ADHD Families Podcast

What if your ADHD habits were quietly costing your family thousands every single year — and you could start getting that money back this week? 💸

In this episode of the ADHD Families Podcast, host Sharon Collon shares practical, ADHD-friendly ways families can stop money leaks without restrictive budgeting, shame, or complicated spreadsheets. Sharon unpacks the real-life systems behind The Money Hunt, including subscription audits, bill renegotiation scripts, Medicare rebate redirects, and hidden cash sweeps that help families reclaim lost money fast.

After helping one client uncover $1,400 in savings during a quick school pickup line conversation, Sharon realised just how much “invisible money” families are losing to the ADHD tax. If you’re ready for simple systems that actually work for neurodivergent brains, this episode is packed with practical wins you can implement immediately.

👉 Join The Money Hunt and start finding hidden money in your household: The Money Hunt

👀 In This Episode, Sharon Covers:

✅ The hidden “ADHD tax” quietly draining family finances
✅ How one quick audit uncovered $1,400 in savings
✅ Why traditional budgeting often fails ADHD families
✅ The Medicare rebate savings trick that creates emergency buffers
✅ How to do a fast subscription audit without overwhelm
✅ Scripts to renegotiate bills and lower expenses
✅ Reviewing private health extras before EOFY
✅ The “hidden cash sweep” method for gift cards, rewards points, and returns
✅ Why barriers and automation work better than willpower for ADHD brains

⏱️ Timestamps

02:10 – The school pickup line money breakthrough
03:30 – Understanding the ADHD tax
05:10 – Medicare rebate redirect savings strategy
08:45 – Why barriers help ADHD brains save money
10:20 – Subscription audits made simple
12:15 – The accidental multiple subscription problem
13:40 – How to renegotiate bills successfully
15:00 – Reviewing private health extras before EOFY
16:20 – The hidden cash sweep strategy
18:10 – Gift cards, rewards points & unclaimed money
20:05 – Why implementation is the hardest part
21:15 – Inside The Money Hunt
22:30 – Final encouragement to reclaim your money

💸 Join The Money Hunt (Enjoy the $300 discount!)

How much money is currently slipping through the cracks in your household without you even realising it?

The truth is, most ADHD families aren’t bad with money, they’re overwhelmed by systems that were never designed for neurodivergent brains. Forgotten subscriptions, unused gift cards, auto-renewals, rewards points, medical rebates, late fees, duplicated purchases… it all adds up. Fast.

That’s exactly why Sharon created The Money Hunt — a practical, ADHD-friendly experience designed to help you uncover hidden money, reduce financial stress, and build systems that actually stick.

Inside The Money Hunt, you’ll get:

✅ Step-by-step guided action sessions
✅ ADHD-friendly money systems with zero shame
✅ Scripts to renegotiate bills and lower expenses
✅ Subscription and hidden cash audits
✅ Accountability and community support
✅ A fun bingo-style challenge to keep momentum going
✅ Real strategies to help you reclaim money quickly

And the best part? Most families uncover far more than the cost of joining.

🎯 If you’re tired of the ADHD tax stealing your money, this is your chance to finally hunt it down and keep more cash in your family’s pocket.

👉 Join The Money Hunt

💛 Work With Sharon

Sharon Collon helps ADHD families create calmer homes, stronger systems, and more sustainable family life through practical neurodivergent-friendly strategies. Through coaching, resources, and programs like The Money Hunt, Sharon supports families to reduce overwhelm and build systems that actually work for ADHD brains.

🌐 The Functional Family

Have you ever wondered where your money is actually going - even when you’re trying your best to stay on top of things?

In this episode of the ADHD Families Podcast, ADHD parenting expert Sharon Collon unpacks the very real cost of the “ADHD tax” and how small forgotten admin tasks can quietly drain thousands from family finances.

Sharon shares honest stories about impulsive spending, budgeting struggles, dyscalculia, and the emotional load many ADHD households carry during a cost-of-living crisis. You’ll learn why ADHD brains often avoid money management, how financial overwhelm builds silently, and the practical systems Sharon used to finally regain control.

