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Children with ADHD often have trouble with handwriting. Use these suggestions to offer ADHD handwriting help to your kids!

ADHD Handwriting Help for Kids

November 30, 2017 by Selena Robinson 10 Comments

Children with ADHD often have trouble with handwriting. Use these suggestions to offer ADHD handwriting help to your kids!

Do your kids with ADHD struggle with penmanship? You’re not alone. Many, many kids need ADHD handwriting help from an early age. And, once again, it all goes back to the unique struggles of the ADHD brain.

Executive function is what helps us organize our thoughts and carry them out. Because that is sporadic in kids with ADHD, they may have trouble understanding the process of handwriting, including how to hold the pencil, how to form the letters, and how to copy what they see in a book or on a chalkboard.

Tigger has struggled with her handwriting for the past couple of years. On occasion, it would look perfect – identical to the models in her handwriting book. At other times, though, it was barely legible. For the longest time, I did not understand why handwriting seemed to be so difficult for her until I started reading about all the ways ADHD affects children.

Now that I have a better understanding of how ADHD works, I’ve adjusted my teaching style to offer her more help with handwriting. Here are a few tips I’ve been using.

Children with ADHD often have trouble with handwriting. Use these suggestions to offer ADHD handwriting help to your kids!

How to Offer ADHD Handwriting Help for Kids

This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.

1. Adjust your expectations.

We’ve mentioned this a few times in the past, but when it comes to developing handwriting skills, we have to adjust our expectations of our kids. They may not develop the fine motor skills to write well at the same time or age as their peers, which means their handwriting skills may develop slowly.

If that’s the case, having them write pages and pages of copywork is not going to help them develop these skills any faster. It will, however, make them hate handwriting.

Let your kids write to the best of their ability and then have them do a small amount of daily copywork. After a few weeks, you’ll see their handwriting improve. It may not look like the D’Nealian model, but it will improve…in time.

Fall Playdough Mats

2. Don’t rush to teach cursive.

There’s a minor debate going on in public school right now about the value of teaching cursive writing in the modern age. Personally, I love cursive and I teach it to my kids. But, I don’t insist that they use it at a certain age.

Cursive is generally harder to master than print handwriting. So if your child with ADHD is already struggling with handwriting, don’t insist that he master cursive simply because he is at the grade level when cursive is taught in school.

We introduced cursive to Tigger in third grade, but I noticed that her print was getting sloppier by the day. So, I stopped teaching cursive and we went back to print. Now she’s learning cursive again, but without letting her print penmanship slide.

Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks

3. Let kids use alternate methods for composition.

Some kids who dislike handwriting or have sloppy handwriting are actually excellent storytellers. Don’t insist on them writing their work by hand. Let them use other methods to compose their stories, papers, and responses. Try teaching them to type. In fact, learning to type can actually build fine motor skills that will improve handwriting in the long run.

You might even want to let your kids dictate their stories or draw pictures to express their thoughts. Let them know that there are several ways to tell a story. That way, the frustration of trying to master penmanship won’t poison their love for writing.

ADHD Handwriting Help for Kids

Do your kids with ADHD struggle with handwriting? How do you help them develop good penmanship? Let us know in the comments!

This post is part of the 31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling series! See plenty of ways to make homeschooling kids with ADHD easier!

These 31 tips for homeschooling kids with ADHD are a lifesaver for parents of kids who have ADHD or ADD!

Get even more tips and suggestions for parenting kids with ADHD by following my ADHD Tips board on Pinterest!

You can get plenty of tips for homeschooling and parenting kids with ADHD when you sign up for our email newsletter!

Don’t miss these other great posts!

ASL Alphabet Flashcards The Grouchy Ladybug Printables Sleep Tips for Kids with ADHD Middle School Coding Projects for Beginners

Does your child with ADHD toss and turn every night? Here are some ADHD sleep tips for kids that really work!

ADHD Sleep Tips for Kids That Actually Work!

November 2, 2017 by Selena Robinson 32 Comments

Sleep Tips for Kids with ADHD - Look! We're Learning!

Getting enough sleep is a major problem for kids and adults with ADHD. I’ve been a light sleeper for years, but I had no idea it was related to ADHD until I started researching symptoms.

Personally, I CANNOT go to sleep without reading first. If I try to just lie down, my mind will race with a thousand “I need to” and “I really should” thoughts, and eventually I’ll jump up and start doing stuff. Not good if I expect to be a relatively happy mom the next day.

Our kids tend to be light sleepers too. Tigger and Roo take a very long time to fall asleep, and poor Pooh has struggled with night terrors ever since he was an infant. The irony is: The less sleep kids with ADHD get, the worse their symptoms are. So we’ve had quite a few rough homeschooling days due to lack of sleep.

I’ve been reading lots of information about establishing good sleep habits, and today I’m sharing three ADHD sleep tips for kids (and adults)!

If this post is helpful, be sure to read my list of the best ADHD homeschooling tips around!

Does your child with ADHD toss and turn every night? Here are some ADHD sleep tips for kids that really work!

Image: Deyan Georgiev / Dollar Photo Club

ADHD Sleep Tips for Kids

1. Provide plenty of physical activity during the day.

For years, my husband has done manual work. On days that he works, he rests well at night because he’s so exhausted from the day. On weekends, though, he tends to stay up late into the night.

Turns out that’s related to ADHD! When kids and adults with ADHD exert themselves during the day, they sleep more soundly at night. Make time for your kids to get up and move vigorously during the school day and they should rest better.

Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks

2. End screen time a few hours before bed.

It’s no secret that kids tend to get excited after watching television, but that is true to an even greater degree in kids with ADHD. And it’s not just TV. Any kind of screen time, including computers, tablets, and smartphones, can be overstimulating and make it harder for kids to go to sleep at night. Of course, as I write this, it is 11:38 p.m., so this is a “Do as I say, not as I do” moment. 😉

We’ll be talking more about screen time limits later in the series, but it is critical that we minimize (and even eliminate) screen time when possible to avoid sleep problems and loss of focus. That’s where adding in physical fitness can help, because it gives kids an outlet for their energy instead of adding more stimuli.

3. Establish a bedtime routine and stick to it.

We’ve used a set bedtime in our family for years. But that’s not all that’s involved in establishing a bedtime routine. You know how doctors encourage you to create a routine of bathing, reading, and singing to help babies learn to sleep at night? We should keep that going with our kids long after babyhood.

We covered the importance of routines for ADHD yesterday, and those same points apply to the bedtime routine. That means that consistency is critical. Once you establish your bedtime routine, stick with it every night. Over time, your kids’ bodies will learn that nighttime is for winding down and resting.

Note: I’ve been hearing good things about melatonin. My daughter’s pediatrician actually recommended it to us during her last visit. But I’ve been hesitant to try it, because I’ve heard that it gives some kids nightmares. So if any of you have any thoughts or experiences with melatonin, please tell me about them! (Disclosure: I am not a medical professional. Please consult a doctor before deciding how to treat ADHD in your family.)

Have you struggled with helping your kids with ADHD go to sleep? Do you have any ADHD sleep tips for kids that work in your family? Tell us about them in the comments!

ADHD Sleep Tips for Kids That Actually Work

Need more help parenting and teaching kids with ADHD? Read these posts for ideas!

Teaching a child with ADHD at home? You've got to read this list of the best ADHD homeschooling tips around!

15 Homeschool ADHD Schedule Ideas - Awesome for teaching active kids at home!

Math Activities for ADHD Students

For more help parenting kids with ADHD, follow my ADHD Tips board on Pinterest!

Don’t miss these other great posts!

ASL Alphabet Flashcards The Grouchy Ladybug Printables ADHD Handwriting Help for Kids Middle School Coding Projects for Beginners


15 Homeschool ADHD Schedule Ideas - Awesome for teaching active kids at home!

15 Homeschool ADHD Schedule Ideas

September 26, 2016 by Selena Robinson 3 Comments

Homeschool planning season is typically an exciting time of year for parents. We get to get out our planners, write up lesson plans, and schedule our days to make sure we cover all of the objectives for the year.

