If December already feels like you’re sprinting through wet concrete, this episode is your deep breath. Christmas asks ADHD mums to hold the magic and the mess — late-night wrapping, invisible labour, the Boxing Day guilt hangover — and still somehow feel like we’re not doing enough.This is the story of the year Jane finally said: good enough is enough. And maybe this is the year you get to say it too.💡 What We CoverWhy ADHD brains don’t recognise ‘done’The difference between maximising vs satisficing (and why one burns you out)The ADHD tax of “perfect Christmas” expectationsHow our reward loop drives over-performing and overwhelmHow to recognise your internal ding — when good enough is actually safe💬 For You IfYou’re carrying the emotional load + logistics + all the extras no one seesYou keep adding “just one more thing” to your already impossible listYou feel guilty resting, stopping, or being less “magical”You need permission to drop the bar, not raise it🎄 Resources & Mentions✨ Festive F*ck It Plan — your calm, realistic December planner 📘 The Paradox of Choice — Barry Schwartz on maximisers vs satisficers 🆓 Free Resource: The Energy Accounting PDF🔗 Related EpisodesStop People-Pleasing This Christmas — The Year I Stopped Apologising for My ChildUnhealthy Habits & ADHD: Why We Get Stuck & How to ShiftQUICK RESET: How We Survive the 3–6PM Sh*t Show When Kids Are Coming Down Off Meds🎧 Listen now: Spotify | Apple | adhdmums.com.au
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62. ADHD Meds & Kids: The Questions You're Too Afraid to Ask.
Some days it feels like you need a medical degree just to parent a neurodivergent kid. The waitlists, the myths, the pressure to ‘get it right’ — it can all become overwhelming fast. In this episode, child psychiatrist Dr Mimi Xu finally gives mums clear, compassionate answers about ADHD meds for kids, without judgement or jargon.💡 What We CoverWhy ADHD medication is never a one-size-fits-all decision.When to see a paediatrician vs a psychiatrist — and why access is so broken.The truth behind ‘zombie kids’, personality changes, growth, appetite and sleep.What’s actually happening in the afternoon crash (and how to survive it).ADHD + Autism: does it change the medication conversation?What parents can do while they wait on endless public and private waitlists.💭This Episode Is For You If…You feel scared of meds, scared of not trying meds, or stuck between two parents who disagree.You’re drowning in the 3pm–6pm chaos when everyone’s meds (including yours) have worn off.You’re exhausted from uncertainty, judgement or mixed messages from professionals.You want clarity without shame, pressure or clinical coldness.You’re parenting a neurodivergent child and just need someone to explain things like a human.🧠 Resources & Helpful Tools📌ADHD Screening & Support Child ADHD Parent/Self-Test A good starting point for parents wondering whether ADHD traits are showing up at home or school. 🔗 https://form.jotform.com/251610961002444📌Medication-Specific Guides A Guide to ADHD Medication Perfect fit for this episode — covers stimulants, non-stimulants, side effects, appetite, sleep, titration and what’s expectedin the early weeks. 🔗 https://adhdmums.com.au/product/a-guide-to-adhd-medication/📌Related ADHD Mums Medication Episodes Stimulants vs Non-Stimulants – Solo Episode (S2E40) Jane’s clear breakdown of how different medications work and how they often feel in real life. 🔗 https://adhdmums.com.au/podcast_episode/episode-40-adhd-medication- stimulants-vs-non-stimulants-solo-episode-with-jane-mcfadden/ What Happens If You Don’t Have ADHD & Take ADHD Meds (S2E47) Important context for safety, myths, and co-parent disagreements. 🔗 https://adhdmums.com.au/podcast_episode/episode-47-what-happens-if-you-take-adhd-medication-without-adhd-solo-episode-with-jane-mcfadden/📝 About Dr Mimi XuDr Mimi Xu — Website (General Info + Resources)🔗 IG Account - https://www.instagram.com/drmimixu/🔗 https://www.child-psychiatrist.com.au/Lionheart Clinic 🔗 IG Account -...