If you’ve been feeling stressed, avoidant, or ashamed about money, this episode will help you feel less alone - and give you practical next steps to start reducing the ADHD tax immediately.

👀 In This Episode, Sharon Covers:

✅ What the “ADHD tax” actually is and why so many families experience it
✅ How forgotten subscriptions, overdue admin, and delayed decisions quietly cost families thousands
✅ The emotional side of money avoidance and financial overwhelm
✅ Living through the collision of ADHD, rising living costs, fuel prices, and family stress
✅ Why dyscalculia and ADHD can make budgeting feel impossible
✅ The truth about impulsive spending in ADHD households
✅ Simple systems Sharon used to uncover hidden financial leaks
✅ How to reduce shame and start taking small practical action
✅ The 5-day “Money Hunt” implementation event designed to help families regain control of their finances

⚠️ If your household has been feeling stretched financially lately, this episode is an important reminder that small admin gaps can create major financial stress over time.

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to the episode
01:12 – The collision of ADHD, cost-of-living pressures, and family finances
02:45 – The real story behind the “life-size pumpkin man” argumen
05:10 – Why ADHD brains avoid money and admin tasks
07:18 – Discovering thousands of dollars leaking from the household budget
09:40 – What the ADHD tax really looks like in everyday life
12:05 – Dyscalculia, overwhelm, and financial shame
15:10 – Small systems that helped regain control
18:42 – Why this is not about perfection or strict budgeting
21:08 – Introducing the 5-day Money Hunt implementation event
23:00 – Final thoughts and encouragement

💰 Ready to Stop Paying the ADHD Tax?

The Money Hunt is Sharon’s practical implementation event designed specifically for ADHD families who feel overwhelmed by money, forgotten admin, subscriptions, late fees, and financial chaos.

Over 5 focused days, Sharon will help you uncover hidden money leaks, simplify your systems, and create practical habits that actually work for ADHD brains.

Inside The Money Hunt, you’ll learn how to:

✅ Find forgotten subscriptions and recurring charges

✅ Reduce financial overwhelm and avoidance

✅ Create ADHD-friendly money systems

✅ Recover money quietly leaking from your household

✅ Build momentum without shame or perfectionism

👉 Join The Money Hunt HERE

🔔 Next Steps & Resources

Subscribe to the ADHD Families Podcast

Join the waitlist for the ADHD Family Quest

Learn more at thefunctionalfamily.com

Work With Sharon

Sharon Collon helps ADHD families create calmer homes, stronger relationships, and practical systems that reduce overwhelm. Through her programs, resources, and podcast, Sharon shares compassionate, evidence-informed support for parents navigating the realities of ADHD family life.

Whether you’re struggling with emotional regulation, executive functioning, school stress, or family routines, Sharon’s work is designed to help parents feel supported — not judged.

🌐 The Functional Family

***Blakey's new film - In pieces together***

What happens when a world-record surfing challenge becomes a mission to save lives?

In this inspiring episode of the ADHD Families Podcast, Sharon Collon sits down with world-record endurance surfer, surf coach, and mental health advocate Blakey Johnston to explore the powerful connection between mental health, ADHD, anxiety, movement, and purpose.

Blakey shares the deeply personal story behind his 40-hour world-record surf attempt and how losing his father to suicide became the catalyst for helping men speak openly about mental health. Sharon and Blakey unpack the science behind surfing, cold water, community, movement, and emotional resilience — especially for people navigating ADHD, anxiety, and overwhelm.

If you’re looking for practical mental health strategies, inspiring resilience stories, and powerful conversations around ADHD and emotional wellbeing, this episode delivers both heart and hope.

👀 In This Episode:

✅ Blake Johnston’s 40-hour world-record surfing challenge
✅ The mental health crisis impacting men and families
✅ How movement and surfing support ADHD and anxiety regulation
✅ The emotional impact of losing a parent to suicide
✅ Why community and connection are critical for mental wellbeing
✅ The science behind cold water, nature, and emotional regulation
✅ Burnout, stress, and high-performance mindset traps
✅ Parenting, vulnerability, and emotional resilience
✅ Practical mental health strategies for everyday life
✅ How purpose-driven challenges can create real impact

⚠️ Trigger warning: This episode discusses suicide, mental health struggles, anxiety, and emotional distress.