But if you’re homeschooling children with ADHD, it’s not that simple. I still feel the excitement of the new school year, but it’s tempered a bit by the knowledge that, no matter how I plan our day, my kids are simply not going to get everything done. (Which is one reason why I’m not using a homeschool planner this year.)

Over the years, I’ve tried so many different homeschooling schedules I’ve lost track of them all. None of them worked. Not one. So I’ve learned a few ways to tweak our school day so that my kids can keep up, stay interested, and enjoy what they learn. Here are 15 different homeschool ADHD schedule ideas that have worked for us and may work for you too!

15 Homeschool ADHD Schedule Ideas - Awesome for teaching active kids at home!

Image c/o: photousvp77 / depositphotos

15 Homeschool ADHD Schedule Ideas

1. Alternate sit down subjects with moving subjects.

2. Incorporate brain breaks every 20 minutes.

3. Use video liberally – teach for 10 minutes, then show a short video about the concept.

4. Add games into each subject: flashcards, drawing, balance games, call-and-response games, etc.

5. Do the subject your child hates first.

6. Or do the subject your child hates last.

7. Separate your kids for complex subjects and rotate them.

8. Have school in different areas of the house during the day.

9. Use the car for roadschooling.

10.Have a school lesson outdoors.

11. Ask your child which subject they’d like to do first.

12. Alternate weeks for certain subjects.

13. Drop an elective your child hates.

14. Use the library for a different subject each week.

15. Observe your child’s maximum attention span and time lessons to match it.

The Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks eBook

What’s Working for Us This Year:

I’ve used all of these at one time or another. This year, we’ve been using a combination of Numbers 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, and 12.

  • Alternate sit down subjects with moving subjects. – I usually begin the day with reading. We sit down with books and listen to someone reading to us. Then we get up and do a project or a craft – anything that lets them move.
  • Use video liberally. – I rebelled against using video in my schooling for a long time. I think I’m just old-fashioned. But it makes such a big difference in helping the kids retain what they learn. I try to introduce the topic and give them questions to look for the answers to in the video, then we discuss it.
  • Do the subject your child hates last. – My oldest daughter hates math. I tried doing it first with her, but that didn’t work. She’d delay so much that we’d never get to the other subjects. Now we do it last and that seems to work better.
  • Separate your kids for complex subjects and rotate them. – When it’s time for my oldest to do math, she needs complete concentration. So I send my younger ones off to play in their rooms. In the morning, when they’re doing math, she’s in her room working on writing.
  • Use the car for roadschooling. – I have just recently discovered the wonder of audiobooks and they are a lifesaver. If I have to leave the house for a while, I have the kids bring their books and they listen as we ride. Then we discuss what they’ve read.
  • Alternate weeks for certain subjects. – I no longer try to cover every single subject every single week. I typically do history one week, geography the next, and the science the week after that. While I make sure the three R’s are done regularly, I take a break on the others. It’s less overwhelming for the kids and for me.

How have you adjusted your homeschooling schedule for your kids with ADHD? Do you have any tried and true homeschool ADHD schedule ideas to share? Let me know in the comments!

Homeschool ADHD Schedule Ideas

Get more ideas for homeschooling kids with ADHD!

The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling ADHD Students

Math Activities for ADHD Students

And learn even more in our ebook: Homeschooling with ADHD!

DHD eBook @ Look! We're Learning!

Follow my ADHD Tips board on Pinterest for more tips and suggestions!

This post is part of the 8th Annual Back to Homeschool Blog Hop from iHomeschool Network! Click on over to read more homeschool posts from my fellow bloggers!

2016 Back to Homeschool Blog Hop


The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling ADHD Students

The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling ADHD Students

April 25, 2016 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

We’re parenting three children who have ADHD/ADD in our family. (The jury’s still out on the toddler, so far.) To add to our unique situation, both my husband and I also have ADD. Fun!

Naturally, we have to make use of a LOT of creative tips and ideas for homeschooling ADHD students. We’ve shared lots of posts on this topic over the years and I’ve gotten some great suggestions from other websites as well.

So – without further ado – here is the Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling ADHD Students! I hope that these resources are just as helpful to you as they’ve been to us!

The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling ADHD Students

Image c/o: Rawpixel via depositphotos

The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling ADHD Students

How to Deal with a Homeschooling Dawdler

Homeschooling with ADD and ADHD

Managing Expectations for ADHD Students

How We Homeschooled My Kiddo with ADHD

Adapting as a Teacher to ADHD Kids

When Traditional School Fails: Homeschooling May Be a Better Option

Preparing Kids with ADHD to Learn

Homeschooling Kids with ADHD

Making Lifestyle Changes for Kids with ADHD

Making Lifestyle Changes to Homeschool Kids with ADHD

Why Special Needs Kids Thrive in a Homeschool Environment

How to Consider Other Kids When ADHD Homeschooling

How to Work with ADHD in Your Homeschool

Homeschooling as a Mom with ADHD

Small Muscle Handwriting Practice for Kids with ADHD

Our ADHD-Friendly Homeschool Room

How We Did Spelling In Our ADHD Homeschool

3 Tips for Raising Boys with ADHD - These are great suggestions for parents who are struggling with sons who have this condition!

3 Tips for Raising Boys with ADHD

Pages: 1 2 3 4
iLS Home Program for ADHD and SPD - Look! We're Learning!

iLS Home Program for ADHD and SPD

April 11, 2016 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

As most of you probably know, we have children who are living with ADHD and Sensory Processing Disorder. In fact, both my husband and I also have ADHD/ADD.

We’ve written extensively about life with ADHD here on the blog, so when I learned about Integrated Listening Systems – a natural therapy for improving attention and sensory processing skills, I was super excited to give the iLS Home Program a try!

Here’s what the program includes and how it can benefit children with various learning difficulties and special needs!

Disclosure: I received access to this program in exchange for this post and I was compensated for my time. All opinions are my own. For details, see my Disclosure Policy.

iLS Home Program for ADHD and SPD - Look! We're Learning!

What is iLS Home Program Therapy?

The iLS Total Home Focus Program is a sound and movement therapy system for individuals who are living with special needs, including ADHD/ADD, Down’s syndrome, Sensory Processing Disorder, Dyslexia, Autism, Apraxia, Dysgraphia, and Auditory Processing Disorder.

Since we have children who have both ADHD and Sensory Processing Disorder, we jumped at the chance to try the program. Here’s a quick overview of how it works:

iLS Home Program System

This is a look at what is included in the iLS Home Program. As you can see, it’s pretty extensive.

iLS Home Program iPod Touch

You receive an iPod Touch with a waist pack. Kids need to use the program two to five times per week for sessions of 20 to 50 minutes.

iLS Home Program Headphones

The special iLS headphones are part of the program’s unique benefits. These headphones feature special sensors behind the ear that make contact with the bones in the head. The goal is to provide listening therapy through the body’s various systems via bone conduction. Pretty neat!

iLS Home Program Balance Board

The balance board is part of the exercise regimen, designed to improve balance and coordination.

iLS Home Program Accessories

The weighted beanbags and balls are accessories for use with the program home exercises.

iLS Home Program Playbook

Along with the program supplies, iLS provides a Playbook that demonstrates various exercises and skills you can try with your children. The Playbook also gives you a chance to note your children’s progress as you use the program.

What are the Benefits of the iLS Home Program ?

Clients who have used the iLS Home Program have reported substantial benefits for those who have attention and sensory issues. For example, some who have tried the iLS program for ADHD have noticed an increase in ability to concentrate, organize, and complete tasks. The program has also helped to decrease anxiety and promote calm, which leads to improved sleeping habits (something that has been a real issue in our family).

iLS can also help with vestibular and proprioceptive issues, which are common for children with SPD. Since the program includes exercises that are designed to improve hand/eye coordination, balance, and auditory processing, I am really looking forward to seeing how much it helps our family.

