Children with ADHD can have a very difficult time in school.  They often suffer with a secondary diagnosis such as learning disabilities, tourettes syndrome, or others.  We want their time at school to be successful for them and may have to adapt expectations to ensure learning has a positive outcome for the child.

These are some suggestions to help you and your child have a successful homework experience.  Keep in mind that every child is different and routines must be fit to your child’s needs.

Find out the recommended amount of time that your child should be spending on homework each day.  This varies depending on the age of the child.  A general guideline is:

• Elementary           30 minutes/school day
• Middle School        60 minutes/school day
• High School          90 minutes/school day

Having a communication book or agenda to write down the homework assignments is a good idea.  I learned long ago though that just because you have one doesn’t mean the homework will get written down, or that it will get brought home.  Of course it depends on your child, but you may need to get the teacher or assistant to help in this regard. 

Remember that schedule and routine is important for kids with ADD ADHD.  Set a homework schedule and stick with it.  When is the child best able to concentrate? Some kids do best to get it done straight after school.  Others are involved in activities and need to do homework after supper. 

Set up a study area, homework should be done in the same area daily.  All the necessary supplies should be close at hand.  Children should not be doing homework in front of the television or while talking on the phone to a friend.  The study area must be free from all these kinds of distractions.

Children with attention deficit disorder can get overwhelmed with large projects.  They have difficulty staying on task.  They work better if the task is broken down into smaller more manageable chunks.  If you have 20 math problems to do, try doing 5 or 10 at a time with a little break in between.

If doing 30 minutes of homework at a time is too much for your child, break it up into 10-15 minute intervals with a small bathroom break.  Using an egg timer helps your child to visualize how much time is left.  Set the timer for study minutes and break minutes, it will help your child stay on task.

Always stop if your child is getting too frustrated.  You don’t want to force the issue and have him hating homework time.  When your child is really frustrated, they will not learn anyway.

I once worked with a child that could not ingest anymore learning after the regular school day was finished.  It was a constant battle of frustration and tears every day.  The child was not getting anything at all out of doing homework, his brain just couldn’t take anymore in.  It was starting to affect the relationship that we had.  I talked to the teacher and explained the situation and said that if that were the case, I would simply put the homework away.  From then on, the teacher did what they could not to send homework home.  If she did, we would try it, some days he could do a bit, other days we just put the books away.

That’s what I mean about working with the individual child’s abilities.  Other kids are able to manage small amounts of homework.  Other kids may work on a reading program so that they try and read 15 minutes each night.  Make a plan so your child will be successful. 

Use plenty of positive reinforcement, and small rewards.  Praising your child and saying job well done goes along way in getting them motivated to continue.  Immediate positive reinforcement will help keep them involved.

[tags]homework for adhd, adhd, homework assignments, learning disability, attention deficit disorder, hyperactive, staying on task, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder[/tags]

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Parenting an ADHD child can be challenging on a good day!  These are some ways I have found helpful in parenting a child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.  It is by no means an exhaustive list.

12 Tips and Trick to help your ADD/ADHD Child Behave…

1. Realize that you are working with a disability.  It helps me to take a step back and understand that a lot of the behaviors that my son exhibits are because of the ADHD, not because he is a “bad child” or because I’m a “bad parent”.  It’s not like he “purposely” gobbles his supper, forgetting all the table manners that I teach him EVERYDAY.  Nor is he trying to annoy me with the CONSTANT, ENDLESS chatter.  That is the way he is, period!
2. Structure and Routine.  Establishing a daily routine for you child is so very important.  Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder do not respond well to spontaneity or change.  They like to know what is going to happen and at what time.  We have a routine established in our home and try not to deviate from it.  Even the order in which we get ready for school is not altered.  If we plan to do something that is different than what is regularly “scheduled”, I let my son know the day before and remind him a few times.  This give him a chance to prepare.
3. Organization and Time Management.  I have a really big calendar that hangs in my kitchen.  I put every activity on this calendar for each person in the home.  If there is a special event coming up, a school activity, or even a friend coming over to visit I write it all down.  It helps my son to be able to visualize.  Every morning, he will go and check the calendar to see what’s happening that day.
4. Be Consistent.  It takes lots more work, but being consistent with an ADHD child is very necessary.  You need to be consistent in the daily routine and include logical consequences all the time.  If “Sam” does behavior A, he know that consequence B is going to happen EVERY time.  Give the child one warning to stop the behavior and then have the consequence happen immediately.  You also need to be consistent over the long haul in things you do.  I have to remind my son everyday about his table manners.  This likely won’t change.
5. Agree on the consequences together.  Your child is more likely to “buy in” to your set of rules and consequences if they have had some say and fell like they are part of the decision making process.  
6. Avoid Power Struggles.  Children with ADHD will often try to engage you in a debate.  Do not do this.  Instead give short direct answers and keep repeating them.  Instead of raising your voice (to be sure you are heard), try lowering it.
7. When giving instruction, break bigger tasks into smaller more manageable ones.  Instead of telling him to set the table, ask him to put the plates on.  Once that is accomplished, put the forks and knives on and so on.  Being given a big task is often to overwhelming for an ADHD child, if the task is broken into smaller bits, you will see a greater success of completing the task.
8. Be very specific when giving instructions.  When giving instructions to a “normal” child, you might say “John, take out the garbage please” and John would know what to do.  The garbage would end up in the appropriate receptacle outside.  When giving instruction to an ADD child, you need to be specific in order to help your child successfully complete the task.  “John, please tie up the garbage bag, bring it outside and put it in the silver can by the back gate.”
9. Catch your child doing something good.  Reward your child for the smallest things that they do correctly or without being prompted.  A kind word, or pat on the back will go along way in helping your child repeat such behaviors.
10. Always show them love and respect and lead by example.
11. Provide an outlet for release of energy.  Children that are hyperactive need a safe way to release some of that energy.  Getting them involved in a sport such as Karate, or Tae Kwon Do is a constructive way to release energy.
12. Take some time for you.  It is very important for you a the parent of an AD(H)D child to take a break.  This could be Dad letting Mom have the night off to go out with a friend.  It could be sending your children to Grandma’s for a sleepover.  It could be setting up a regular respite home that your child goes to for a weekend once each month.  However you work it in, remember taking time for you as a parent is not a bad thing.  Having a chance to rest and relax will give you renewed energy and allow you to give your best to your child. 

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