Timestamps

00:00 – Welcome to the ADHD Families Podcast
01:30 – Meet Blake Johnston
03:10 – The story behind the 40-hour surf challenge
07:20 – Losing his father to suicide
12:45 – Anxiety, burnout, and emotional overwhelm
18:15 – Why surfing helps mental health
23:50 – ADHD, movement, and nervous system regulation
29:40 – The physical and mental realities of endurance surfing
36:10 – Community, connection, and vulnerability
42:20 – Parenting, resilience, and emotional awareness
48:00 – Practical mental health strategies anyone can use
53:45 – Blake’s message for struggling men
57:10 – Final thoughts and key takeaways

Key Takeaways

Mental health conversations save lives.

Movement and nature can regulate stress and anxiety.

Community connection is essential for emotional wellbeing.

High performers are not immune to burnout.

ADHD nervous systems often benefit from physical activity and structured challenges.

Vulnerability is strength, not weakness.

Purpose-driven action creates long-term impact.

Quotes From The Episode

“Real change requires more than conversation — it requires action.”

“Connection and community are some of the most powerful tools we have for mental health.”

“You don’t have to struggle alone.”

What's Coming? 👀 👀

The Money Hunt — Five Days, Five Money Wins

While screens leak your child's attention, subscriptions and forgotten auto-renewals are quietly leaking money from your household every month. The Money Hunt is a five-day live event for mums of ADHD families who want that money back.

No budgeting. No spreadsheets. No willpower. Just one 45-minute session a day, one bingo square to tick off, and a running tally of every dollar you find. Most Hunters cover the cost of the event by Day 2.

5 days. 5 wins. Cash back in your pocket.

Monday 29 June to Friday 3 July 2026, 1pm AEST daily

Live on Zoom plus a private Facebook group

Six months of replay access

$97 AUD (Regular Price: $397)

JOIN THE MONEY HUNT

Already in The ADHD Family Quest? It's included in your membership

🔔 Next Steps & Resources

Blakey Johnston Social Media Links

Website

Instagram

SWELLBEING

IN PIECES TOGETHER FILM

Subscribe to the ADHD Families Podcast

Join the waitlist for the ADHD Family Quest

Learn more at thefunctionalfamily.com

💛 Work With Sharon

Sharon Collon is a PCC credentialed ADHD family coach and founder of The Functional Family. She works with parents of children with ADHD who are exhausted by the daily battles — the mornings, the meltdowns, the school emails, the emotional dysregulation — and helps them build a family life that actually works.

Sharon's approach is practical, ADHD-informed, and built around real family systems — not generic parenting advice that wasn't designed for your child's brain.

With Sharon's support, families:

Understand what's really driving their child's behaviour — and respond strategically instead of reactively

Build the executive function skills their child needs, in a way that actually sticks

Replace daily conflict and overwhelm with calm, connection, and confidence

Create routines and systems that hold — even on the hard days

Move from survival mode to a family life that feels genuinely functional and joyful

Whether you're brand new to the ADHD diagnosis or years in and still feeling stuck — there is a way through.

You don't have to keep pushing through alone.

👉 Learn more at thefunctionalfamily.com

It's Sunday afternoon. Your kids can't walk past each other without it turning into something. Every interaction is a battle. And somewhere in the middle of it, you're thinking — when they grow up, are they ever going to be friends?

If that's your house, stay with us.

Sharon is joined by Jacquie Ward — Registered Psychologist and mum of three, including a child with ADHD — to talk about one of the most common and most misunderstood challenges in ADHD family life. Why sibling conflict is more intense in your home, and what to actually do about it.

👀 In This Episode:

Why sibling conflict is more intense in ADHD families — and why you are not imagining it

The six ADHD factors that create the perfect storm for sibling conflict

Executive function age vs chronological age — and why it changes your expectations

The family nervous system: why the whole house feels it when one child dysregulates

Sharon's Blue Mountains story — and the moment that changed everything

Why prevention beats reaction every time

The Three Cs Framework: Cool Down, Communicate, Collaborate

Why jumping in as referee is making things worse

The one action to take this week that will change your next sibling fight

Quote to Carry With You

"You are not stuffing this up. Your family is not beyond support. This is a very predictable friction point in ADHD families — and it is not beyond help."