I’m excited to announce that I’ll be using the iLS Home Program with my children over the next several weeks! I’m looking forward to sharing our progress and results, especially for those of you who have children living with ADHD, autism, SPD, or other special needs.

Visit the iLs Total Home Focus Program website to learn more about how this program works for home use! And if you have any specific questions about how the program is working for us, feel free to ask and I’ll do my best to answer!

For more about life with ADHD, follow my ADHD Tips board on Pinterest!

ADHD eBook @ Look! We're Learning!

Homeschooling with ADHD eBook

November 30, 2015 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

We’ve been writing about homeschooling with ADHD here at Look! We’re Learning! for quite a while, but I (in typical ADD fashion) have been procrastinating with this eBook.

I’ve wanted to write it for months, but it seemed overwhelming and just..impossible. I did mention I have ADD, right?

But here it (finally) is! This eBook “Homeschooling with ADHD” is the resource you’ve been looking for! If you’re teaching kids with ADHD at home or if you’re even considering it, this ebook is for you!

And *for a limited time*, I’m giving it away FREE!

DHD eBook @ Look! We're Learning!

Homeschooling with ADHD eBook

This eBook is divided into six chapters beginning with a discussion of what ADHD is and ending with detailed suggestions for how you can continue homeschooling, even when ADHD-related problems arise.

What if you’re a parent with ADHD? You can still homeschool your kids with ADHD! (Trust me, I’m doing it.) There’s a special section in the book just for you – with tips and tricks to make homeschooling something you love, not simply something you endure.

And, because I really want you all to benefit from these tips, I’m giving the ebook away for FREE for 48 hours! It’s normally priced at $5.99, but you can get it for nothing until December 2!

If you decide to download the ebook, please share your thoughts about it with me at selena@lookwerelearning.com. Grab your free eBook from our store using the link or image below!

DHD eBook @ Look! We're Learning!

Homeschooling with ADHD eBook – Look! We’re Learning! Store


5 Ways to Show Love to Your Defiant Child - Look! We're Learning!

5 Ways to Show Love to Your Defiant Child

November 16, 2015 by Selena Robinson 13 Comments

I tell my son to go to his room. Instead of walking down the hall, he stands rooted to the ground, yelling that he won’t go. When I turn to walk away, he rushes at me, grabbing my arms and trying to force me to look at him.

Sound familiar?

Welcome to the world of parenting a defiant child.

Do you have a child that seems to enjoy resisting your parental authority? Does he seem to do the exact opposite of what he’s told – almost every single time? Does it appear that she likes to see you get upset?

One of our children, who shall remain nameless, tends to be defiant. I can vouch for the fact that it tests every moral fiber a parent has. But we’ve found that one of the best methods for approaching defiance in our children is by showing them love. It really works!

So, here are 5 ways to show love to your defiant child. If you’re at your wit’s end, these tips may help you reconnect with your child, even when he or she is defiant.

If you're parenting a defiant child, you're facing a real challenge. But finding ways to love our kids, even when they're defiant, can help us keep our joy.

Image: Laurent Hamels / Dollar Photo Club

5 Ways to Show Love to Your Defiant Child

1. Try to understand his frustration.

Sometimes a child who appears to be defiant may be experiencing extreme frustration. Your challenge is to find out why. Before you ask questions (see tip #3), try to understand what may be happening.

Is he upset with a sibling? Could he feel that a situation is unfair? Is he exhausted, hungry, or disappointed? Trying to see things from his standpoint can give you a lot of insight into his behavior.

2. Show physical affection.

Physical affection (in moderate amounts) can be a simple way to defuse a defiant outburst. Simply placing your hand on your child’s shoulder, back, or cheek may be calming, especially if she has under-responsive SPD or ADHD. If your child allows, gently pull her closer to you and give her a firm hug.

Be careful not to force physical affection, though. If your child resists or pulls away from contact, give her time and space.

3. Ask questions calmly.

If your child is ready to talk, ask him a couple of questions about his feelings and give him plenty of time to answer. Some good questions might include:

“Would you like to talk?”
“Are you feeling upset about something?”
“Can you tell me what you’re feeling?”

If your child wants to talk, by all means, listen without interrupting. If  your child doesn’t want to talk, respond with “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk now. But if you want to talk about it later, I’ll be ready to listen.”

The Land of Nod, design for kids and people that used to be kids

4. Devote special time to her.

Children who behave in a defiant manner may feel misunderstood or unappreciated. Setting aside one-on-one time to spend with them can help them to feel accepted.

When my defiant child felt bad about himself, he tended to isolate himself from the rest of us: shutting down, refusing to talk or play with his siblings, or intentionally misbehaving. But when I scheduled a special time for the two of us to spend together, his defiant behavior calmed down considerably. He looked forward to reading and playing together and it gave him something special to talk about with his siblings later on.

5. Say nothing.

Sometimes, though, the best way to show love to your defiant child is to say absolutely nothing. If he is having a severe meltdown, you might just have to wait it out.

Go about your normal duties, but try to stay nearby where he can see you. If you walk away, he might feel neglected and try to come up with ways to “force” you to pay attention to him (acting out, throwing a tantrum, etc.). Trust me: I know that walking away does not work.

Ways to Show Love to Your Defiant Child

Books about Parenting Defiant Children:

There are some excellent books about parenting defiant children available these days. Here are some of the ones we’ve found over the years. (Affiliate links are provided here for convenience. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.)

1. 10 Days to a Less Defiant Child – Jeffrey Bernstein, Ph.D. (My personal favorite!)

2. The Defiant Child: A Parent’s Guide to Oppositional Defiant Disorder – Douglas A. Riley

3. Your Defiant Child: Eight Steps to Better Behavior – Russell A. Barkley, Ph.D.

4. The Explosive Child – Ross W. Greene, Ph.D.

5. Transforming the Difficult Child: The Nurtured Heart Approach – Howard Glasser & Jennifer Easley

Parenting a defiant child is difficult, extremely difficult. But when we just try to show love to them, even when they’re defiant, we can make a huge difference in their behavior and their self-esteem.

Oh – and remember when my son rushed at me, trying to force me to look at him? You know what I did? I looked at him and I asked him if he wanted to tell me why he was upset. Then I hugged him.

You know what he did? He hugged me back and started to cry. Then he started to talk and I listened. And suddenly, he didn’t seem quite so defiant anymore.

Are you parenting a defiant child? What have you found to be helpful? Share your tips in the comments! And be sure to read these other parenting posts!

How to Calm Your Frustrated ADHD Learner

How to Keep a Homeschool Tantrum from Derailing Your School Day

For more parenting encouragement, follow our board “Parenting with Joy” on Pinterest!

How to Manage Sensory Processing Disorder at Home

October 13, 2015 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

Are you living with a child who has sensory processing disorder? At least two of our children do and we’ve been working with them at home.

In a perfect world, they would be seeing an occupational therapist, but that’s not in our budget or covered by our insurance. So if you’re trying to learn how to manage sensory processing disorder at home (like we are), here are a few tips from the book Sensory Processing 101 that are working in our family.

*Note: I am not a medical professional. If you are concerned that your child may have sensory processing disorder, please consult a doctor or occupational therapist for advice.*

*Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.*

How to Manage Sensory Processing Disorder at Home - Look! We're Learning!

How to Manage Sensory Processing Disorder at Home

This post contains affiliate links. For details, see our Disclosure Policy.

Learn all you can about SPD.

You’ll need to begin by learning everything you can about sensory processing disorder. For example, SPD consists of several different aspects, including trouble with vestibular, oral, or proprioceptive senses. Plus, you can have a child who has problems in more than one sensory area. Since some books on sensory processing disorder are a little complex, be sure to choose one that is written for parents, not therapists.

Watch your child for sensory-seeking or sensory-avoiding behavior.

