Helping Your ADHD Child with Better Study Skills

Parents have a huge responsibility to ensure that children are reaching their full potential. If a parent does not do this, then who will? The parent of a child diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) has even more responsibility. They are their child's biggest advocate and they will spend any remaining years after diagnosis researching, explaining and educating others. They will seek help from any resource that offers it and demand help from those who don't. They will help teacher's better understand their child's individual needs. They will help their child better understand himself.

The classroom is probably the most difficult place for a child diagnosed with ADHD. The environment is truly not suitable for someone who is easily distracted and hyperactive. Being made to sit in a desk for long periods of time is very difficult for them. However, there isn't much you can do about that, besides choosing to homeschool, and that isn't always an option.

It is also a parents responsibility to teach organizational and study skills to a child with this disorder. Because their learning style is different and they might have situational problems, it is important to establish a nightly routine and set up a helpful environment for studying and homework.

Here are a few ways you can help your child with ADHD succeed in a positive learning environment.

Quiet Spot
Providing a quiet place to work or study is important for successful homework skills. In addition this place should be void of television, conversations, radio noise and high traffic. Most sounds or movement will cause an ADHD child to be distracted to the point of ending any studying or homework they might have been involved with. The key is to keep them as focused as possible, for as long as possible.

Provide Materials
Placing proper materials near the child that are appropriate for their assignments to be completed is definitely helpful. It alleviates the need for the child to go on a search for an item, only to get distracted by something else along the way. Pencils, pens, erasers, paper, rulers, glue and other items are beneficial to have available to them without leaving the area. Proper lighting is also important. If a child is struggling to see something, they might give up more easily or find something else to look at.

Homework Hotline
Some schools offer a homework hotline, or the school provides a place on a website for parents to check their child's homework assignments. Also many classroom teachers are requiring their students to write their assignments daily in a calendar or notebook. Parents need to work out a system for checking assignments, and ensuring these assignments have been completed. You might also need to check to see if there are any special notices, newsletters or parents notes that came home from school.

Helpful Organization
Although as your child gets older you will want them to learn to be responsible all by themselves, that is a very difficult task for a child with ADHD. Being chronically disorganized is a key characteristic of this disorder and a large amount of patience and guidance is needed. Checking your child's assignment notebook each night, keeping in close communication with teacher's and teaching them proper organizational skills is key. Many children with ADHD are visual learners, and this must be considered when helping them organize. Choosing one color per class can help them keep their notebooks and folders organized and easy to manage.

Backpack Check
Parents need to check backpacks when their child arrives home from school, as well as in the morning when the child is leaving. In the afternoon, parents should be checking that all materials needed to complete assignments are present, and if not, a trip to school to retrieve the missing items, might be needed. Do not get discouraged or angry if your child "forgets" their items continuously, this is also a key characteristic for an ADHD child. Overtime, and with consistency it will get better. When checking backpacks before school, it is important to ensure that all books and materials are in place for the return to school. Double check that assignments have been placed in their proper folders. Doing this after homework completion works best, but for some parents before school is easier.

Routine
This cannot be stressed enough. A child with ADHD will thrive on routine, and typically any variation of the routine will throw the child off tremendously. Children with this disorder often have trouble with transition, and differentiating from a typical schedule. Following a schedule each night, even if time is not a factor, is important. Depending on your household, your afternoon might look like this.

Child arrives home from school.
Child has one hour of free time. All children need a break after spending an entire day in a learning environment. A child with ADHD needs even more.
Child begins homework.
Parent serves dinner.
Child finishes homework they might not have completed prior to eating.
Child prepares for bed.
Child reads for set amount of time.
Child goes to bed.

A routine is extremely important and being consistent with it is a must. Your child will learn what is expected of them much quicker when there is a degree of consistency.

Remember to reward your child with positive praise when they are doing what is expected of them. Rewards go a long way with children and help to boost self-esteem in addition to knowing they pleased you.

It is important for parents to share the responsibility with teachers in educating their child. Parents will always be their child's biggest advocate, and should act as such in any situation that warrants it. Helping their child to practice better organization and study skills is just one of the dozens of ways a parent can begin to make life easier for their ADHD child.