My Day, My Way

My Day, My Way — Visual Routine Builder for ADHD Children | Dr John Flett
🎒🪥🌙 📚👕🔥
🧠 Designed for the ADHD Brain

My Day, My Way

Visual Routine Builder

A step-by-step visual routine app designed specifically for children with ADHD — built on brain science, powered by structure, and guided by 25 years of clinical experience.

Developed by Dr John Flett · MBChB BSc(Hons) MRCP(UK) FCP(Paed)(SA) · Specialist Paediatrician
🩺 25+ Years Clinical Experience 📚 Evidence-Based Strategies 🌍 Works on Any Device 🔒 Free with Your Course
Understanding the Brain

Why Your Child Struggles with Routines

ADHD is not a behaviour problem — it is a brain development difference. Three key challenges explain most of the daily struggles you see.

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Working Memory

The Too-Small School Bag

Think of working memory as a school bag that holds instructions. Your child’s bag is smaller — not empty, just smaller. When you say “brush your teeth, get dressed, and pack your bag,” the first instruction stays but the rest falls out.

What this looks likeYou send them upstairs to get dressed. Twenty minutes later they’re playing with a toy. The instruction fell out the moment something interesting appeared.

Time Blindness

The Now/Not Now Brain

Your child’s brain has two time zones: NOW and NOT NOW. “School starts in 20 minutes” falls into NOT NOW — which feels the same as “school starts in two hours.”

What the research showsChildren with ADHD show measurably different time-processing abilities. They are not choosing to ignore deadlines — their brains process time differently.
⏸️

Impulse Control

The Unreliable Pause Button

Every brain has a pause button between “I want to” and “I will.” In ADHD, this button is underdeveloped. Your child knows the rule — but in the moment, the impulse arrives faster than the brake can engage.

What this looks likeThey touch things they’ve been told not to touch, blurt out answers in class, and have meltdowns over small frustrations.
A New Lens

What You See vs What’s Happening

Instead of thinking…Understand that…
“Ignores instructions”Working memory is full — the instruction fell out
“Takes forever to get ready”Time blindness — no internal clock pressure
“Explodes over small things”Emotional brake not engaging fast enough
“Can’t sit still”Movement helps their brain think and regulate
“Only does things they enjoy”ADHD brains need higher interest to activate
“Doesn’t learn from consequences”Future consequences feel like NOT NOW
The Solution

Why Visual Routines Work

Visual routines solve the exact problems ADHD creates — evidence-based interventions that directly target your child’s brain challenges.

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Working memory too small?

A visual schedule holds the instructions for them, so nothing falls out of the bag.

Time blindness?

A visible sequence shows “what comes next” without needing an internal clock.

⏸️

Pause button unreliable?

The chart provides an external checkpoint before each transition.

Four Daily Routines

Structure for the Whole Day

From wake-up to lights out. Tap a routine to see every step.

☀️ Morning
🏫 School Day
🏡 After School
🌙 Bedtime

Morning Routine

Wake Up to Out the Door · About 50 minutes

1
Wake Up

Open curtains. Natural light, not shouting.

6:30
2
🚽
Go to the Toilet

First stop, every morning.

3
👕
Get Dressed

Lay clothes out the night before.

4
🥣
Eat Breakfast

Keep it simple and predictable.

6:45
5
💊
Take My Medicine

Pair with breakfast — automatic.

6
🪥
Brush My Teeth

Timer or song. Two minutes.

7
🎒
Pack My Bag

Lunchbox, water bottle, homework folder.

7:10
8
👟
Shoes On

Same place, every day.

9
🚗
Ready to Go!

“You did it — ready to go!”

7:20
💡 The Night-Before Secret
Lay out clothes, pack the bag, check the lunchbox. This removes three or four decisions from the morning rush.

School Day Routine

Getting Through the Day

1
🎒
Unpack My Bag

Lunchbox out, homework to teacher.

2
📝
Hand In Homework

Straight away, before it gets lost.

3
👂
Listen to My Teacher

Eyes on teacher, hands still.

4
✍️
Do My Work

Just the first step. Then the next.

5
Break Time

Move and recharge.

10:30
6
🤝
Be Kind

One kind thing each day.

7
🎒
Pack Up

Homework, water bottle, lunchbox.

14:00

After-School Routine

Recharge and Refuel

1
🍎
Have a Snack

Fuel first, always.

14:30
2
Play or Move

30 minutes minimum. Biological need.

3
📚
Homework Time

15 minutes on, 5 minutes off.

15:30
4
🎮
Free Time

Earned. Let them choose.