Does your child deal with over-responsiveness to sensory input or under-responsiveness? If your child shies away from sounds or textures in food or clothing, then he or she might have auditory, oral, or tactile over-responsiveness. On the other hand, if your child deliberately does things in a loud or forceful manner, then he or she might be under-responsive to sensory input.

In our family, our youngest son crashes into the floor (on purpose!), stomps around the house (even when he’s happy), and speaks extremely loudly. Sometimes he doesn’t even feel when he bumps into things. Learning about SPD and observing him has helped us to recognize his specific sensory needs.

The Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks eBook

Include sensory activities in your daily life.

Okay – so you know about SPD and you’ve learned which aspects are affecting your child. Now it’s time to put together a “sensory diet”: a routine of sensory activities for your child to do everyday. Believe it or not – sensory therapy consists of activities that you can easily adapt and do at home.

Once you know which areas your child struggles with, you can make a list of daily activities (even chores) that allow them to get more sensory input through the day. Some of our favorites for our sensory-seeking kids include chewing crunchy foods, heavy work (pushing objects around), and wrapping up in tight blankets.

The ebook Sensory Processing 101 is a super resource for learning about SPD, recognizing the signs in your own child, and ideas for sensory activities you can do around the house! If you haven’t gotten a copy of the book yet, check it out below!

Sensory Processing 101

Are you living with a child who has SPD? Do you have any tips for how to manage sensory processing disorder at home? Let us know in the comments!

Sensory Fix™ for Everyday Sensory Needs

Math Bafflers Review: Introducing Logic to Kids with ADHD

July 8, 2015 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

One of the challenging things about homeschooling a child with ADHD is helping him or her learn to think critically. Kids who have classic ADD tend to avoid any kind of sustained mental effort, especially when the topic is challenging.

And that’s my Tigger. She’s linguistically smart, but she’s not a natural at math. When there’s a concept that’s hard for her to grasp, she tends to tune out or get frustrated. But we can’t just skip those parts, right?

Recently I got a chance to try the workbook Math Bafflers from Prufrock Press and I found it to be a great way to teach logic to kids with ADHD! Here’s our Math Bafflers review.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for this post. All opinions are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.

Using Math Bafflers to Introduce Logic to Kids with ADHD

Math Bafflers Review

Just to give you a little background:

I’m pretty sympathetic to Tigger on the whole “avoiding sustained mental effort” thing, because…

I’m the exact same way.

Last semester, I took Honors Logic and I’m here to tell you that it was rough. I can do the work, but there are times when I sit down to concentrate and my head pretty much feels like it’s filled with bees. Kind of like a mental static.

So if that’s what Tigger deals with, I can vouch for the fact that it’s irritating and it interferes with your ability to concentrate.

However, logic is SUCH an important skill to learn that I was determined to find a way to teach it. And Math Bafflers was a great way to introduce it.

Using Math Bafflers to Introduce Logic to Kids with ADHD

Math Bafflers is not a logic curriculum, but it is a logic puzzle workbook. The first thing I loved about it was that the activities are fairly short – perfect for Tigger’s short attention span!

Using Math Bafflers to Introduce Logic to Kids with ADHD

Look at her expression. That is the face of a child who is NOT interested in this subject at all…lol.

Sensory Fix™ for Everyday Sensory Needs
Using Math Bafflers to Introduce Logic to Kids with ADHD

I loved the way Math Bafflers provided a gentle intro to logic for children. In the very beginning, the book acknowledges that logic is not the easiest subject to learn.

So there are a list of steps to follow to help kids (and their parents) make sense of how to solve each puzzle. I summarized the steps and wrote them on the board.

Using Math Bafflers to Introduce Logic to Kids with ADHD

Then I had Tigger copy them down. Having her write things down seems to “ground” her in a way. Then, she’ll have something to refer back to when she can’t remember how to solve a problem.

Using Math Bafflers to Introduce Logic to Kids with ADHD

We started with the very first Math Bafflers puzzle. Basically, it requires kids to sort through a list of criteria to determine which television program comes on when. There are clues such as: “Program ABC comes on after Program XYZ, but before Program DEF.”

I’ll be honest. Those kinds of puzzles stump me too.

Which is why I was so glad for the problem-solving steps in the beginning of the book. Finding the answer seemed overwhelming initially, but as we followed each step for each clue, we ended up narrowing down our choices fairly quickly.

Something I noticed about Tigger is that she tends to read “more into” a sentence than is actually there. For example, a clue might say “Leah does not breakfast while watching Program XYZ. She eats breakfast between 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.”

When I asked Tigger, “What does that mean about Program XYZ and when it doesn’t come on?”, she would answer, “It doesn’t come on in the morning!” But the clue didn’t say that. It simply said that it didn’t come on during her breakfast time. There were other morning times outside of the time when Leah eats breakfast.

I chalk that up to her desire to hurry up and get through a problem quickly. So helping her slow down and develop patience with her schoolwork is going to be one of our focuses this school year.

Using Math Bafflers to Introduce Logic to Kids with ADHD

Tigger kept trying to give up, but I wouldn’t let her. And sure enough, we solved the puzzle! Whoohoo!

Now I will say – After we finished the first puzzle, we stopped with this subject for that day. I didn’t want to overwhelm her and I didn’t want her to hate learning logic. But this will definitely be part of our curriculum for the 2015-16 school year. 🙂

And that’s our Math Bafflers Review! If you’re just getting started with a study of logic in your homeschool, I highly recommend Math Bafflers! It’s perfect for kids with ADHD, kids who struggle with math, or anyone else!

5 Things That Make ADHD Homeschooling Easier

June 22, 2015 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

I’ve been sharing about my decision to return to homeschooling this fall after enrolling my kids in public school for a few months last school year. One of the major reasons why I decided to take a homeschooling break was because I was burned out. Three of our kids have ADHD, as do I, and keeping everyone on task (including me) was becoming a challenge. It was time to take a break.

But now that things have settled back down, I’m planning for how I can make this upcoming school year our best (and most relaxed one) yet. And so today, I’m sharing five things that make ADHD homeschooling easier!

By the way, this is one of those posts that contains great advice that I really need to take myself. So if I ever write about being burned out again, please remind me to come back and read this post. 🙂

Things That Make ADHD Homeschooling Easier

5 Things that Make ADHD Homeschooling Easier

1. Math Manipulatives

Tigger is not a math fan. But when we use math manipulatives, she enjoys it much, much more. That means taking math off the textbook page and making it interactive.

We use both Unifix Cubes and Counting Bears to help our kids visualize their math problems while learning. We’ve also used a literary approach with resources such as Life of Fred and Arithmetic Village to make the problems more of a “visual” exercise for her.

2. Flash Cards

Flash cards are a huge help with covering homeschooling topics with our kids. Roo, in particular, loves them because he is partial to holding items while we cover lessons.

He’s continually fidgeting, so if he can move cards around by flipping them, matching them, or using them for memory drills, he learns critical terms and pictures much faster. (See all of our free printable flashcards available here in the store!)

3. Music

All of our kids love to dance, so we use music pretty often. We take dance breaks in between lessons and when we clean up the house, we play music to encourage them to relax.

Personally, when I have trouble focusing on a task for our homeschool, such as planning lessons or organizing my resources, I use Focus @ Will. It’s an online streaming music service that plays instrumental tracks according to the mood you select. They even have a channel for ADHD, and it works wonders for my concentration.

4. Educational Games

Another big part of making learning interesting for my kids with ADHD is to use educational games. I try to pick games that are either short on directions or short on time, which keeps my kids from getting frustrated as they learn how to play.

Stare Junior! is one of our very favorite games. It’s a game that helps kids practice observing by staring at a picture for two minutes and then trying to remember details from it. We also like BrainBox Nature, because it’s a super short game (2 minutes each round) and it’s a perfect way to break up lessons while continuing with something educational.

