Q.I dread when my child comes home from school
and the homework battle begins. It causes chaos
in our home right up until bedtime. Why is it so
difficult for my child to do homework? A. Take heart, you are not alone in this dilemma. Children with ADD have ongoing struggles with homework, from the moment the assignment is given to completion. Many skills and behaviors are involved. Being easily distracted means your child has a difficult time with each of the following steps; processing the assignment, deciding what materials should be brought home to complete assignments, unpacking the book bag, organizing materials, prioritizing assignments, completing the assignment, packing in book bag, and finally turning it in.
Q. How much time should I allow my child to spend on homework?
A.The rule of thumb to follow is 10 minutes per grade level. Typically children with ADD take two to three times longer to complete homework than their peers. As your child gets older, the amount of time it takes causes distress and takes away from the benefit of homework. Schedule a meeting with your child’s teacher. Bring samples of work with notes on how long it took to complete each assignment and what it took to get it done.Ask for suggestions and have a follow up meeting. If the struggle continues, your next step is to request a 504 Plan* in writing, which will provide accommodations and modifications for homework and in-class support. If your child is on medication, you may want to contact your physician and ask about a small dose after school to help with homework, but one that won’t keep your child up at night. Your physician will help you determine if this is best for your child.
