It’s hard enough to get your child started on homework.  Keeping him or her working is just as challenging.  Here are a few tips to help your child stay focused on completing homework.

Don’t Rush- Your child has spent the day in school and probably will not want to jump straight into homework the minute he gets off the bus.This would be a good time to have a healthy snack, burn off extra energy with a few minutes of quick exercise, or just take a few minutes to relax. But do establish a routine that you stick to throughout the week. For example, “Homework begins at 4pm.”

Break Time into Segments- Time management and the concept of time are difficult for ADHD diagnosed students to understand. When your child sees he has to complete a math assignment with 30 problems he may think to himself, “There’s no way I’ll be able to finish all those problems! I don’t even know where to begin!” Try setting a time limit or goal. Suggest doing 3 problems and then taking a 5 minute break. Or use a timer and challenge your student to see how many problems he can do in 10 minutes before taking a short break.

Listen to Music- While working, let your student listen to some music. Songs that they like with a recognizable beat are best. Music has rhythm and rhythm provides structure, helping the ADHD brain stay on a linear path. Kirsten Hutchison, a music therapist at Music Works Northwest, a nonprofit community music school near Seattle says, “Music exists in time, with a clear beginning, middle, and end; that structure helps an ADHD child plan, initiate, and react.”

Free download: if you have a younger child, you may find our fun GoalPad helpful for planning homework.

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