5. Brain Breaks

I mentioned Brain Breaks in a post I wrote over at The Homeschool Post about my favorite things about homeschooling with ADHD, but the ebook deserves another shout out here. Brain Breaks are great for helping our kids “let off steam”.

They get to choose their own activity and then complete it in a short round. Plus, there are lots of activities to choose from, so they never get bored with their choices.

The Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks eBook
For even more helpful suggestions for homeschooling with ADHD, see our series 31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling to get tips, suggestions, and ideas for your family!

31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling - Look! We're Learning!
This post is part of the “Things My Homeschool Couldn’t Do Without” linkup from iHomeschool Network! Click on over to read even more fabulous posts by our fellow homeschooling bloggers!

5 Things That Make ADHD Homeschooling Easier


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3 Tips for Raising Boys with ADHD - These are great suggestions for parents who are struggling with sons who have this condition!

3 Tips for Raising Boys with ADHD

December 29, 2014 by Selena Robinson 4 Comments

We have two boys in our family with ADHD. Since one has classic ADHD with hyperactivity and one has limbic ADHD (which is characterized by a distinct lack of energy), they require very different parenting styles. Complicating this issue is the fact that we also have a daughter with ADHD and both my husband and I are living with ADHD as well.

While our family life is never, ever, ever boring, it can also be extremely challenging. So I’m always searching for great advice on how to raise boys with ADHD. Naturally, I was thrilled to get a copy of the book “Raising Boys with ADHD” from Prufrock Press!

As I read the book, I appreciated several of the suggestions and I’m sharing a few of them with you all today. 🙂

*I received a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for this review. My opinions are my own and I was not required to post a positive review.*

3 Tips for Raising Boys with ADHD - These are great suggestions for parents who are struggling with sons who have this condition!

Image: nadezhda1906 / Dollar Photo Club

Tips for Raising Boys with ADHD

1. Make it into a game.

What is “it”, you ask? Anything. Make any and everything into a game. Since boys with ADHD are often easily bored, which can lead to misbehavior, keeping their interest is critical to getting them to cooperate. So, if you need them to pick up their rooms, challenge them to see who can get their room clean faster: you or them? You’ll get them to clean up and work together at the same time!

2. Take a problem-solving approach.

One of the biggest struggles for young boys who have ADHD is feeling defeated. As parents, we can do a lot to help them build self-esteem by refusing to overreact to their difficulties. Raising Boys with ADHD suggests viewing every challenge as a puzzle that can be solved. If what we’re doing now is not helping, then we need to find another solution. But we want to always believe that there is a solution that can help. That optimistic viewpoint can do a lot to help our sons keep trying, even when they feel like giving up.

3. Emphasize respect in the home.

All siblings tend to argue and fight, so when you add ADHD into the mix, things can become even more volatile. Rather than creating a long list of do’s and don’ts, the book recommends establishing the family rule “Treat Others with Respect”. If we help our sons learn how to respect us and their siblings, they’ll have an easier time managing their emotions and considering how their actions affect others.

Do you have sons with ADHD? How do you handle the challenges of parenting them? Let us know in the comments!

Homeschooling as a Mom with ADHD

November 11, 2014 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

In case you haven’t noticed, I talk about ADHD on this blog a lot. Like here, here, and here. 🙂 Several of us in our family are living with various types of this disorder and, for me as a homeschooling mom, ADHD poses quite a few challenges.

Homeschooling as a Mom with ADHD - Look! We're Learning!

I recently had the chance to talk in depth about what it’s like to live as a homeschooling mom with ADHD over at Tales of a Pee Dee Mama. If you’d like to hear more about those struggles and successes, head over and read my Homeschooler Spotlight post!

Homeschooling as a Mom with ADHD – Tales of a Pee Dee Mama

Psst…..It’s also time for another edition of the Laugh and Learn linky! 🙂

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* We missed last week’s Linkup due to technical issues. Living in Mexico has it’s perks and problems. Tomorrow will be four weeks that I have not had Internet in the house. It was supposed to be installed in 2 to 10 business days! Starbucks has become my second home… Thanks for your patience and hopefully this won’t happen again. Tina

Welcome to our seventh week of Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup! Join us in the fun and help us spread the word! Laugh and Learn – Homeschool and Parenting Linkup will be open by 6 am every Tuesday morning. My co-hosts and I will be picking our three favorite posts and featuring them on the following weeks linkup. So be sure to link your best content and maybe we will pick you! When you link your post with us it will not be featured on only one blog, but featured on three blogs for added exposure!

Your Fabulous Hosts 😉

Tina Ernspiker
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Tina lives abroad in Latin America with her husband and four children. Currently in Mexico, Tina is active in homeschool, travel, and her Bible ministry. She blogs about all of their adventures and more at Los Gringos Locos.

Find Tina at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
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Twitter
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Linkedin

Selena
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Selena is a writer and a homeschooling mom to four kids, including three with ADHD/SPD. Selena and her husband, Jay, are committed to teaching their children at home and loving every minute of it! You can read about the family’s homeschooling experiences at Look! We’re Learning, written by Selena!

Find Selena at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
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Michelle Cannon
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Michelle
is a single mom homeschooling two daughters. Michelle currently writes at The Heart of Michelle where you’ll find articles about anything from homeschooling to special needs, opinion pieces to fandom posts.

Find Michelle at her blog link above, and on the following social media networks:
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Twitter
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Our Favorite Posts for the Week of November 3rd:

Written by Sara at Classically Homeschooling

Written by Natalie at Planet Smarty Pants

Written by Kyle at Aspired Living

Thanks to everyone who submitted a post. Please check out the posts above by clicking on the image, if you have a minute for some good reading. Thank you Sara, Natalie, and Kyle for your great homeschool and parenting posts!

Now, let’s see your best posts for this week so we can share them as next week’s favorites!

An InLinkz Link-up


Bodily Kinesthetic Learning Style: 5 Tips for Helping Your Boy

Bodily-Kinesthetic Learning Style:  5 Tips for Helping Boys

November 7, 2014 by Selena Robinson 3 Comments

I blog about boys’ learning and learning styles, both of which are fascinating. Finding out more about a boy’s learning style can be truly helpful and can make a bit difference in his learning life. If you have a bodily-kinesthetic learner use these tips to help him learn.

Teaching boys who have a bodily-kinesthetic learning style requires patience and may take a few adjustments to your homeschool routine.

The main thing to remember about bodily-kinesthetic learners is that they love to learn by doing and they need to be in motion. Boys with this learning style also like physical play such as wrestling and horse-play, they are always tapping, twitching about or swinging their foot, they may be athletic, they need to touch someone when they are talking to them, and almost every one of them has difficulty sitting still!

The great thing about this is that tailoring some of your boys’ learning toward his strengths will result in a better overall learning experience—for both of you.

Bodily Kinesthetic Learning Style: 5 Tips for Helping Your Boy

Bodily-Kinesthetic Learning Style Tips:

Go Hands-On

Manipulatives are your friend. Use things like Cuisenaire Rods or LEGO Math Games and he will be more apt to dive in. Make your lessons hands-on if at all possible. Include things that he can use and manipulate. For example, if you are learning about the Eiffel Tower, make sure to provide materials so he can build a model of it.

Get Touchy Feely

If you want him to remember something put it in his hand. Let him touch it, feel it, take it apart, hold it, or re-build it. By doing this it becomes much easier for him to remember something about it.

Act It Out

Drama is big with many boys who have a bodily-kinesthetic learning style and using it is a great way for them to learn. If you need him to remember something, act it out together. Do an oral book report with a lot of action. Have him act out his answers in pantomime.

Get Loud

Yes, I really mean it. LOL I know some boys are pretty loud already but sitting quietly at a table trying to do work isn’t their style. Allow yelling out answers. Bang things around. Make it fun. If you are working on a project, choose one in which they can move, talk and get loud and you will have better luck.