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61. Christmas Is the Finish Line — And ADHD Mums Are Crawling There
If you’re already running on caffeine and obligation — this one’s for you. December has a way of convincing ADHD mums that magic only counts if it hurts. But what if “good enough” was actually enough?This week, Jane shares the story of the Christmas she finally stopped performing for everyone else — and started living it for herself.💡 What We CoverWhy ADHD brains struggle to know when to stopThe difference between maximising and satisfyingHow burnout hides under “just one more thing”The real cost of the ADHD tax at ChristmasWhy rest isn’t lazy — it’s regulation💬 For You IfYou’re drowning in invisible labour and still feel behindYou keep adding “just one more thing” to your listYou’ve ever spent more money, energy or guilt than you hadYou need permission to stop — before you collapse🧠 Resources & References🎄 Festive F*ck It Plan – Your ADHD-friendly Christmas plan: fewer tasks, more peace, and an actual vision for your Christmas too.🎄 Listener Question Form – Want to submit a question for the next episode? Share anonymously here.📚 Barry Schwartz – The Paradox of Choice🆓 Free Resource: The Energy Accounting PDF (Free Download)Kit Available: Managing Overwhelm During Busy Seasons🔗 Related EpisodesS2 E60 Stop People-Pleasing: The ADHD Mum’s Guide to Boundaries, Balance, and Breaking FreeS3 E17 QUICK RESET: How We Survive the 3–6PM Sh*t Show When Kids Are Coming Down Off MedsS3 E61 Unhealthy Habits & ADHD: Why We Get Stuck & How to Shift🎧 Listen now: Spotify | Apple | adhdmums.com.auJOIN THE COMMUNITY:Have questions or want to connect with other ADHD mums? Join our supportive Facebook group here and dive into the conversation. No question is too small, and I love answering in a group format!FOLLOW FOR MORE:Get daily tips, insights, and relatable content for ADHD mums by following me on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or
60. No, You’re Not ‘Just Tired’ — 1 in 3 New Parents Are Barely Holding It Together
If you’ve ever thought, 'I’m just tired,' but deep down you think it’s more than that — this conversation is for you. Perinatal Mental Health Week isn’t about hashtags or general awareness. It’s about honesty.Jane speaks with Julie Borninkhof, CEO of PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia), about the hidden crisis facing new parents. One in three new parents who complete PANDA’s mental-health checklist report thoughts of running away or self-harm. Yet most never say, 'I’m not coping.' Together they unpack why we downplay our pain, why neurodivergent mums face even higher risk, and what real support looks like — beyond 'self-care' slogans.What You’ll HearThe confronting reality of PANDA’s national data — and why so many parents suffer in silenceHow unrealistic expectations and glossy 'good mum' culture stop women from seeking helpWhy perinatal depression looks different for neurodivergent mums — and how to recognise the signsPractical ways to check on a friend (or yourself) when you sense something’s not rightThe truth about the word failure — and how PANDA reframes it into survival and strengthHow better funding — and normalising help-seeking — could change the future for Australian familiesThis Episode Is For You If …You’re a new parent who feels constantly 'on edge' or ashamed for not enjoying motherhood.You’re supporting a friend who’s not herself and don’t know how to help.You’re neurodivergent and struggling to separate exhaustion from depression.You’ve ever wondered why asking for help feels so hard.⚠️ Trigger WarningThis episode discusses perinatal mental health distress and self-harm.Please take care while listening.Key TakeawayYou’re not broken — you’re overwhelmed. Being a good parent doesn’t mean being okay all the time. It means recognising when you’re not okay and reaching out before the darkness deepens. Help-seeking isn’t weakness; it’s leadership.Resources MentionedPANDA Helpline: 1300 726 306 | www.panda.org.au | 9 am – 7:30 pm AEST Mon–Fri | 10 am – 4 pm SatMental-Health Checklist: Check how you’re really going → panda.org.au/checklistLifeline (24/7): 13 11 14Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636Gidget Foundation Australia: www.gidgetfoundation.org.auFor When — Free parent mental-health support: forwhenhelpline.org.auRelated ADHD Mums Episodes🎧 CONFESSIONS: I Don’t Always Like Being a Parent — A brutally honest look at the guilt, grief and relief of saying what most mums secretly feel.🎧 CONFESSION: Mums wrote in anonymously… and what they shared wrecked me — The raw, unfiltered truth about motherhood’s darkest moments, shared anonymously by real...