— Sharon Collon

⏱️ Episode Timestamps

00:00 – The Sunday afternoon scene — sibling conflict in ADHD homes

01:13 – Introducing Jacquie Ward

02:31 – The six ADHD factors that create the perfect storm

05:01 – Executive function age vs chronological age

06:43 – The family nervous system and emotional contagion

08:14 – Why conflict in public hits differently

11:06 – Sharon's Blue Mountains story

15:44 – The Three Cs Framework: Cool Down, Communicate, Collaborate

16:30 – Why prevention beats reaction

19:15 – Cool Down — the most important first step

21:06 – Communicate — giving kids the language

24:01 – Collaborate — building skills for long-term change

26:28 – The one action to take this week

28:45 – Workshop details — May 11–13



🥊 Want to Go Deeper?

Stop the Fighting. Start Feeling Like a Family Again.

Sharon and Jacquie are running a 3-part live workshop series — the full playbook with scripts, in-the-moment strategies, and prevention tools specifically for ADHD families.

Live sessions: May 11, 12 and 13 at 7:30–8:30pm AEST

Replay available for 6 months

Payment plans via Afterpay and Klarna

JOIN US HERE

🔔 Next Steps & Resources

Subscribe to the ADHD Families Podcast

Join the waitlist for the ADHD Family Quest

Learn more at thefunctionalfamily.com

💛 Work With Sharon

Sharon Collon is a PCC credentialed ADHD family coach and founder of The Functional Family. She works with parents of children with ADHD who are exhausted by the daily battles — the mornings, the meltdowns, the school emails, the emotional dysregulation — and helps them build a family life that actually works.

Sharon's approach is practical, ADHD-informed, and built around real family systems — not generic parenting advice that wasn't designed for your child's brain.

With Sharon's support, families:

Understand what's really driving their child's behaviour — and respond strategically instead of reactively

Build the executive function skills their child needs, in a way that actually sticks

Replace daily conflict and overwhelm with calm, connection, and confidence

Create routines and systems that hold — even on the hard days

Move from survival mode to a family life that feels genuinely functional and joyful

Whether you're brand new to the ADHD diagnosis or years in and still feeling stuck — there is a way through.

You don't have to keep pushing through alone.

👉 Learn more at thefunctionalfamily.com

Every week in my support group, parents share the same quiet ache — they wish they had people in their lives who actually got them. They feel lonely. And they're often so busy supporting their child's social struggles that their own go unspoken.

This episode is for you. The parent. The adult.

I am joined by Caroline Maguire (M.Ed, ACCG, PCC)— ADHD coach, social emotional learning expert, and author of Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults — for one of the most honest and relieving conversations the ADHD Families Podcast has had.

✨ About the Guest:

Caroline Maguire (M.Ed, ACCG, PCC) is an ADHD coach, social emotional learning expert, author, and speaker who has spent over a decade researching how neurodivergent adults experience friendship and belonging. Her book Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults is the first written by a neurodivergent person, for a neurodivergent audience — practical, research-backed, and deeply human. She is also the host of the new podcast Your ADHD Social Playbook and has a TEDx Talk available on YouTube.

👀 In This Episode, Sharon Covers:

Why adult friendship is genuinely harder — and why that is not your fault

The worldwide loneliness epidemic and why ADHD adults feel it more acutely

Why proximity is the single biggest factor in making friends — and how ADHD gets in the way

The radical reframe: friendship is a learnable skill, not a personality trait

The hidden cost of masking — and what it is doing to your energy and mental health

The Flavours of Friendship — a framework for understanding different levels of connection

Why ADHD adults mistake acquaintances for close friends — and the hurt that follows

