Studying all day in school and getting homework after can be a lot for any child, let alone one with ADHD. With all of the energy that your child has, sitting down to study can be incredibly difficult, but it is possible. This doesn’t have to be stressful for you and for them. Having a structured routine with the following three steps can help your child with ADHD study better.
Give your children a lot of time to work on an assignment and time to study so that they can really absorb the material. Working on tasks at the last minute can be exciting and fill a child with adrenalin but it can also be extremely stressful. As the child gets older and the assignments get to be more complex, and this learned habit can have a child spiraling out of control and hating the process.
Instead, start early have them learn new concepts over a longer period of time. Use this, along with the following actionable steps to help your child with ADHD study better.
Actionable Steps:
#1. Set Up a Work Station
Set up a place in your house or in your classroom for your child to work. In my classroom, I always have a spare table that’s separate from everyone else, another that faces my bare white wall and another that’s close to me. I give my students a choice as to where they feel they’ll be the most productive and then I monitor them closely.
They are also welcome to sit at their table but most of the time, they choose to sit by me so that they can get 1-1 help. I make this universal for my class as I have many children with various learning needs and I don’t want any one child to stand out.
Each of these spaces are bare besides a chair and table to remove any distractions a child may face. This is one way to help your child with ADHD study better.
#2. Create a Study Schedule
I’m not talking about the shape of the day that’s posted on the white board in class or one that you may have posted up on your fridge at home that outlines the core subjects that you’ll cover. I’m talking about writing down all of the assignments that need to be completed for the following day with a mini box besides each of them so that the child can check it off. You can do this in a child’s planner and have parents sign it at the end of the day.
These tasks don’t have to be big. They can be as small as read for 15 minutes or learn how to spell 3 words from your spelling list.
This gives your child quick wins and manageable tasks that are clearly laid out for them.
Make sure to break up the tasks so that it’s doable and provide mini rewards after to praise the effort.
#3. Think About Food
Look at the foods that your child is eating. I’ve been finding that there’s sugar in almost everything, including yogurt. I look for brands that have minimal sugar in them for snacks. I no longer pack treats for school but my son gets yogurt or no sugar added apple sauce for example. There’s a bit of sugar in it and it’s tasty and healthy. My son doesn’t have ADHD but he doesn’t do well with sugar.
For most kids, sugar gives then a big high and the come down portion isn’t always a pretty sight. Imagine a teacher with a class of 30 kids having to manage this. I don’t allow treats in my class unless it’s at the end of the day. That way, the parent who put it in their child’s snack, can enjoy the sugar crash after. The only exception I make is when there’s a birthday. We enjoy it after lunch or just before the kids go out for recess so that they can burn off the energy.
A child with ADHD already has a lot of energy. Adding extra sugar to their diet can be a recipe for disaster. A little bit is always good but do it in moderation.
Reducing sugar and focusing on healthy foods will help your child with ADHD focus and study better.
Recap:
Let’s recap really quickly. Today, we looked at the following:
- The reasons why it’s your child with ADHD may struggle with studying.
- Three ways to help my child with ADHD study better: set up a work station, create a study schedule, and think about food.
Free Resources:
If your children are struggling to hand in assignments on time, check out the following video training: 3 Steps to Teach Children How to Overcome Procrastination to Increase Productivity.
Next Steps:
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If you found this video beneficial, would you do me a favor? Share this with your family, your friends, your loved ones, your co-workers or someone who you think could benefit from this. Thank you!
I’ll see you next Friday at 5:30pm PST.
Until I see you next time, remember to create, experience & teach from the heart.
Take care,
Charlotte
Disclaimer: I’m a teacher and a parent. I’m not a medical professional, so please don’t take this as medical advice. The advice that I provide in my videos and online are strategies that I have used in my own class or at home that have worked beautifully. Since ADHD and autism are a spectrum, make sure to adapt these strategies for your individual child. Thank you!
