Helping
the ADHD Child with Homework
Homework
may cause extra stress for the ADHD child as well
as parents. By the end of the day, parents are often
tired, the child has been dealing with ADHD
in school all day, and everyone could use a break.
In the long run, however, it’s smart to tackle
the homework chore as soon as possible after school
so that the family can enjoy a refreshing night’s
sleep. Here are some steps parents can take to improve
homework time for the ADHD child:
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Encourage the child to write each assignment down
in a notebook as soon as the assignment is given
by the teacher.
-
Provide a quiet study area free of clutter and distractions.
Limit outside noise from televisions, phones, etc.
-
Make sure the child has clear instructions. Try
not to overwhelm the child with excessive instructions,
advice, or criticism.
-
It’s advisable that parents not allow the
child to wait until evening (after dinner) to begin
homework.
-
Establish a routine—a certain time and place—for
homework to be completed. Try not to waiver from
the routine.
-
Help the child get started on assignments by reading
the directions and doing a few items together. Then
let the child do the rest alone.
-
Allow the child to do as much as possible independently.
-
Assist the child in arranging homework so that it
arrives to the school without being misplaced (a
common problem for the ADHD
child). Completed work should be kept safely
in a backpack where the child can easily find it.
-
Consider hiring a tutor for the child—a student
in a higher grade is often perfect for the job.
The child also may need a classmate to call for
clarification on assignments.
-
For long-range assignments (projects, papers, reports),
parents should help the child break the task into
small parts and get started immediately.
-
Try a stopwatch or other timer to help the child
concentrate for a certain amount of time.
Finally,
as parents monitor the child’s homework completion,
they should keep in touch with teachers, too. The
child’s teachers are responsible for ADHD
classroom management. Teachers should be made
aware of how much time the child is investing in homework
and whether the homework is causing unnecessary frustration.
Schoolwork should encourage the child to learn without
overwhelming and disheartening the child. When it
comes to school, parents are the child’s best
advocate.
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