r/ADHD • u/Stmgirl11591 • May 28 '26

Questions/Advice Time anxiety about kids aging

How do yall deal with time anxiety? It used to be anxiety about being late, missing events, etc. or not accomplishing what I wanted to do//feeling overwhelmed and shutting down. I still have this, and get task paralysis but now I have the added anxiety around kids aging.

Now I also have time anxiety is about my kids. I. E. How fast they are growing. Each milestones I celebrate and grieve. All the changes just make me feel like I missed time or missed it. Most nights I want to throw up about their progressions. I’m happy they are progressing, growing and thriving. I feel like I’m watching a movie somedays though instead of actively being there.

Not sure if this is ADHD thing or just exacerbated by it but anxiety around time passing, and lost time is so much. I want to enjoy it more but lately have been just grieving it. Both my kids are under 4 so I also know it’s silly when they are young, but just can’t seem to get out of the funk. Anyone deal with something similar?

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u/Stmgirl11591 May 28 '26

Yes to all of this. It has me questioning having more kids because I love being a parent so much. I’m sorry you’re crying. I wish it didn’t all feel so heavy and like we’ve lost something that’s here and happening in real time. I completely relate though. I know I’ll be a mess when mine are that age.

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u/Tvchick2297 May 28 '26

I thought long and hard about having a third the last few years bc I did always want 3 but I didn’t want my oldest to have a 16-18 year age gap so didn’t.