Info dumping, oversharing, going quiet: separating shame from skill building

How to move someone from acquaintance to actual friend

The repair: how to come back after you've gone quiet or disappeared

⏱️ Episode Timestamps

00:00 – Why ADHD parents feel lonely — and why we don't talk about it

02:17 – Friendship is a learnable skill: the reframe that changes everything

04:43 – How parenting a child with ADHD affects your own friendships

07:06 – Proximity — the single biggest factor in making friends

09:15 – The myth that everyone else has it figured out

11:38 – Confidence and friendship: the missing piece

14:02 – Finding your people — why environment matters more than effort

16:20 – The hidden cost of masking in friendships

18:36 – Why socialising drains you even when it goes well

20:55 – Managing your social energy and the power of the pause

23:20 – The Flavours of Friendship framework

30:21 – Rejection sensitivity and what it does to friendships

35:09 – Pinging: a practical strategy for finding shared connection

37:33 – Info dumping, oversharing, going quiet — shame vs skill building

39:55 – How to repair a friendship after you've gone quiet

42:21 – It's never too late — the path forward

📕 Caroline's NEW Book — Out Now!

Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults iis the first book of its kind — written by a neurodivergent person, for a neurodivergent audience. If this episode resonated, this book is your next step.

Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Hachette, Audible, and wherever you love to buy books. Also available in audiobook.

Website: https://carolinemaguireauthor.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolineM

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorcarolinecm/

NEW Podcast: Your ADHD Social Playbook

NEW TEDx Talk — Becoming a Social Spy: Observational Learning

👦🏼 Also Worth Reading — From Xavier

This episode talks about the adult experience of friendship and ADHD. But what about our kids?

My son Xavier — who has ADHD — wrote a blog that has stopped parents in their tracks since the day it was published. It is called A Note from a Kid with ADHD: How to Be My Friend.

In Xavier's own words, he shares what he needs from friends — the patience, the inclusion, the kindness, and the grace. It is the resource I wished she could hand to other families when Xavier was young.

Share it with another parent, a teacher, or a child who could use the reminder.

Read it here → https://www.thefunctionalfamily.com/blog/anotefromanadhdkidhowtobemyfriend


🥊 Are Your Kids Constantly Fighting? (Enjoy Discounted Rate HERE)

A 3-part live workshop series for parents of children with ADHD — co-facilitated by me (ADHD Coach) and Jacquie Ward (Psychologist).

If sibling conflict in your home feels more intense and harder to recover from than it should — you are not imagining it. ADHD changes the equation. This series gives you the why and the what now.

In just 3 nights, you'll learn how to:

Understand why your kids are constantly clashing — and what ADHD has to do with it

Step in without escalating or taking sides

Calm conflict in the moment, even when emotions are running high

Teach the skills your kids are missing so the same fights stop repeating

The Details:

Live sessions: May 11, 12 and 13 at 7:30–8:30pm AEST

Replay available for 6 months

Payment plans via Afterpay and Klarna

Early bird: $197 AUD (save $100) — use code EARLY at checkout

JOIN US HERE → https://www.thefunctionalfamily.com/offers/LCALkojv/checkout?coupon_code=EARLY

🔔 Next Steps & Resources

Subscribe to the ADHD Families Podcast

Carolin Mcguirre — Friendship Skills for Neurodivergent Adults (available in audiobook, including in Australia)

Join the waitlist for the ADHD Family Quest

💻 Learn more at thefunctionalfamily.com

💛 Work With Sharon

Sharon Collon is a PCC credentialed ADHD family coach and founder of The Functional Family. She works with parents of children with ADHD who are exhausted by the daily battles — the mornings, the meltdowns, the school emails, the emotional dysregulation — and helps them build a family life that actually works.

Sharon's approach is practical, ADHD-informed, and built around real family systems — not generic parenting advice that wasn't designed for your child's brain.

With Sharon's support, families:

Understand what's really driving their child's behaviour — and respond strategically instead of reactively

Build the executive function skills their child needs, in a way that actually sticks

Replace daily conflict and overwhelm with calm, connection, and confidence

Create routines and systems that hold — even on the hard days

Move from survival mode to a family life that feels genuinely functional and joyful

Whether you're brand new to the ADHD diagnosis or years in and still feeling stuck — there is a way through.

You don't have to keep pushing through alone.

👉 Learn more at thefunctionalfamily.com