The moment I realised my teen was overwhelmed - and what helped

I remember the first time I was confronted with the reality that my neurodivergent child was drowning in a sea of disorganisation — barely keeping their head above water.

We had sat down together to look at the instructions for a piece of coursework that was due imminently.

They struggled to find the information. They couldn’t locate the documents they needed on the learning management system. They had no coherent notes. Nothing was labelled. Everything relied on a search function and vague keywords.

I was shocked to the core

This bright, articulate, opinionated teen — someone who could debate, question, and explain complex ideas — had no effective strategies for managing the sheer volume of information they received each day at school.

I had no idea how bad it was. And I had no idea how they had managed to hide it for so long.

“How Did We Get Here?”

Have you found yourself in a similar situation?

Caught off guard by your young person’s limited skills in areas we tend to take for granted — organisation, planning, remembering, prioritising?

Maybe you feel:

• shocked

• helpless

• guilty

• unsure how they got to this point

• unsure where to go next

If so, you’re not alone.

Progress Doesn’t Happen Overnight

In our case, things didn’t change overnight.
And I won’t pretend everything is perfect now.

There are still challenges.
But things are definitely better.

We tackled one challenge at a time, using small, incremental steps to change:

• habits

• environments

• beliefs

And we didn’t do it alone.

I hired an executive function coach — not because I couldn’t help, but because my child needed me to be their mother, not their coach.

That distinction mattered more than I realised.

The Power of 1% Changes

Building habits isn’t exciting.
It isn’t linear.
And it definitely isn’t Instagram-worthy.

There were plenty of bumps along the way.

But changing direction by 1% over time leads to a completely different destination.

So instead of trying to “fix everything,” we focused on small, sustainable changes.

Small Changes That Make a Big Difference

If your child feels stuck in a sea of disorganisation, consider starting with just one small shift:

• A shared family planner

• A calmer, more predictable sleep routine

• A designated “drop zone” by the door for essentials

• A simple checklist for daily routines

• A reset of their desk space with replenished supplies

None of these are revolutionary.
But together — and consistently — they create stability.

What’s Your 1% This Week?

What’s one thing you could change this week — and keep doing — to support your child?

Not ten things.
Not a complete overhaul.

Just one.

If you’d like support figuring out where to start, or how to build systems that actually work for a neurodivergent brain, you don’t have to do it alone.

I’d love to hear what your 1% change might be.