SCHOOL NOTES
ADHD & Homework
Common Struggles and How Parents Can Help
BY ANN DOLIN
I f your child has ADHD, it goes without say-
ing that you’re committed to helping them
become successful, resilient and to overcome
their academic challenges.

But on average, students with ADHD say that
80 percent of their interactions at school are
negative ones.

Whether that’s because of how they feel about
themselves, their surroundings, their peers or
just school in general, it means they spend the
majority of their day feeling negative.

And there’s one issue in particular where this
negativity tends to manifest itself most: homework.

With ADHD, homework can become a real
struggle. But what we also know, is that it’s not
a problem that can’t be overcome if we take the
right steps.

Below are three keys to success for students
with ADHD, including different ways ADHD
manifests itself and approaches to homework
and studying that will move your student in the
right direction.

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46 Know how ADHD manifests
itself in your child
It is important to know how ADHD affects your
child before you can choose the best approach to
help them succeed academically.

For example, in an interview with Pat Quinn,
M.D, the author of “Understanding Girls with
ADHD,” she discussed how ADHD can manifest
itself differently in girls than it does in boys.

More often than not, you hear ADHD and you
think disruption. However, that is not always the
case, especially when it comes to girls. Girls with
ADHD may actually tend to be more shy and
withdrawn. This is because when their minds
wander away from the task at hand, they’re
more inclined to not want you to know they’re
not paying attention. As an avoidance strategy,
it’s more straightforward to stay quiet.

Alternatively, with boys (generally speaking,
of course) the research shows they tend to man-
ifest their ADHD symptoms more externally,
whether through running around, interrupting
vocally, or actively misbehaving. But it would
also be a mistake to characterize all boys with
ADHD in this way, because there are many who
don’t exhibit this behavior.

The bottom line is this: Every case is differ-
ent. You know your child. So it’s essential to try
to best understand your child’s strengths and
Washington FAMILY OCTOBER 2019
weaknesses when it comes to schoolwork to
determine which strategies are appropriate, and
which don’t seem relevant.

2 Be the
“Charismatic Adult”
Studies show the top differentiator between stu-
dents with behavioral, attention or learning dis-
orders who succeed and those who do not is the
presence of a “charismatic adult” in their life.

As psychologist and researcher Julius Segal
notes, “From studies conducted around the world,
researchers have distilled a number of factors that
enable such children of misfortune to beat the
heavy odds against them. One factor turns out to
be the presence in their lives of a charismatic adult
— a person with whom they identify and from
whom they gather strength.”
Reflect on your own experiences: How did you
get to where you are today both personally and
professionally? Did you have a charismatic adult in
your life who encouraged and believed in you?
Being this figure in a child’s life does not mean
being Mother Theresa, but it does require tak-
ing an interest in the child and their strengths
rather than focusing on his or her shortcomings.

And when mistakes and failures do happen, it
means helping them work through them con-
structively so that they walk away from the
situation knowing more than they did before
and feeling positive about the experience.

3 Set them up now with healthy
homework and study habits
For most kids with ADHD, homework and
studying are filled with dread and excuses, but it
doesn’t have to be. Let’s break it down by topic
so we can really hone in on how to help develop
these essential habits that will carry them to
success now, and later in their academic careers.

ADHD AND PROCRASTINATION
Your child constantly procrastinates, even after
dozens of reminders. How can you get him
more excited about homework and completing
it earlier?
Step 1: Have a predictable schedule
Allow a 30-minute break after school before
getting started on homework. When kids
know what to expect, they are less likely
to procrastinate.