Managing ADHD: How to Help Your Child Focus

Many children and especially those with ADHD struggle with focus in class and completing homework assignments and tasks at home.  They may start one task, then completely forget about it or the task may never get addressed due to procrastination and lack of follow-through.  The good news is, without medication, there are several key ways to help your child focus both at school and at home.

Tip 1: Make a list of goals

Before your child start to work through the tasks of the day or from school, it is helpful to make a list of all the goals together. Read through this list together and check off the lists as tasks get completed.  This will help your child recap and remember what is on that list and not get lost in process.  It is also visually satisfying to see what has been done and what is left to help your child figure out the next task to tackle. 

Tip 2: Do one thing at a time

For children who have difficulty with attention and focus, it is best to do one thing at a time so that they have less distractions.  Doing this will give them the best opportunity to work on the one task at hand and to delve into that work. This will also allow them time to think about that task, instead of feeling overwhelmed by multiple things all at once.

Tip 3: Break things down

If the tasks seem too complex or complicated at first, suggest ways to break down the task so that it seems more doable.  For instance, writing a book summary, start by having your child summarize the book. IF this is challenging for some, try to have him/her summarize each section or chapter of the book, then piece everything together. As they are able to do this, with practice, they will gain confidence that they can accomplish tasks that seem impossible.

Tip 4: Start with an organized workspace

When all the tools and notes are organized, it is much easier and faster to find what you need to do a task.  Always start with a workspace that allows you to see the things you will need, whether it is a book, pencils, notebooks, post-its. If things are misplaced and your child has to interrupt his or her work to look for something, it can easily derail into other tasks or interests that are not the one at hand.