Move About

Go out and about by using field trips, getting outside, seeing new places, or walking to the park. Get them out of the house and moving around.  Getting out works great but sometimes you need to stay home. For those times have boys walk in place, jump, clap, smack, squish, slap, or tap while working. Any movement is going to benefit your boy.

It is true that doing things this way can take a bit longer but planning ahead can help and it is really worth the effort. Use hands-on activities, touching and feeling, acting, noise, and movement to help your boy who has a bodily-kinesthetic learning style. Give him what he needs and see his learning abilities grow.

What do you do to accommodate your bodily-kinesthetic learner? Share your tips in the comment section.

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Writing Unit Studies for ADHD Kids - Look! We're Learning!

How to Write a Unit Study for ADHD Kids

October 31, 2014 by Selena Robinson 3 Comments

We’ve been using unit studies in our homeschool for years. Personally, I love them. They’re flexible and adaptable, which is perfect for keeping our kids interested in the lessons. We can write them ourselves, buy them from others, or make them up as we go.

If you’re unfamiliar with the unit study approach to homeschooling, check out our previous post about what unit studies are for more details. But, generally, they’re multi-subject lessons based around a central theme. You might have a medieval history unit or a harvest unit or a bear unit, and so on.

Since we’re homeschooling kids with ADHD, we make a few changes to help our kids stay interested and excited about what we’re learning. Here are a few tips that you can use to learn how to write a unit study for kids with ADHD!

Writing Unit Studies for ADHD Kids - Look! We're Learning!

How to Write a Unit Study for ADHD Kids

Follow their interests.

With unit studies, you have the flexibility to choose any topic you (or the kids) want. If one of your children is a huge fan of construction, like Roo is now, make that your topic. You won’t have to worry about them paying attention then. 🙂

When you’ve selected your topic, find ways to include all of the important subjects within it. For example, in a construction unit, I might include math worksheets featuring a construction theme, books about construction machines, and scientific concepts that are used in construction such as simple machines. It’s a great way to help kids develop an interest in subjects they may not have liked in the past.

Include movement at every opportunity.

Physical activity is excellent for helping kids with ADHD refocus their attention for learning. Use brain breaks or short bursts of physical movement every hour to give their brains a much-needed shot of adrenalin.

If you can find a way to make movement a part of the unit study, that’s even better! Using our construction example, kids can build a tower out of blocks, paper towel tubes, or sponges. You could even have them act out the functions of each construction machine they learn about. In fact, one of Roo’s favorite things to do right now is to use his arms like a front loader, complete with sound effects. It certainly makes our P.E. lessons interesting. 🙂

Don’t stress about time.

One of the goals of homeschooling is to help our kids love learning. If they’re doing that, don’t feel like you have to drop the topic to cover a different unit within a certain amount of time. If your children are enjoying the topic, it’s perfectly fine to stick with it for days, weeks, or even months on end.

Do you use unit studies with your kids who have ADHD? Tell us about how you adjust your units for them in the comments!

This post is part of the 31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling series! Thanks for following along with us this month! See all of the posts in the series by clicking the image below!

31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling - Look! We're Learning!

Little Passports

Homeschool PE for ADHD Kids - Look! We're Learning!

Creating an ADHD PE Curriculum for Homeschoolers

October 30, 2014 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

Since kids with ADHD tend to be more active than other kids, it’s easy to think that physical education isn’t that important for them. Wrong! Depending on the child, PE can be even more important for a child with ADHD.

Because the ADHD brain has trouble organizing thoughts and carrying out instructions, kids with ADHD may be clumsier, less coordinated, and more likely to get injured than other kids. We saw this with Tigger quite a lot, especially since she also deals with sensory processing disorder. She fell, tripped, and got hurt much more often than her peers.

Since she was always active, I had assumed that she didn’t really need P.E. But in P.E., you learn so many critical concepts that are essential to being active later in life! So we decided to institute an actual P.E. program., but we made it into an ADHD PE curriculum with a few adjustments.

Homeschool PE for ADHD Kids - Look! We're Learning!

How to Make an ADHD PE Curriculum for Homeschool

Emphasize the basic skills first.

I went to public school until I was in seventh grade, so I had P.E. everyday as a young child. Even though it wasn’t that long ago *ahem*, I still forgot that I learned most of my basic movement skills there, not on the playground. When we took the kids to the playground last year, I couldn’t understand why they were afraid to climb the play structures. Duh! I’d never taught them how to jump down!

We started focusing on mastering the basic PE skills – jumping, skipping, standing, balancing, and running. I just took the kids to the playground last week and I almost couldn’t get them off the ladders. Even Piglet was climbing and sliding down with the rest of them. 🙂

Keep the lessons short.

Because kids with ADHD often have short attention spans, you might have to keep the structured P.E. lessons short, especially when you’re first beginning. They can get so excited about trying something that they fail to pay attention to the instructions and then they’re far more likely to get injured.

So, keep the instructions short and let them get involved as soon as you can. Watch them for signs that they’re losing focus – shifting eyes, fidgeting, etc. –  and cut the lesson when you see that. They’ll also want to play and explore on their own. You may even want to let them do that first, so that they’ll be more likely to pay attention when you teach the skills.

Try teaching P.E. first.

Earlier in the series, we talked about having P.E. early in the school day to help them organize their thoughts for later lessons. Having P.E. class immediately after breakfast may actually help your kids pay closer attention to their other subjects.

One note of warning, though: If you decide to have P.E. first, don’t make it too strenuous. Otherwise, both you and the kids will be too pooped to finish the school day! (I’ve done this, by the way.)

How do you create an ADHD PE curriculum in your homeschool? Tell us about the way you teach physical education in the comments!

This post is part of the 31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling series! Stop by tomorrow for Day 31: Writing a Unit Study for Kids with ADHD!

31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling - Look! We're Learning!

Family Time Fitness

Raising Kids with ADHD and SPD - Look! We're Learning!

Parenting Kids with ADHD and SPD

October 28, 2014 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

In our family, we have kids who have both ADHD and SPD. In truth, the two conditions can have some of the same symptoms: inattentiveness, hyperactivity, etc. But SPD comes with its own unique set of challenges and usually affects one or more senses more than others.

*Note: I am not a medical expert in any way. These are just my observations from my experience with my kids. If you think your child has sensory concerns, please consult a medical professional.*

For example, Tigger and Roo are excessively touchy. They touch every single thing they see (unfortunately). Roo displays vestibular symptoms such as intentionally crashing into the floor and problems crossing the midline. While they both display classic symptoms of ADHD, these particular symptoms were red flags that they had sensory issues as well.

If you’re raising kids who have both ADHD and SPD, you may wonder about how to parent while considering both conditions. Here are a few suggestions that we’ve found to be helpful.

Raising Kids with ADHD and SPD - Look! We're Learning!

Image: Jaimie Duplass / Dollar Photo Club

Parenting Kids with ADHD and SPD

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Don’t obsess over labels.

I think that there is some value in labeling a behavior as ADHD-related or SPD-related, but if we get too focused on defining each individual characteristic, it’s easy to get confused. Honestly, some of the symptoms of SPD can look like ADHD and vice versa.

Here’s why I don’t stress about defining each individual behavior: SPD is not treated with medication. It’s treated with occupational therapy and sensory integration. Since many of the sensory activities suggested by experts are easily done at home, I just use the ones that seem to help my kids calm down. By the way, the book “The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun” has excellent suggestions for sensory activities that can be done at home.

The Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks eBook

Accommodate their sensory needs.

Since kids with SPD often can’t describe what they’re feeling, we have to be attentive to their sensory needs. Now that Tigger is older, she can explain when she gets the “jumpy” feeling in her mouth and we let her use her chewable necklace for oral input. But Roo is five and he can’t explain why he sometimes wants to dive onto the floor.

So, when I see that kind of behavior, I adapt to it by offering him heavy work, deep pressure, or vigorous physical activity. We also try to help the kids learn how to express their feelings, so that they can tell us when they need sensory input. Doing that has helped us cut down greatly on the number of tantrums that occur during our homeschool day.

