Sometimes it takes the ugliest, scariest moments to make people finally listen.
No parent ever wants it to get to that point — but when you’re raising a neurodivergent teen and the world around you doesn’t take your concerns seriously, sometimes crisis becomes the only language anyone understands.

I used to think I had to choose between a clean house and a connected home. That if I couldn’t keep up with laundry, dishes, and dust bunnies, I was somehow failing. That belief? I’ve let it go. (Okay — I’m trying to let it go.)

Because here's the truth: I live with a teenager who has ADHD and anxiety. And while some people have tidy houses with well-labeled storage bins, I have a kitchen table covered in unfinished puzzles, fidget toys, and a few abandoned cups. I have half-folded laundry on the couch, shoes in the hallway, and a living room that doubles as a crash pad when emotions get too big.

It’s not Instagram-perfect. But it’s real. And it’s ours.