SCHOOL NOTES
Step 2: Consider
the “Tolerable 10”
Set a timer for just 10 minutes and encour-
age them to work as hard as they can until
the time runs out. This helps give them a
push to get started, and after the 10 minutes
is up, they can either take a short break or
continue for another round.

ADHD AND MISSING
ASSIGNMENTS AND
INSTRUCTION Either they miss the teacher’s instructions,
forget homework and books, or sometimes
just ignore assignments entirely. How do
you ensure homework and assignments are
getting done without seeming overbearing?
ADHD AND TIME MANAGEMENT
Time management is the enemy of kids
with ADHD. Your child is smart, but when
it comes to completing assignments, they
can take hours longer than the instructor
intended. How do you help them minimize
distractions and encourage productivity?
Step 1: Trust but verify
Set expectations, rewards and conse-
quences for completing homework and
assignments. Then verify with an online
grading portal if one is available. Com-
municate with teachers if necessary, but
always do this with your child so that Step 2: Control screen time
Limit breaks to outdoor activities or things
they’re involved in the process.

that don’t involve a screen. Video games
and social media are specifically designed
Step 2: Tie privileges to effort
Link things like screen time and hanging out addictive and hard to detach from. So allow
with friends to the amount of time spent a mental break, but don’t let them make
studying and doing homework, rather than things harder on themselves than they need
outcomes like grades. Kids can see the direct to be by getting wrapped up in something
correlation between working and learning that’s hard to pull away from.

and a benefit … rather than feeling over-
whelmed by the idea of getting better grades, ADHD AND
HOMEWORK: when they may not know exactly how.

WHAT’S NEXT?
The best way to ensure your child will be
Step 3: Talk to teachers
ready for the independence they crave is to
about emailing assignments
back off slowly, but stay supportive.

and homework
Set up weekly meetings and discuss
Kids with ADHD and executive dysfunc-
tion may benefit from having the option to upcoming assignments and offer support.

submit homework online or through email. You’ve guided them through this far and
They can focus on one thing at a time, and it is time to let them take the wheel … just
submit it right then and there, rather than make sure they don’t head off in the wrong
having to wait, organize and bring it into direction. ■
school to turn in.

Step 1: Make a game plan
Break homework or projects into smaller,
more manageable tasks. Check in, and
make a big deal when he’s accomplished
one or a set of tasks. For many kids, time
is too abstract of a concept. Consider
using candy or baseball cards and letting
him know he’ll be rewarded when the task
is complete.

Step 2: Help prioritize
Ask what they will do first to help them
get started. Make sure they understand the
directions and can do the work. Then, let
him go at it alone but stay close by so you
can help if needed.

Step 3: Use a timer
Once you have broken up the assignment
into more manageable pieces and helped
prioritize their work, set a timer and
encourage them to work in short spurts
(see the “Tolerable 10” above). Then ADHD AND DISTRACTIONS
slowly make the time longer, but never Pulling your child back into study mode
from a break or video games seems near
more than 30 minutes.

impossible. So how do you pull them
away from those distractions to focus
on homework?
Step 1: Put a limit on breaks
Kids may need a break after a long school
day. For elementary-aged kids, a 30-min-
ute break after school should do the
trick. Older kids may need more time
to “chill” after school is out, but ideally,
assignments and studying should start
before dinner time. Use this to have
them indulge their break time, while still
setting boundaries.

Ann Dolin is a former Fairfax County
teacher and current founder and
president of Educational Connections
Tutoring, serving the D.C. area.

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

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