Parenting is perhaps the greatest challenge of our lives. Here we are doing this thing that can feel more important than anything we have ever done, but no one ever really trained us for it. It has endless parts to it and requires more executive functioning energy than any other single aspect of our life. And yet it also offers greater love, joy, meaning, and laughter than any other aspect of our lives and so we keep on working at it.
With an ADHD brain, the parenting challenges are amplified and it can feel impossible to keep the many plates of parenthood spinning (chores, naps, lunches, trips and homework just to name a few). Technology, while sometimes making all this plate spinning more difficult, can also offer an assist. So- we might as well harness the power to our benefit and utilize it where it helps.
Here is my list of 11 amazing apps uniquely situated to help the ADHD brain rock this parenting thing.
Self Care Apps
I am putting this section first because there really is no one thing that is more important than self-care when you are a parent with ADHD. Your kids, your marriage, your family, and your friends all depend on you. They rely on you being your best self, and they suffer when you are not at your best. Not only that, but the ADHD brain does not take kindly to being ignored. In fact, ADHD symptoms increase exponentially when things like sleep, exercise, nutrition, and social support are not being adequately cared for. And, like all things with ADHD, the cruel irony is that the treatment for the symptoms is made harder by the symptoms themselves. So- why not use technology to help- even just one little push may be enough to get the ball rolling.
Getting enough, good quality sleep is an essential component to ADHD management. But it can be oh so hard! Pillow helps by tracking your sleep and offering insights and suggestions to improve it. Best of all- you don’t have to do a thing! You can either place it under your pillow or if you have an apple watch you can where that to bed and it will automatically track your zzz’s. This powerful little app has:
automatic sleep tracking
smart alarm clock
detailed sleep reports with heart rate and sleep cycles
heart rate/ recorded sound analysis
personalized insights and recommendations
Free. $4.99 for the premium version
Meditation has a huge amount of empirical support for its potent effect on improving focus, emotional control, impulsivity and getting into action. There are a lot of meditation apps out there but calm is my favorite because it utilizes the power of meditation in so many different ways. Calm was awarded Apple’s App of the year in 2017 and it just keeps getting better. Calm works to help you calm your brain for better sleep, relaxation, work and mood. Calm offers:
guided meditation
30 day learning to meditation beginners course
sleep stories
breathing exercises
relaxing nature sounds and music
master classes with experts
Free with some worthy paid features
Don’t let the name disuade you- Nike Run club isn’t all runs (though they have some great ones) they also have guided walks and my favorite— they have paired with headspace to offer guided moving meditation (which is a super ADHD friendly introduction to the power of meditation) . It also offers:
personalized coaching plans
achievement celebrations
guided runs/ walks and meditations
Run trackers with pace/ time/ calories and elevation
Free (with paid features- but the free platform is extensive and wonderful)
Distraction Management Apps:
Our screens offer endless distraction potential- we want to connect with our kids, but the constant alerts, chimes, notifications (and, of course, YouTube) can make it hard to stay present. And resisting that temptation? That is much harder than avoiding it. Resisting temptation requires willpower, which is a limited resource. Avoiding distraction, however, can be front-loaded (i.e., done ahead of time when you have the resources). Apps can help us avoid the distraction by limiting our most tempting and distracting sites during prime kid time (like after school, or during dinner or bedtime). This, in turn, can help us give our kids the face-to-face time they crave.
Freedom allows you to:
Block websites
Block Apps
Block the internet
Allow only certain sites
Freedom works across all platforms and devices and it has 2 modes: blocked and locked (which doesn’t allow you to turn off a block) So schedule a block and relax- you are free.
$6.99/month after free trial
Screentime/ Parental Control App:
It’s a big world out there, and the internet makes it all so accessible to our kids. But trying to keep an eye on when and what that our kids are consuming on their screens is an impossible task for any parent. Parental controls offer peace of mind by restricting content that you deem unacceptable for your little. Screentime limits allow you to set rules around their screentime and then let the program keep that limit- no bargaining, whining, or acquiescing.
Is a parental control and family locator that works across all platforms and devices to limit screentime and block content. With our pact you can:
set screen time schedules
block or grant access to the internet and apps
locate your child (or their device when they lose it)
schedule texting allowances
filter adult web content
$1.99/month for up to 20 devices
Organization App:
There is a lot to keep track of as a parent: permission slips, after school activities, school projects, doctors' appointments—- and that's just for the kids. You also have all of your deadlines, bills, meetings, and projects, and don't forget about meals, shopping, and vacations. Finding an app that can keep that all in one place, offer reminders, and tell you what you need to remember today and this week?- that is invaluable.
