The Worst Homeschool Method for ADHD Kids

October 10, 2014 by Selena Robinson 27 Comments

I don’t write many opinionated posts, but I’m going to make an exception today. When I first started homeschooling Tigger, I tried just about every homeschooling method there is. During that time, I found some homeschooling methods that worked and some that didn’t. Today, I’m sharing my experience with the worst of them all.

Now bear in mind, this is just my opinion. 🙂 I’m not a homeschooling expert, but from my own experience, this is the WORST homeschooling method for kids (and parents) with ADHD by far. By far. What horrible, awful, no good, very bad homeschooling method am I talking about?

School at home.

If you don’t know what school at home is, be glad. If you do, you likely agree with me. And if you’re considering homeschooling, allow me to explain why (in my experience) school at the home is the worst homeschooling method for kids with ADHD.

Why School at Home is Awful for Kids with ADHD

School at home requires a strict daily schedule.

The “school at home” homeschooling method is essentially when you use the curriculum and schedule of the public school system at home. When homeschoolers talk about school at home, they’re often describing a school-like setup, complete with desks, chairs, and chalkboard. Most often, school at home also follows the public school system schedule each day.

Now we have a chalkboard, so I’m not anti-school entirely. 🙂 But the school at home schedule is very difficult to adjust for your kids with ADHD. The school day of the local public school system is typically too long for them to sustain their focus, and it can be too much for you to keep up with, especially if you have more than one child.

I tried using a public school system schedule with Tigger once. We lasted for three days. She was burned out, I was burned out, and it took so much of my energy to keep her on task for the whole day that the other kids ended up just running around. Fail.

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School at home requires you to become a teacher, not a parent.

The biggest reason why school at home is so terrible for ADHD kids, though, is that it forces you to step into the role of “teacher”. I’m a homeschooling mom, which means I teach, but I am primarily Mom. And when you’re raising kids who have ADHD, it is critical that you remain Mom.

When I was trying to be The Teacher, I was focused on getting through the lesson plan, not helping my children learn. I found myself shouting at Tigger “Hurry up! We have to cover three more subjects today!” That’s pretty much the best way to ensure your child with ADHD does NOT complete her work.

Public school teachers have an extremely difficult job. They are required to cover a certain amount of material that includes a certain amount of educational objectives for a number of children during the year. They are also required to test these children and help them reach certain test scores by the end of year, regardless of their learning challenges. Naturally, their system of education is going to be different than mine.

My only responsibility is to help my kids learn how to learn. Complicating our learning goals with the additional responsibilities of a public school teacher did nothing but frustrate me and the kids. Now that we’re practicing a more relaxed way of homeschooling, they are truly learning, not just covering material and passing standardized tests.

Have you ever tried School at Home? Did you have a similar experience when you used it? Does it work for your family? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!

This post is part of our “31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling” series! Stop by tomorrow for Day 11: Using the Charlotte Mason Method for ADHD Homeschooling!

Don’t miss these other ADHD learning posts!

And don’t forget to follow my ADHD Tips board on Pinterest for more suggestions!

This post is part of the “Homeschool Choices” linkup from iHomeschool Network! Stop by to read my fellow bloggers tips for choosing your homeschooling approach!

Tips for Managing ADHD Morning Problems

October 8, 2014 by Selena Robinson Leave a Comment

Monday was NOT a good day in our family.

The kids had been up late the night before at a friend’s house and they got way too much stimulation.

They had soda.

They played on tablets.

They ate fried food.

Needless to say, Monday morning was a disaster. Everyone was groggy and Roo was downright aggressive. He had a complete tantrum after breakfast, which is highly unusual for him.

Yesterday, I decided to try a couple of tips I’d read about how to manage ADHD morning problems, and they really worked! In fact, we actually got some of our homeschool lessons done.

So, I’m passing them on today in the hopes that they’ll help any of you who have a hard time with your kids in the morning.

Image: Kzenon / Dollar Photo Club

Disclaimer: While this post contains information about diet and nutrition, this content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.

How to Minimize ADHD Morning Problems

Let the kids set the tone in the morning.

It’s important that kids with ADHD get a good night’s sleep if they’re going to function the next day. So, if your kids have a late night or if they’re unusually groggy, don’t insist that they get up and run at full strength. Trust me, it will end in disaster.

Try to include a bit of flexibility in your daily routine for mornings like this. Instead of using hard and fast times, try to implement a “block” schedule or an order of subjects or activities. This will keep the kids from being slaves to the clock. (We’ll talk more about this scheduling method in tomorrow’s post.)

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Serve a protein-packed breakfast.

Unfortunately, most commercial breakfast foods are loaded with sugar. This is unhealthy for all of us, but it is particularly dangerous for kids with ADHD. Since the ADHD brain tends to struggle with executive function, it’s already difficult for those of us who have it to focus and complete an assignment.

When we eat a lot of sugar, especially first thing in the morning, our distractibility, irritability, and hyperactivity become worse. The best way to start the day is with plenty of protein at breakfast. Foods such as lean meats, legumes, and nuts are excellent sources of protein and can make it easier for the brain to focus.