Include sensory integration in your lessons.

We talked about the value of making our homeschooling lessons as multi-sensory as possible yesterday. If your kids are dealing with SPD, involving their senses in your lessons and activities actually boosts their ability to understand the material.

There are plenty of ways to include sensory play in your daily routine. For loads of sensory play ideas, check out our Sensory Play board on Pinterest!

Follow Selena – Look! We’re Learning!’s board Sensory Play on Pinterest.

Do any of your kids have both ADHD and SPD? How do you accommodate both conditions in your family? Let us know in the comments!

This post is part of the 31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling series! Stop by tomorrow for Day 29: Handwriting for Kids with ADHD!

31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling - Look! We're Learning!

Sensory Fix™ for Everyday Sensory Needs

How to Increase Attention Span in ADHD Kids - Look! We're Learning!

How to Increase Attention Span in ADHD Kids

October 27, 2014 by Selena Robinson 1 Comment

ADHD and poor attention span go hand in hand. In fact, inattentiveness is one of the consistent symptoms of ADHD that is evident in all people who have it. So, our kids with ADHD naturally have trouble maintaining attention, especially if they don’t like the subject at hand.

The good news is that we can help them to extend their attention spans, but – it won’t happen overnight and it won’t happen without lots of input from us. Of course, if you are a parent with ADHD (as I am), you’ll have to fight your own attention battles, and you might want to try these activities yourself so you can be consistent with them. 🙂

If you’d like to help your children learn to focus for longer periods, try these suggestions about how to increase attention span in your kids with ADHD!

How to Increase Attention Span in ADHD Kids - Look! We're Learning!

How to Increase Attention Span for Kids with ADHD

Encourage them to take notes.

One of the things we’ve done with our kids is to encourage them to take notes whenever they have to listen for an extended period of time. We attend meetings at an American Sign Language congregation, which is completely silent. As you can imagine, getting them to sit down and pay attention was a challenge. 🙂

Letting them take notes helped a ton. We don’t require that they write the entire time, either. Sometimes they draw pictures of what they see, which is actually a big help in understanding ASL.

Personally, I’m a visual learner, so when I take notes I use bullet points, multi-colored pens, and arrows to draw my attention to specific items. Mixing things up like that can also make it easier to pay attention.

Stimulate their senses.

We can also help our kids to pay attention longer by involving as many of their senses as possible. If you’re teaching a lesson in your homeschool, use bright pictures, upbeat music, and movement whenever you can. These additions can make your lessons more interesting, which will help your kids maintain focus.

If you have children with sensory integration issues, these kinds of activities are even more important. We’ll talk more about sensory issues in tomorrow’s post.

Use timed focus sessions.

You can also make paying attention into a mini-challenge. Establish special “focus periods” – short, intense periods when the kids will pay attention to a topic as closely as they can. Start with a few minutes, 2 to 5, and then gradually increase them based on age level.

You might even want to add an incentive for each milestone they reach. For example, if they can pay attention to a lesson for 10 minutes and show it by remembering three key points, they get an extra 10 minutes of screen time.

Have you been able to help your kids with ADHD increase attention span? Share your secrets in the comments!

This post is part of the 31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling series! Stop by tomorrow for Day 28: When ADHD and SPD Collide!

31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling - Look! We're Learning!

Move > Focus > Learn with the Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks

Managing Screen Time and ADHD - Look! We're Learning!

Setting Screen Time Limits for Kids with ADHD

October 26, 2014 by Selena Robinson 5 Comments

Raise your hand if your child loves using a tablet. *everyone’s hand in the world goes up*

Digital devices are everywhere these days. And it’s pretty common for kids to use screen devices, such as tablets, computers, and TVs, all the time – even for educational purposes.

For kids with ADHD, though, excessive screen time can pose some serious problems. While it’s unlikely that watching TV will cause ADHD, it can certainly worsen the symptoms. Many television programs and movies are designed to cater to short attention spans, which is something that people with ADHD do not need help developing. Not to mention that an excessive amount of screen time can actually contribute to behavioral problems in some kids, including aggression, irritability, and hyperactivity.

Personally, I don’t know if screen time is actually worsening my kids’ ADHD, but I do know that when they watch it for too long, they have an extremely difficult time settling down, listening, and paying attention afterward. So in our family, we use very clear screen time limits for kids and they seem to be working for us. Here are a few of the suggestions we’ve tried.

Managing Screen Time and ADHD - Look! We're Learning!

Setting Screen Time Limits for Kids with ADHD

Set a daily allotment of screen time.

On school days, we have a limit of no more than one hour of screen time per day. When we’re doing a relaxed day, I might let them watch more, depending on the content. If they want to watch a documentary, I don’t mind if it’s three hours long. If they want to watch Phineas and Ferb, I set the limit to no more than two episodes. They get so worked up after Phineas and Ferb that I can just forget about getting anything else productive done that day. 🙂

Time it right.

If I want my kids to take a nap in the afternoon, I’ve found that I simply cannot let them watch television or play a video game that morning. They won’t settle down enough to rest. So, if I intend for them to take a nap, I save screen time until after they get up from resting.

We also don’t watch television with them in the evenings. TV after dinner means an extremely lengthy wind-down period before bed. If we watch anything with them, we try to do so before 5 p.m. That way, we have about three hours before bedtime to help them begin calming down.

Tie screen time to schoolwork.

In our family, the kids have to earn screen time based on their schoolwork for that day. I make a list of assignments or topics we have to cover that day. If we get through them all and their work is up to par, they earn screen time at the end of the day.

We do complete some school assignments on the computer. But I try to use low-intensity programs and websites such as Khan Academy and Essential Skills Advantage. They don’t have the loud noises and frenetic action of some other educational sites, and I notice that my kids do a better job of focusing when we use them.

Have you struggled with setting screen time limits for kids with ADHD in your family? How do you avoid excessive screen time with your kids? Let us know in the comments!

This post is part of the 31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling series! Stop by tomorrow for Day 27: How to Increase Attention Span in ADHD Kids!

31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling - Look! We're Learning!

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Test Taking Tips for ADHD Kids - Look! We're Learning!

Test Taking Tips for ADHD Kids

October 25, 2014 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Let’s face it. Taking a test is a stressful experience for almost everybody. I mean, you’re being quizzed on what you remember from weeks and weeks of classes in a silent room and you can’t ask for help. How could it not be stressful, right?

For kids with ADHD, test taking can be extremely frustrating. There are so many distractions! If you’re testing in a room with other kids, you can easily spend the entire testing period just watching them. And trying to organize your thoughts and focus under pressure can make it almost impossible for your brain to function at all.

Not all homeschoolers administer standardized tests, but usually there will come a time when our kids have to take an exam of some kind. We’ve learned some great test taking tips for ADHD kids that we’re happy to share with you today!

Test Taking Tips for ADHD Kids - Look! We're Learning!

Test Taking Tips for ADHD Students

Rest and eat well before the test.

Getting plenty of sleep the night before the exam is critical to doing well. Unfortunately, resting in general can be difficult for kids with ADHD, so we can help our kids by establishing a good bedtime routine before the exam, so that they’ll be in the habit of preparing for sleep long before they face the anxiety of testing day.

Earlier in this series, we talked about the value of a protein-heavy diet for people with ADHD. Eating a good meal with plenty of protein before an exam can also make it easier for the ADHD brain to focus on the material at hand.

Practice, practice, practice.

Practice exams are an excellent way to help kids prepare for the big day. If you’re creating and administering your own tests for your homeschool, such as for a subject exam, give your kids a few pop quizzes on concepts they’ve mastered. These smaller quizzes can help them isolate key concepts to study for the full test later on.