What I really like about Cozi for parents with ADHD is that it's all in one place, it syncs across the entire family, and it's always with you. So you can let your brain relax and tackle that important email in front of you, knowing that the grocery-list/ calendar/ reminders/ agenda list is up-to-date and ready when you need it.This all-in-one platform allows you to sync your:
family calendar
to do lists
shopping lists
recipes
family journal (pictures and notes)
day’s agenda
Free with in app adds; Cozi gold is $29.99/ year and offers extra features and no adds
Baby Tracker App:
If you are in the infant stage, you know that you need to reserve every last drop of executive functioning energy you have. Your brain is so depleted from the endless tasks and sleepless nights that you don’t need one more thing to think about. And yet, knowing and understanding how much your baby is eating, sleeping, growing and developing can feel essential. Baby trackers do that all for you so you don’t have to remember how long little’s naps were last week or how many wet diapers she had next time the doctor or babysitter asks.
Baby tracker makes it simple to track all those important details of your little one’s life and will sync across multiple devices so you know whats going on even when you aren’t home.
Feeding tracker (nursing, formula, solids and pumping)
Diaper changes
Sleep schedule
Growth records
Milestones
Medications/ vaccines/ temperature
Free with $4.99 paid premium version
Chore Tracker Apps:
Sure, you can create elaborate sticker charts, but we all know what happens to them- they get used for a few days and forgotten about. Or they are faithfully utilized, but one change in the chore system means that a whole new one has to be made (noooooooooo you say remembering the 5 hours it took to perfect the last one). And yet, chore trackers are immensely useful and really do work when used. They allow parents and kids a visual reminder to complete the task, they offer an immediate reward, and they allow kids the opportunity to practice working towards a larger goal. So—technology to the rescue!— digital chore charts. I am listing my 2 favorites- one for older kids who are earning an allowance and one for younger kids who are earning stars towards rewards.
Chore pad is a digital chore chart that allows kids to earn stars they can then redeem for rewards that you set. It includes features such as:
Custom chart designs
Secure parent mode
Chore scheduling
Syncing across devices
$4.99 after free trial
Busy kid allows kids to earn an allowance based on the chores that they do. But it doesn’t stop there- kids then have the opportunity to save, share spend and invest the money they earn. Features include:
Chore calendar with age-based chore and allowance recommendations
Donation to over 20 charities
The ability to invest in real stocks
parental monitoring of all activities
Free; Spend card is $7.99/year
Quiet time App:
I can't stress enough the value of quiet time in the middle of the day (once naps are a thing of the past) both for parents and younger children. The ability to unplug from the hectic pace of the day and just rest is priceless for kids. It allows their brains to recharge and consolidate the information that they took in that morning, and it will enable their bodies the chance to rest up for an afternoon of continued play and exploration. For ADHD parents- this time is a lifesaver. Its 2 hours of decreased demands, stimulation, and noise. It allows your nervous system— which let's be honest has just been highly taxed by all the noise and activity of your littles— a chance to settle down, reboot, and recharge for the afternoon ahead. This, often, is just what parents need to extend their patience, their energy, and their executive functioning capacity until bedtime.
Sparkle stories offers 1200+ wholesome, fun, audio stories that promote values such as kindness, empathy, and respect. My son has been listening to these for 3 years now and LOVES them. And I love what he learns from them (and the hour of peace and quiet). The app provides:
Offline or online listening
The ability to search by age, topic, collection or character.
docked story player
At $14.99/ month, this is a pricey one but the hour of quiet in the middle of your day as well as the sweet, values-laden learning is worth every penny.
Support apps for parenting children with special needs:
Being a parent can be the most wonderful experience of love and connection but it can also feel Intensely isolating and terrifying when those kids have special needs. Linking up with other parents who get it is an essential component to surviving. This is never more true than when you have ADHD yourself- the emotional and practical struggles of ADHD can lead parents to feel a wall of shame that keeps them from that valuable connection. Connecting over an app can sometimes be an easier entry point to be open and honest and start soaking up the benefit of connection.
Parenting a child with special needs can be isolating. Wolf and friends works to build community and support for parents. Wolf and friends gives you access to:
Curated content feed
Relevant new
Developmentally appropriate products
lifestyle tips
find families nearby with similar needs
find specialists/ schools/ classes and campes by spepcialty and location
find a community of families facing similar issues
Available on iPhone and Google Play for free
Did I miss any? What are your favorite apps that make parenting easier for your ADHD brain? Let me know in the comments below!
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