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59. The Red Pen Christmas: How to Stop Editing Yourself for Everyone Else
If you’ve already cried in a shopping centre car park — you’re not alone.In this raw and funny ADHD Mums Christmas episode, Jane breaks down why the season feels like an emotional Olympics for neurodivergent parents — and how to stop performing and start protecting your energy.This isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing less on purpose.Using the ‘Red Pen’ approach, Jane shows how to cross out what doesn’t deserve you, protect your peace, and rebuild your energy budget before the season eats you alive.What You’ll HearWhy Christmas feels like a group project where no one else is helpingThe emotional cost of being the peacekeeper and why it’s not sustainableUnderstanding ‘energy accounting’ — how much each task, event, and expectation actually costs your nervous systemWhy saying no is a nervous system upgrade, not a moral failureScripts for setting boundaries at Christmas without guilt or dramaHow to tell the difference between peacekeeping and real inner peaceThe myth of the ‘perfect Christmas mum’ — and how to reclaim joy by doing lessThis Episode Is For You If…You’re already dreading the family group chat.You’ve promised yourself a “simple” Christmas before… and still ended up crying in the pantry.You’re trying to keep everyone happy — and losing yourself in the process.You want a calmer, more meaningful holiday season without the guilt.Key TakeawayYou don’t need another list — you need a red pen. Peace doesn’t come from keeping everyone calm. It comes from choosing what actually deserves your energy.🧠 Resources MentionedThe ADHD Mums Festive Bucket List — A workbook to help you cross out everything that doesn’t serve you this Christmas. 🆓 Free Resource: Energy Accounting Guide (Free Download) — Learn how to track your daily energy budget and stop overspending it.Overwhelm & Busy Seasons Kit — Your practical toolkit for surviving December without burning out.✨ Sign up for: The Xmas Festive F*ck List — A workbook to help you cross out everything that doesn’t serve you this Christmas.Related ADHD Mums Episodes🎧 Christmas Chaos: Hacks for Surviving Family Drama, Sensory Overload, and Picky Eaters!🎧 Stop People-Pleasing: The ADHD Mum’s Guide to Boundaries, Balance, and Breaking Free🎧 How to Handle Family Criticism About ADHD: Boundaries and Keeping Your SanityListen Now🎧 Spotify | Apple Podcasts | ADHDMums.com.auJOIN THE COMMUNITY:Have questions or...
Being a mum is hard enough. Being a mum with ADHD — or raising neurodivergent kids is a whole different level.
ADHD Mums is the unfiltered, science-meets-reality podcast hosted by Jane McFadden, educational neuroscientist, advocate, and mother of three. This isn’t another polished parenting show with 'ten easy tips.' It’s real stories, confessions we’re not supposed to say out loud, and the research that explains why so many of us are running on empty.
Every week you’ll hear:
🎙️ Confessions — raw, anonymous truths from mums navigating rage, burnout, and survival.
🧠 Expert insights — from neuroscientists, clinicians, and policy leaders on ADHD, autism, and mental health.
💬 Advocacy in action — exposing ADHD medication shortages, NDIS red tape, and the hidden costs mothers carry.
With over 1 million downloads already tuning in from across the world, the podcast has already influenced ADHD reforms in Australia, been featured in national media, and pushed politicians to answer the questions mothers are asking.
If you’ve ever screamed in the car, forgotten every form until the night before, or wondered if you’re the only one falling apart — this podcast is your proof that you’re not broken, you’re just telling the truth.
Australia