If your kids are getting ready for a standardized test, take advantage of online practice tests. There are practice tests for the ITBS, CRCT, SAT, ACT, and just about any other standardized test you can think of. When you administer the practice exam, try to recreate the testing environment: no talking, no bathroom breaks, and a set time limit. This will make the actual test experience a little less frightening.

Sit in the front of the room.

This one is a tip that personally works for me. I attend college online, but I had to take a few final exams on campus last semester. It was the first time I had taken a standardized test in over a decade, so I was not thrilled.

This time, though, I sat in the very front row of the class. The room was full of people, but I hardly noticed them. It was just me and the Scantron. That was a huge help, because I had very little to distract me.

If your child will be taking a test in a group, encourage him or her to sit as close to the front of the room as possible. Cutting down on visual distractions can go a long way to test taking success.

Get even more test taking tips for homeschoolers, including kids with ADHD, in our free printable “Test Taking Strategies for Homeschoolers”! This printable includes five suggestions that kids can use during the test to make it easier to pass their exams the first time. Download your free copy below!

Free Test Taking Strategies Printable - Look! We're Learning!

>>>>> Test Taking Strategies for Homeschoolers <<<<<

Have your ADHD kids struggled with test taking? How do you help them conquer their pre-exam butterflies? Tell us your suggestions in the comments!

Don’t miss these other posts about teaching children with ADHD!

Teaching a child with ADHD at home? You've got to read this list of the best ADHD homeschooling tips around!

The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling ADHD Students

Plus, get even more suggestions for homeschooling kids with ADHD successfully in my book Homeschooling with ADHD!

This post is part of 31 Tips for ADHD Homeschooling series! Stop by tomorrow for Day 26: Managing Screen Time for Kids with ADHD!

These 31 tips for homeschooling kids with ADHD are a lifesaver for parents of kids who have ADHD or ADD!

The Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks eBook

How to Calm Your Frustrated ADHD Learner - Look! We're Learning!

How to Help Kids Deal with ADHD and Frustration During Schoolwork

October 24, 2014 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

For kids with ADHD, the inability to concentrate can become frustrating, especially during schoolwork. Personally, as a woman with ADHD, I get irritable when I have to read something two or three times in order to understand it. Multiply that by 10 and you have my kids’ feelings when they can’t understand something.

It’s extremely irritating to feel as if your brain isn’t working well and that’s a common experience for kids and adults with ADHD. Then, if your kids are perfectionists, they’re going to have an even harder time dealing with these frustrations. Our youngest boy is extremely hard on himself, and since he has a hard time focusing, he gets frustrated on a daily basis.

Over time, though, we’ve learned how to help him calm down and refocus. Here are a few suggestions to help your kids with managing ADHD and frustration! If these tips help, be sure to read more about how you can schedule your homeschool for kids with ADHD!

Does your child with ADHD get frustrated during schoolwork? Try these tips to deal with ADHD and frustration in kids!

Image: kmiragaya / Dollar Photo Club

Tips for Helping Kids Deal with ADHD and Frustration

Anticipate the meltdown.

Start to recognize your child’s triggers. We talked about identifying our own triggers as parents with ADHD the other day, and we have to do the same thing with our kids.

For Roo, handwriting (which we’ll talk about next week) is a particular issue. He thinks that his letters should look exactly like the ones on the chalkboard. There have been days when he literally erases every single letter at least once. Every. Single. Letter. Now that I know that he feels that way, I reduce his copywork so that he won’t get overwhelmed. If you know which areas of homeschooling tend to give your child problems, try to find ways to make the lesson a bit easier on them.

Try deep breathing.

Deep breathing is one of the suggestions in Dr. Daniel Amen’s book Healing ADD, and for good reason. Breathing deeply is a natural way to release tension that builds up in the body when we’re frustrated or angry.

Whenever Roo gets frustrated during class, I have him stand up. Then I take his hands in mine and we breathe deeply together three or four times. Generally, he calms down right away. If we don’t do deep breathing, he often can’t calm down enough to hear my suggestions or accept my help.

Communicate.

Once your child has calmed down a little, encourage him to talk about his feelings. Why did he get frustrated? Is there a particular concept that’s hard for him to grasp? Would he like some help? Teaching our kids how to express themselves can help them avoid getting frustrated in the future.

With Roo, we ask “Can you tell us why you’re upset?” (This is usually after the deep breathing.) He generally answers with an extremely thorough explanation about what happened, what he didn’t like, and why it bothered him so much. After he explains himself, we can address his concerns and offer help.

Now, I will admit: Sometimes we go through all of these steps and he is still frustrated. That’s our cue to take a break from school and come back to the concept a little later on. Usually after a little time has passed, he grasps the concept better and we can return to our regularly scheduled lessons. 🙂

How to Manage ADHD and Frustration with Kids - Look! We're Learning!

Do your kids with ADHD get frustrated during schoolwork? How do you help them deal with those feelings? Share your suggestions in the comments!

Stop by to see some of our other ADHD homeschooling tips!

Teaching a child with ADHD at home? You've got to read this list of the best ADHD homeschooling tips around!

15 Homeschool ADHD Schedule Ideas - Awesome for teaching active kids at home!

Math Activities for ADHD Students

Plus, get more ideas from my ADHD Tips board on Pinterest!

This post is part of the 31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling series! Stop by tomorrow for Day 25: Test Taking Tips for Kids with ADHD!

31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling - Look! We're Learning!

The Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks eBook

Homework Strategies for ADHD Kids - Look! We're Learning!

Homework Strategies for ADHD Kids

October 23, 2014 by Selena Robinson 3 Comments

We homeschool, but I believe strongly in the value of homework. I realize that this is probably a carryover from my public school education, but I think it can be valuable (if done right).

Tigger is the only child in our family who has homework, since she’s in fourth grade this year. I don’t assign much and I allow her some flexibility as to how she completes it. But there are days when she has trouble getting it done anyway.

If you assign homework to your ADHD homeschoolers, try these tips to help them complete their work. Even if you’re not homeschooling, though, you can benefit from these homework strategies for ADHD kids!

Homework Strategies for ADHD Kids - Look! We're Learning!

Image: Monkey Business / Dollar Photo Club

Homework Strategies for ADHD Kids

Have the kids eat before they get started.

No one can concentrate on an empty stomach, right? Naturally, our kids need food for their brains in order to maintain focus on their assignments. If your kids are coming in from public school, it’s very likely that they’re hungry. Serve them a protein-heavy snack paired with a complex carb (think: apple and peanut butter) and a glass of water before they begin.

If you’re homeschooling, try to assign homework after snack time. In our family, Tigger does homework after the morning snack before she hits the lunchtime hyper hour. 🙂

Fight the urge to procrastinate.

Kids and adults who have ADHD tend to procrastinate if they have a deadline that’s too far into the future. To avoid this, encourage your kids to start on their homework right away. Add an incentive by giving them a soft deadline. For example, if your child has a particular television show she wants to watch, challenge her by asking her to finish the homework before the show begins.

We don’t watch much live television, but I require Tigger to finish her homework before we watch anything that day. Once it’s done, I review it and if there are a lot of errors, I have her fix them before we begin. (A lot of errors implies that she was rushing in an attempt to get to the TV.)

Supplement with additional resources.

If your child is struggling with homework because he is confused about a topic, stop and offer him some additional help. Tigger and I had to review multiplication several times before it finally started to click. I would assign her homework, thinking that I was reinforcing our lessons, but until she really understood the concept, there was no point in doing endless worksheets about it.

We took a break from multiplication for a while and came back to it a few weeks later. I supplemented with a few math programs, and when she finally understood it, I went back to assigning her homework. This time, she had a much easier time getting the work done.

Do your kids with ADHD struggle to complete their homework? If you’re homeschooling, do you even bother with homework? Tell us in the comments!

This post is part of the 31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling series! Stop by tomorrow for Day 24: How to Calm Your Frustrated ADHD Learners!

31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling - Look! We're Learning!

Move > Focus > Learn with the Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks

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