I was formally diagnosed with ADHD in February, so am still very much finding my way, with medication helping a lot with my work life. However, my first child was born near the tail end of last year and boy did I not expect how debilitating things would be. I love being a dad, I love my kid so much it hurts, but any time I’m home with her around I end up in a hyper focus kind of state trying to keep her out of trouble (she’s very, very active). Even with her sleeping through the night, I have to get up at around 4.30 every morning for an 8am start, 10 minutes away, otherwise everything ends up in a shambles, usually with me forgetting to eat breakfast, or take lunch, or my meds, or me a grown man ending up in tears because of the pressure to get ready for the day, which is not something I’d ever experienced before. The worst bit is makes it that much harder to properly enjoy the moments with her. Being a parent is hard enough as is, but this is really something else.
Dad of three here, had lots of issues like this first time around, they can sense your gowing flustration. couple of things helped first lower your expectations, clothes on backwards? still wearing PJ top? good enough. three bowls of ceral and still won’t eat anything? yougurt! Make things a little game how fast can take off the night nappy? (that’s a little later lol). how often are you waking in the night for feeding? as soon as you can stretch to four hours the difference is amazing. It’ll soon be better, I have all five of us on one couch right now watching minions, pizza later coz I ain’t cooking.