This is a Global Player original podcast. Welcome to You're Wrong About ADHD, and we're opening another door on the ADHD event calendar. Different tips and advice for how to manage the festive period when you've got ADHD. And Katie, you're turning your attention to Christmas Day, but planning in advance.
Yes, this is about managing expectations, because I think this applies to lots of different types of people. Not just the new reverse, new typical two, I'm sure. This is about giving people a framework for what the day looks like, because I've found in the past that sometimes when those expectations clash can be when the problems arise. So for instance, I've definitely encountered times in the past where a family member was expecting me at their house, with my family earlier than I was expecting to arrive.
And we never had that conversation before the day. And of course, by the time we're late, we're already late. And when you are doing the hosting, it's about telling people two weeks, maybe even earlier in advance, when you're expecting them, what the day looks like, what time you're going to sit down and eat, what are you going to eat? You know what we're like as ADHD is.
We kind of, first of all, we need to know how we're going to sustain ourselves through the day. But we do like to know. We don't like surprises in that way. And it just helps...
It's macaroni and cheese. Don't get me started on the year the oven broke, and we only discovered, as we heard, the people knocking on the door, and opened the oven to find the turkey was stone cold. We had to microwave the turkey back. We've got to play some games.
And it means that if anybody is allergic to the idea of playing games of a person's day, they have an opportunity to say that. And maybe they don't care, or maybe they don't play games at all. But if you are having that conversation before there are 12, 15 of you all in the same room, it's much less stressful. It's like when you have a big group of people in any setting.
You all get together and say, oh, what do you want to do? It doesn't really work because everyone's got different views. If you've got a set plan of what's happening, everybody actually feels more comfortable. The only thing I would say to that is, I think there has to be an element of flexibility.
You don't want to stress yourself out by getting to that place where, oh, it's two minutes to three. We've got to go and see you. Stop it. Stop it.
You can't have your pudding. You've got to be able to give people a bit of space to say, this is the plan. I'll talk to my husband, Sam, who literally does everything by the top of the hour. He's not capable of flexibility.
And I think that adds an interesting element to our day. Because what that means for me is that I have to make sure that we do stick to Rob's routine. Because that makes him happier. He does all the cooking.
So it's only fair, really, that we meet some of his needs. And his needs are literally completely things on the top of the hour. I genuinely think the person who does the cooking is the person who's in charge. I completely agree.
Because they have the most stressful job, especially on Christmas Day itself. And so, yeah, maybe that's a conversation to have with them first about what the day looks like for them. That funny enough, I had it with Rob two days ago. What time are we eating on Christmas Day?
And it's so I can go to the various members of the family and go, this is what it is. So you can decide when you want to turn up and when you want to leave if this is what the day looks like. That's today's all on the ADHD event calendar. Make a plan and a structure for Christmas Day and tell people in advance.
Just try and be a little bit flexible if you can. We'll see you again in two days for the next tip to keep Christmas Day. Speak to you next. This has been a Global Player original production.
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