Battling the Homework Blues

My son has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). It is a lot of work for him to stay focused all day at school. As he has aged, it has become a little easier for him to manage his ADHD. He has learned coping skills that he can implement himself. Even in 10th grade, my son struggles with sitting for long periods at a time.

He has services in place at school, but homework has always been a challenge. Many children with learning disabilities have this same challenge. 

One of the main components of having a successful homework time is letting your child decompress after they get home from school. I can’t stress how important this is. They need to run, jump, play or climb—or just go outside and eat a snack before starting homework. After being in school all day, they need to have an outlet for releasing the stored up energy. 

Some children also need to take breaks during homework time. They can use a timer for 5-10 minute breaks and then they can learn to keep track of their own break time.

Homework time should be around the same time every day and in the same place to help your child know their schedule. All paper packets, books, and backpacks should be kept here. This will keep all school items in one area and the chance of losing things to a minimum. This area needs as few distractions as possible. This environment will help your child focus on their homework.

Any video game time should be postponed until after homework. 

If your child does well with sticker charts, make one for homework. Every day the work is completed with no meltdowns, they receive a sticker. Then, at the end of the week, if they earned all the stickers, they can trade them in for a bigger reward. These simple tips will help your child to be successful with their school homework. 

Navigate Life Texas has lots of articles and information on ADHD – use this search to find them.