Not surprisingly, parent-child homework battles are common. No activity demands greater structure and consistency than homework, when a child’s ability to self-regulate is called upon. This is particularly problematic when it comes to academic effort. It’s often said that the only consistent thing about children with ADHD is their inconsistency.

Ignore that new magazine or catalog until after school or later that evening.

Don’t get on the computer to check your e-mails.

Preparations made the night before, such as bathing, packing bookbags, laying out clothes, setting the alarm, and making lunch, are crucial in setting up a smooth morning routine.īecause many children (and adults) with ADHD are highly distractible and impulsive, avoid stimuli that are likely to grab attention and throw the routine off course. The goal of the morning routine is to get everyone ready and out the door on time.

Good Mornings Start with Your Child’s Schedule

As you develop your routines, remember that success takes time - sometimes months and years. Of course, you’ll want to amend them to suit the age and maturity of your child, the specific behaviors you are working on, and your family’s personality and needs. Here are suggestions and some sample routines to help get you started. Routines should be established when children are young and applied consistently as they grow - but it’s never too late to start. The payoff: greater productivity for your child, as well as better health and family relationships.Ī review of 50 years of psychological research, recently published in Journal of Family Psychology, shows that even infants and preschoolers are healthier and exhibit better-regulated behavior when there are predictable routines in the family.Įffective routines take commitment and consistency, with all family adults presenting a united front. Yet in just such times, structure becomes most important. Everyone is juggling schedules: work, school, recreation, music lessons, basketball practice, and so on. In these hectic times, it may seem impossible to provide a structured lifestyle. The message: We are a family who eats together we are a family who reads together we are a family who schedules regular times for schoolwork and other ongoing responsibilities. And family identity is solidified by routines in which everyone plays a role (Anna sets the table, Brian clears the dishes). What follows is a relaxed home, which yields stronger family relationships. Both parents and children experience decreased stress when there’s less drama about what time you’ll eat dinner and where you’ll settle down to do homework. In addition, your whole family will benefit psychologically from a structured regime.

By building one, you send a message that says, “This is how we do things.” Routines make daily activities manageable, allowing your child to focus on one thing at a time. A predictable schedule offers structure that helps kids feel safe and secure. It may not always be obvious, but children want and need routines. In terms of behavior, they help improve efficiency and daily functioning. Routines affect life positively on two levels. The Benefits of Putting Your Child on a Schedule To make structure truly effective, routines need to be seen and implemented not just as simple behavioral strategies, but as a way of life. Usually, trying to implement a daily schedule doesn’t work because parents give up too soon. Every day becomes a battle, and we’re all worn out. Yet many throw in the towel after a few weeks (or even a few days) because the routines are not working. Many well-intentioned parents enthusiastically start out to establish the structure their children need. Yet there is hope - even happiness - in sight. But when you’re raising a child with real attention difficulties in the real world, setting and maintaining such routines can seem downright hopeless. Do something fun to unwind before a regular bedtime. Make sure homework happens at the same time and in the same setting daily. You’ve heard it before: Set up a morning routine for kids with ADHD to get out the door on time.

The keys to getting the ADHD organization help you need: belief in the power of family routines and a long-term commitment to them. All parents of children with ADHD have heard the routine about routines: Kids need structure, and children with attention deficit need even more.

Daily schedule chart for two kids