in Neurodiverse Kids and Their Parents on her podcast, On The Hard Days, where Megan validates the experience of her listeners through story-telling so that they feel seen, heard, and understood. Today, you’re hearing part of my story as both a mom and as someone with ADHD. Megan shares: Patricia Sung is just the person I needed to talk to. She has ADHD and understands its nuances to a fault. She has her own podcast, Motherhood in ADHD, and is a featured guest speaker in my support group community, Mothers Together. In this episode, she was able to answer so many of my questions. We could've talked for hours longer! Here's just some of the things we discuss: -Postpartum anxiety and the tie to ADHD -The hyper vigilance in recognizing the same diagnosis in our kids as we have -How everyone's ADHD looks different -Building up your ADHD child -Supporting undiagnosed kids by looking for behavioral patterns -Tantrums vs. meltdowns -ADHD and setting parental boundaries Be sure to subscribe to the On The Hard Days podcast.  Megan Champion’s website: www.ontheharddays.com Megan Champion’s instagram: @on.the.hard.days While I’m slowing down for the summer, making space for more family time and accounting for our emergency construction project, I simply couldn’t leave you hanging for the next few weeks. And my ADHD brain didn’t want to do another vanilla Best Of series… Cue Light Bulb!  Welcome to the Best Of Friends Series, where you are meeting a few of my favorite friends in the podcast community. I’m sharing interviews that I have done on other friends’ podcasts. Not only do you get a new episode, I hope that you’ll find a few shows to add to your podcast queue. There’s a wide variety of topics coming your way, so keep an eye out for a new friend each week of the summer.  Find links to everything mentioned in this episode & read the transcript here: https://www.patriciasung.com/podcast/episode-200-understanding-adhd-neurodiverse-kids-parents-on-the-hard-days-megan-champion You’re not alone. “This is a chance to invest in yourself and build a community that will empower your future. Worth it!” –ADHD Mama D.B. Our annual ADHD Moms Luxury Weekend Retreat is coming up October 6-8, 2023 in Houston, Texas! And we hope you’re coming, too!  I’ll take care of all the details - you simply show up and enjoy. Put it on your calendar now. Having a circle of moms who support you and believe in you matters. Register for your all-inclusive ticket here: https://www.patriciasung.com/adhd-mom-retreat

When you've got PMS on steroids, the rage and depression are exponential. Ever hear of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder? They call it PMDD for short, and it's a very real and serious hormonal disorder that affects up to 10% of women! And it’s much more common when paired with ADHD. Symptoms include things like mood swings (aka rage attacks), sadness, anxiety, hopelessness, depression, and even severe panic attacks. Many women with PMDD are either extremely tired or have bouts of insomnia. And then there's excessive crying and other emotional swings. Not to mention all the bloating, gastro issues, food cravings, and possible weight gain. Phew. I need a nap after writing that alone! Today my guest Heidi and I unpack what PMDD is, the symptoms of PMDD, how PMDD can be linked to postpartum issues, and how to talk to your doctor about getting a diagnosis. If you've been following along in 2022, we've talked a lot about menstrual health, hormones, and cycle syncing. We've uncovered numerous ways our menstrual cycle relates to ADHD symptoms in women. It's fascinating and disturbing at the same time. But there is hope, Successful Mama! Heidi Hogarth is a naturopath, a mom of two, and a PMDD survivor. She's on a mission to support women who suffer from PMDD and help them find the best natural health tools so they can get off the hormonal emotional rollercoasters & back to their calm, positive, and loving selves. She's a wealth of knowledge when it comes to understanding symptoms of PMDD. She offers insight into what supplements and dietary changes can help you when you feel like you are suffering from PMDD. A big thank you to Heidi for helping women understand their bodies so they can do what they can to live a happy and healthy life. Find Heidi here: https://fundamentalwellbeing.life/ Follow Heidi on instagram: @heidihogarth_naturopath If you are looking for more resources to help you along in your ADHD journey, grab my free ADHD Mama Toolkit. It’s full of great resources, including support for emotional regulation, taking care of yourself, and a checklist of ADHD symptoms to bring to your diagnosis appointment. Go to patriciasung.com/toolkit. Not only will you be able to download ADHD resources on the spot, but you'll also get more ADHD mom tips right to your inbox. :) Find links to everything mentioned in this episode & read the transcript here: https://www.patriciasung.com/podcast/episode-199-feeling-rage-before-your-period-pms-symptoms-treatment-premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder-adhd-pmdd-heidi-hogarth      Need an Energy Recharge after your unending fickle energy fluctuations, mama? There's a new workshop coming just for Successful Mama Meetup mamas called ADHD Energy Recharge.   I’ll explain how I set up my days to work WITH my “unpredictable” energy fluctuations, so I’m not burnt out, overwhelmed, and canceling last minute plans. You’ll walk away knowing how to uncover your patterns and work with your fickle energy levels, so you can quit guiltily cancelling plans last minute and kick some booty when you're feeling good! Successful Mama Meetups' September theme is all about energy regulation and supporting your natural energy patterns! Come join us! Join us at patriciasung.com/meetup before the workshop goes live and it's yours as a welcome bonus for joining.  With a community of ADHD moms to lift you up when you’re struggling, you’re ready to take a baby step forward, even with ADHD. Part 2 of thiis episode is located in episode 128

