During my days here at Communion of Saints, I work with many children who are diagnosed
with ADHD. For most of them, getting and staying organized is a major problem. So, I thought
it may be useful to parents to discuss things that can help kids with these problems. But first, I
think it is important to discuss what ADHD is and is not. ADHD used to be known as attention
deficit disorder, or ADD. In 1994, it was renamed ADHD and broken down into three subtypes,
each with its own pattern of behaviors. The first subtype is an inattentive type, with signs that
include: an inability to pay attention to details or a tendency to make careless errors in
schoolwork or other activities; having difficulty with sustained attention in tasks or play
activities; apparent listening problems; difficulty following instructions; problems with
organization; avoidance or dislike of tasks that require mental effort; tendency to lose things like
toys, notebooks, or homework; distractibility; and forgetfulness in daily activities.
The second subtype is the hyperactive-impulsive type, with signs that include: fidgeting or
squirming; difficulty remaining seated; excessive running or climbing; difficulty playing quietly;
always seeming to be "on the go;" excessive talking; blurting out answers before hearing the full
question; difficulty waiting for a turn or in line; problems with interrupting or intruding. And the
third subtype of ADHD is the combined type, which involves a combination of the other two
types and is the most common.
After reading the behaviors of a child that has ADHD, you may be thinking, “Oh my, I think
my son has it!!!!” But, don’t worry! Most children have these behaviors. The difference
between a child that has ADHD and a child that has normal forgetfulness, or normal
inattentiveness, is that a child with ADHD can’t turn theirs off. You will see these behaviors in
all aspects of their life and not just when they are at school. If your child is doing homework and
you notice them daydreaming (which is completely normal, at times), and you remind them that
they need to focus, most children will get back to work. A child with ADHD might be able to
work for a few minutes, but then be off task again. It is a constant struggle to get them to focus,
and homework time can take forever!!!! If you think your child may have ADHD the school can
do a screening, but ADHD can only be diagnosed by a doctor.
Here are some tips that can help at home with homework time for all children, including
children with ADHD.
 Make a plan for tracking homework assignments. Encourage your child to write every
assignment in his daily planner. As a backup, see whether assignments are also posted on
edline. Get a phone number for a student in each class who would know the assignments.
 Have a homework folder. Many children with ADHD benefit from having an 8 subject
folder where they keep all of their homework assignments. Having a place for each
subject makes finding and keeping track of their assignments easier for them.
 Establish time for homework. Some children need a break after classes. Others work
best while still in “school mode.” If after-school activities make a regular schedule
impossible, help your child write and post a weekly calendar that lists homework start
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and finish times. Sometimes, for those busy nights, doing homework in the car can be
helpful because they don’t have any electronic distractions.
Ask the teacher about assignment routines. The math teacher may say, “I assign
homework four nights a week, and give a test at the end of each chapter —
roughly every two weeks.” This tells you that something is wrong if your child
says he doesn’t have any math homework two nights in a row. Although asking
for general homework routines is appropriate, specific homework assignments
may not be available until the day that it is assigned.
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Schedule a five-minute break for every 20 minutes of work. Short, frequent breaks
help children with ADD recharge. If you set a timer that the child can see, it may help
them work for extended periods if they know they have a break coming up.
Consider medication for homework time. If your child is diagnosed with ADHD and is
on medication, talk with your doctor about a short-acting medication, which lasts three to
four hours, that they could take after school to get through homework time. Taking the
medication between 3 and 5 p.m. shouldn’t interfere with sleep. Most medications given
earlier in the day have worn off by late afternoon. When medications are working,
students stay focused, complete homework quicker, and are more likely to remember
what they studied.
Monitor your child’s progress on ed-line. Daily and weekly reports from ed-line warn
parents when their child is in danger of failing and in need of more supervision at home.
The reports help you and your child identify missing homework assignments, so you can
find them and get them to the teacher. Younger children need more frequent feedback, so
a daily report may be best for them.
Request an extra textbook to use at home. Students with ADD often leave their books
at school. Having access to a textbook every night is essential. Once a student with ADD
falls behind, it is difficult to catch up. Since many schools have only one set of books for
each student, you may have to purchase extra copies.
Having a diagnosis of ADHD is not an excuse for not doing homework! All children,
including children with ADHD should be expected to do, and turn in their homework on time.
Children with ADHD need more supervision at homework time, because they frequently need
to be reminded to focus, and they may need the homework to be checked to make sure that it
is done completely. It is important to teach your child how to be organized and manage their
time, so they can take these skills and apply them to all aspects of their life. Helping a child
with ADHD become organized is a process. So, hang in there and be patient! It may take a
few years of consistent organizational help to get through to them, but at some point, things
will click for them. Your hard work as a parent will pay off, when you stay consistent and
teach your child the organizational tools that will help them throughout their life.
If you have more questions about ADHD, a good resource to check out is chadd.org.
And, as always, if you have any questions about this article or about your child, please don’t
hesitate to contact me at [email protected].