5
🍽️
Dinner Time

Sit together. Keep it calm.

18:00
💡 Fuel–Movement–Structure
Always: snack first (fuel), then play (discharge energy), then homework (now they can focus).

Bedtime Routine

Wind Down to Lights Out · About 45 minutes

1
🛁
Bath or Shower

Warm water is calming.

18:45
2
🩳
Put On Pyjamas

Laid out ready. One fewer decision.

3
🪥
Brush Teeth

Song or timer. Same every night.

4
🎒
Pack Tomorrow’s Bag

Bag, homework, lunchbox, water bottle.

5
👕
Lay Out Tomorrow’s Clothes

Removes morning decision fatigue.

6
📖
Story Time

Calm, predictable wind-down.

19:15
7
🌙
Lights Out

“Goodnight, you did a brilliant job today.”

19:30
💡 Screen Curfew
Blue light suppresses melatonin. Stop all screens 30–60 minutes before lights out.
Inside the App

Built for Real Families

Three modes, four routines, and a reward system designed specifically for the ADHD brain.

👶

Child Mode

One step at a time. “Do This Now” prompt. Tap to tick each step.

👩‍👧

Setup Mode

Rename, reorder, add, remove steps. Set times. Make it yours.

📅

My Week View

Seven-day overview. Four coloured dots per day. Filled = completed.

🖨️

Print & Download

One-page sheet for the fridge. Word doc to share with teachers.

💾

Backup & Restore

Save all data weekly. Restore if anything goes wrong.

📱

Add to Home Screen

One-tap access each morning. Works like a regular app.

Motivation That Works

Points, Streaks & Badges

ADHD brains need more frequent, more immediate, more visible feedback. This system delivers exactly that.

+1 Star Per Step

Instant visual feedback. Progress builds in real time.

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+10 Bonus Stars

Complete a routine for confetti and a celebration message.

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Daily Streaks

Consecutive days tracked. Makes consistency visible.

🏅

12 Unlockable Badges

From “First Step” to “Week Warrior” to “Century Club.”

Getting It Right

Eight Principles for Success

1

Start small

One routine first — whichever causes the most stress.

2

Age-appropriate

Pictures for 5–7. Text lists for 8–12.

3

Involve your child

They help create it, they’re more likely to follow it.

4

Be consistent

Every single day. Even weekends.

5

Teach on a calm day

Introduce when relaxed, not during chaos.

6

Point of performance

Place it where and when they need it.

7

Make it tactile

Physically ticking “done” gives instant progress.

8

Progress, not perfection

“Three steps done — brilliant!” beats “finally finished.”

Words That Work

Small Language Changes, Big Difference

Print this. Stick it on your fridge.

“Hurry up!”
“What’s your next step?”
“How many times do I have to tell you?”
“Let’s check the chart together.”
“You always forget!”
“Let’s use the checklist.”
“Why can’t you just…?”
“Which step are you up to?”
“Stop messing around!”
“When this is done, then next thing.”
“You’re going to be late!”
“You’re on step 6 — nearly there!”
“Why haven’t you started?”
“Let’s do just the first step together.”
“I give up.”
“We’re learning this together.”
When Things Stall

Common Bumps & How to Fix Them

My child ignores the schedule

Involve them in creating it. A child who builds the system is invested in using it.

It worked, then stopped

ADHD brains need novelty. Refresh the icons, change the rewards. Routine stays — wrapper changes.

Too many steps

Cut to 3–4 essentials. A short routine completed beats a long one abandoned.

They rush through

“Show me your teeth — nice and clean! Tick!” Make the tick depend on genuinely finishing.

Mornings are still chaos

Move more to the night before. Bag packed, clothes out, shoes by the door.

After-school meltdowns

Fuel–movement–structure: snack first, active play second, homework third.

Remember This

Five Things That Matter Most

1

It is not defiance — it is neurology

Your child’s brain works differently, not less.

2

Visual beats verbal

A chart on the wall is worth a hundred repeated instructions.

3

One step at a time

Break everything into small, achievable pieces. Celebrate each one.

4

Consistency over perfection

Done imperfectly every day beats done perfectly occasionally.

5

You are doing better than you think

The fact that you are here means your child has a parent who cares deeply.

Ready to Transform Your Daily Routine?

Give your child a clear, visual, rewarding path through their day — and give yourself back some peace.

© Dr John Flett 2026 · courses.drflett.com

MBChB BSc(Hons) MRCP(UK) FCP(Paed)(SA) · Specialist Paediatrician · Kloof, KwaZulu-Natal

Your child’s brain is not broken — it is wired differently.
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