I’m Not Lazy, I’m Just Fried
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ADHD, Mom Life, and Why Summer Isn’t a Moral Test
Every year, as school winds down, I think “Okay, this summer I’ll do less.”
And every year, I somehow end up doing more.
Not because I’m a glutton for punishment, but because… I care. Deeply. About my daughter, about her school community, about creating magic where I can. My own mom was super involved growing up, and so was my dad when he could be—and I guess that energy rubbed off. I find myself jumping headfirst into school events, sport sign-ups, class party decorations, and little side quests that exist solely to bring a smile to a kid’s face.
(Also? Let’s be honest. Those side quests feed my creative brain like nothing else.)
This year I planned our school’s Family Fun Night—for the first time—and let’s just say, I did a lot of the heavy lifting. I also helped out with baseball stuff and handled merch design, ordering, and distribution for the school, even when things got delayed and messy.
By the time June hit… I was done. Cooked. Crispy.
Not lazy. Just fried.
Summer Break: The Reset We Don’t Talk About
I know I’m not the only one who approaches the first week of summer with a “let’s rot in peace” vibe.
We binge-watch the series. Eat popsicles for dinner. Forget what day it is. And ignore every article warning us about “summer slide” or “missed opportunities.”
Because here’s the thing:
Kids go through so much from September to June. And so do parents—especially moms juggling 1,000 invisible things while also working, caregiving, or in my case, living with ADHD.
Giving ourselves and our kids space to decompress isn’t lazy. It’s necessary.
This year, though, I am adding a bit of structure. My daughter is an only child and loves so many non-digital things—writing stories, crafts, painting, baking. She thrives with just enough rhythm to her day to feel anchored, but not smothered.
We’re introducing more chores, not because I’m trying to raise a mini adult, but because she asked. She wants to help. And even though I sometimes resist (I want her to be a kid!), I also don’t want to raise someone who enters adulthood thinking dishes magically disappear or the toilet paper restocks itself.
So we’re finding balance—between fun and function. Between letting her pitch in and keeping life playful.
Some Days I’m a Supermom, Other Days I Can’t Even
Let’s talk about the inconsistency that no one warned me about.
Some days, I wake up ready to change the world before breakfast.
Other days, I can’t even change out of my pajamas.
What flips that switch? It could be:
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A decent night’s sleep (rare)
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A moment of silence (rarer)
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The magical ADHD fire-under-my-butt mode that comes out of nowhere and suddenly I’m reorganizing the garage and rewriting my entire life plan
And then there are the days where I do the absolute bare minimum—and still feel guilty about it.
Let’s normalize that too.
What I’ve Learned (and What I Want to Share)
I’m not perfect. But I will try. And I’ve made so many resources, tools, charts, games, and ideas to support my kid that I’m thinking of turning them into digital downloads—not because I think I have it all figured out, but because I know I’m not the only one trying to find a better way.
So if you’re also navigating this mom-life-meets-mental-overload journey, let me know:
Would you be interested in downloads for things like:
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Summer activity checklists
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Creative chore systems
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Event planning kits for school functions
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Printables for kids that don’t involve screens but still keep them entertained
Pinterest is my friend !!
Drop a comment or shoot me a DM. I’m happy to share the things I actually use, the ones that worked (and the ones that flopped), and help build a little village for the rest of us burnt-out perfectionists doing our best.
TL;DR:
I’m not lazy. I’m just fried.
And I bet you are too. Let’s stop pretending that’s a flaw—and start building systems that make space for it.
We’re not failing. We’re feeling.
And that’s what makes us human. 💛