ADHD Families Podcast

Episode 86: Why Your Child's Meltdowns Happen at the Same Time Every Day

August 3, 2026ยท16 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Why does your child melt down at exactly 7:15am, 3:15pm and 8:45pm, like clockwork? On the ADHD Families Podcast, Sharon Collon, PCC credentialed ADHD coach and founder of The Functional Family, explains why ADHD meltdowns aren't random. They run to a very tight timetable, and that timetable is the most useful information you've got. Sharon unpacks the three windows where most ADHD families break (morning launch, after school landing and the bedtime encore), answers the question every parent asks her, and walks you through four practical moves to plan for the pattern instead of reacting to it. If you've been hunting for the trigger, this episode will change where you look. ๐ŸŽ Join the free ADHD Family System session and map your family's flashpoints: https://www.thefunctionalfamily.com/system &nbsp; ๐Ÿ‘€ In This Episode, Sharon Covers: โœ… Why a meltdown is a capacity problem, not a decision โœ… The three daily windows where ADHD families break โœ… Why the trigger is never actually the cause โœ… "Is my child doing this on purpose?" and why the answer is no โœ… Why it lands on you, the safest person in the room โœ… Move #1: Map your flashpoints for one week โœ… Move #2: Lower demand at the spike, not all day โœ… Move #3: Build a rhythm into the hard window โœ… Move #4: Move the demand off the person and onto the system โœ… The school gate example, start to finish โš ๏ธ If you've ever stood at the school gate bracing for impact, this episode is for you. &nbsp; โฑ๏ธ Episode Timestamps 00:00 โ€“ The meltdown you could set your clock by 01:00 โ€“ Sharon's own flashpoint: the school uniform collar 02:40 โ€“ Why it's not random: demand outruns capacity 04:10 โ€“ Window 1: The morning launch, 7 to 8am 05:10 โ€“ Window 2: The after school landing, 3 to 4pm 06:10 โ€“ Window 3: The bedtime encore, 8 to 9pm 07:10 โ€“ "Is my child doing this on purpose?" 08:50 โ€“ The question that changes how parents see afternoons 10:20 โ€“ The four moves to plan for the pattern 14:10 โ€“ The school gate example and your free next step &nbsp; ๐Ÿš€ The ADHD Family System, FREE Online Workshop 100% free. No cost, no catch. In this free workshop, we map your family's flashpoints together and build the beginnings of your friction map, so you can plan for your week instead of bracing against it. It isn't a webinar full of generic parenting advice. It isn't more reading. And it's definitely not another thing to add to your plate. Three free sessions, pick whichever suits you: ๐Ÿ“… 1 September, 7pm ๐Ÿ“… 4 September, 1pm ๐Ÿ“… 8 September, 7pm ๐Ÿ”— Save your free spot here &nbsp; ๐Ÿ’ซ <a class="underline underl

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