When your ADHD is invisible, we can start to feel like maybe we’re making it up… Maybe you aren’t really struggling more than others… Errrrrrrt.  Stop that. Today we’re talking to Christina Crowe about how to make the Invisible Visible. Because ADHD is real even when you can’t SEE its impact on everything. I love Christina’s super practical way of explaining the hard stuff, as well as how she always links her information back to real research and science. In this episode, Christina and I chat about what moms with ADHD really need to know on her podcast, Making the Invisible VISIBLE, where Christine believes great mental health information should be available to everyone, and loves creating content that makes all of the invisible things VISIBLE. Christina Crowe is a Canadian Registered Psychotherapist, clinical supervisor and RELENTLESS mental health advocate. Christina believes great mental health information should be available to everyone, and loves creating content that makes all of the invisible things VISIBLE. This show features Christina’s favorite experts on mental health topics like anxiety, ADHD, relationships, self-advocacy, health system navigation and, of course, the occasional rant. Be sure to subscribe to the Making the Invisible VISIBLE podcast. Christina’s website: https://digalittledeeper.ca/christina-crowe-podcast-ontario.html Christina’s instagram: @digalittledeepertherapy Join Christina’s course, DIY * ADHD Christina was also a guest on my podcast on Episode 143: https://www.patriciasung.com/podcast/episode-143-why-you-choose-to-take-adhd-medication-decide-for-your-child-christina-crowe While I’m slowing down for the summer, making space for more family time and accounting for our emergency construction project, I simply couldn’t leave you hanging for the next few weeks. And my ADHD brain didn’t want to do another vanilla Best Of series… Cue Light Bulb!  Welcome to the Best Of Friends Series, where you are meeting a few of my favorite friends in the podcast community. I’m sharing interviews that I have done on other friends’ podcasts. Not only do you get a new episode, I hope that you’ll find a few shows to add to your podcast queue. There’s a wide variety of topics coming your way, so keep an eye out for a new friend each week of the summer.  This episode includes an affiliate link, which does not change the amount you pay, but may direct a portion of the purchase price to me.  Find links to everything mentioned in this episode & read the transcript here: https://www.patriciasung.com/podcast/episode-198-what-moms-with-adhd-need-to-know-making-the-invisible-visible-christina-crowe Wish you could get a sneak peek before joining? You can! You’re invited to Successful Mama Meetup’s very first Open House! Join us on July 26th for either of our meetups, and meet the other moms, see who you’d hang out with at the retreat, so you know we’re the kinda people you wanna hang out with before you jump in. (hint, we’re pretty amazing IMHO.) No charge, no pressure. Just come hang out at one or both of the events! Let me know you wanna come right here and I’ll send you the zoom link.  And since it's on Zoom, everyone can come no matter what part of the world you live in. And for our mamas in Asia and Australia, the second meetup is on Thursday, July 27th for you.

Laura Froyen, PhD, an advocate for kids and expert in gentle parenting, discusses coping with ADHD as a mom with Patricia Sung on The Balanced Parent Podcast. They cover topics like embracing ADHD, coping with emotional dysregulation, understanding problem behaviors, and redefining motherhood.

“Is this an ADHD thing?” This question comes up a lot! It’s hard to say because there is a wide spectrum on how ADHD symptoms present in your day to day activities. At the same time, there is so much value in knowing you aren’t the only one struggling with something.  In today’s episode, I’m sharing the themes that I see in the symptoms of ADHD in women that I work with so that you can feel comfortable in knowing how ADHD shows up in women in real life. Included in this episode is a checklist of ADHD symptoms that you can fill out and take with you to your doctor appointment, so you can feel confident and prepared to ask about an ADHD diagnosis. This list is particularly helpful for women who don’t present the typical ADHD symptoms, so if you’re curious about inattentive ADHD or how successful, high-achieving women with graduate degrees have ADHD, this episode is for you! This episode is part of our Best Of Series, and originally aired in September 2022 as episode 158. Find links to everything mentioned in this episode & read the transcript here: https://www.patriciasung.com/podcast/episode-196-adhd-inattentive-symptoms-what-does-adult-adhd-look-like-in-women   Wish you could get a sneak peek before joining? You can! You’re invited to Successful Mama Meetup’s very first Open House! Join us on July 26, 2023 for either of our meetups, and meet the other moms, see who you’d hang out with at the retreat, so you know we’re the kinda people you wanna hang out with before you jump in. (hint, we’re pretty amazing IMHO.) No charge, no pressure. Just come hang out at one or both of the events! Let me know you wanna come right here and I’ll send you the zoom link.  And since it's on Zoom, everyone can come no matter what part of the world you live in. And for our mamas in Asia and Australia, the second meetup is on Thursday, July 27th for you. If you’re listening to this episode after July and want to come to the next Open House, join the waitlist, and I’ll let you know next time I host one!

Kelly Donahue, founder of Badass Moms, discusses the challenges of motherhood with ADHD, including sticker charts as shame highlighters and imaginative play. They also talk about practical strategies for managing time and achieving goals for moms with ADHD, and the importance of finding confidence in running both family and work life. The episode aims to support moms with ADHD to lead their family well while enjoying motherhood.