Try physical activity before beginning school.

Physical activity and ADHD go hand in hand. Getting physical exercise early in the day is a great way for overactive minds to gain some clarity. If you typically have P.E. in the afternoon, try to move it to the morning, especially if you’ll be teaching a subject that requires sustained focus such as math.

Or you can do what I did yesterday: Replace P.E. with household chores. Before breakfast, the kids did laundry and cleaned up the kitchen. Two for the price of one! 🙂

Do you struggle with your kids’ morning routine? How do you manage ADHD morning problems? Let us know in the comments!

This post is part of our “31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling” series! Be sure to stop by tomorrow for Day 9: Developing a Homeschool Schedule for ADHD Kids!

Did you enjoy this post? Don’t miss these!

Plus, get more tips for managing ADHD in the family on my ADHD Tips Pinterest board!

Creating an ADHD Daily Routine for Kids

October 6, 2014 by Selena Robinson 10 Comments

If you’ve read any books about ADHD, you’ve probably seen the advice “Use a consistent schedule” again and again.

I know I have.

Based on what doctors know about this condition, having a regular routine is essential to keeping ADHD in check.

This is particularly true if you’re homeschooling, because you’ll have to come up with a schedule on your own and then stick to it.

We’ve tried several homeschooling schedules over the years, but most of them have been a terrible fit for our family.

It wasn’t until I started considering our kids’ ADHD that our homeschooling days began to take shape.

Find our tips for creating an ADHD daily routine for kids below!

Plus, see how to get a set of free printable daily routine checklist strips you can use with your kids!

And don’t miss our list of ADHD homeschool schedule ideas to try!

Tips for Making an ADHD Daily Routine for Kids

1. Get the kids involved in planning the routine.

Kids are far more likely to follow a schedule that they have a part in planning.

Ask them what school subjects they like the best and which ones they like the least. Alternate them on the schedule, and begin with one of the least-liked subjects first.

For example, Tigger doesn’t like math. We do that first everyday.

She knows that once it’s done correctly, she can get on to the subjects she enjoys. That generally motivates her to complete her assignments.

2. Make the routine easy to follow.

Another way to help kids stick with a daily routine is to make it easy to follow.

Make a schedule that uses pictures and short words and then post it somewhere visible in the house – in the hallway, on the refrigerator, or even in the kids’ rooms.

Grab our Daily Routine Cards to set up a daily schedule the kids can follow!

Go over the schedule with each child and make sure that he or she understands it.

Then institute it slowly – adding one subject or activity at a time until the kids remember which lesson comes next. Easing into the routine can help the kids avoid getting frustrated.

3. Use a timer for daily tasks.

One of the common symptoms of ADHD is the tendency to get overly involved in a single activity. While the kids might enjoy this at the time, it can cause you to lose track of your daily lessons and throw off your entire schedule.

Try to keep your lessons to 20 to 25 minutes and use a digital timer to let you know when to switch to a new subject.

If there’s a subject the kids really love, make room for that in the routine so that they don’t have to break off from a favorite activity before they’re ready.

In our family, Roo has a very hard time shifting his focus onto another subject once he gets started.

His favorite pretend play activity is building, so I make room for that by having him complete his schoolwork early in the day. Then he has as much time as he likes to play without having to make a sudden transition to a new activity.

Printable Daily Routine Checklist for Kids

One of the things I love the most about blogging is getting to know other parents who are raising children with ADHD.

In our ADHD Homeschooling Support group on Facebook, a reader had the brilliant idea of a printable daily checklist that she could use with her ADHD son.

I use a whiteboard for our day’s routine and we check off items as we go.

But the reader suggested a smaller checklist that could be cut apart into strips. Then you could hand them out as they go through the day.

That is GENIUS.

Since kids with ADHD can get overwhelmed by long to-do lists, using smaller strips is a great way to keep them motivated. So I’m excited to share a set of FREE daily routine checklist strips for kids!

These have lines that are large enough for you to write down the tasks or for the kids to write them on their own!

(Neat way to sneak in some handwriting practice.)

As you see, you can write the day at the top and then list up to four tasks underneath.

Need more strips for each day? No worries, just print as many as you need.

Want color choices? There are six in this pack!

You can print your checklist strips in blue, yellow, red, purple, green, or grey!

Need to use these checklist strips for items outside of schoolwork and chores?

They’re great for listing appointments and upcoming events too!

Since some kids with ADHD may be living with anxiety too, knowing what appointments are upcoming can do a lot to allay their fears.

To get your copy of these Printable Kids’ Daily Checklists, click the image or the link below to download them to your computer – free!

>>> Daily Routine Checklist Strips <<<

Do you use a daily routine for your kids with ADHD? How do you help them to stick to it? Share your suggestions in the comments!

Don’t miss these other great posts!

Must Read Books for ADHD Homeschooling Parents

October 2, 2014 by Selena Robinson 2 Comments

When I first learned that our daughter had ADHD, I was full of questions: What is ADHD? What are the treatment options for ADHD? Should I change my parenting style? Can we manage ADHD without medication?

I Googled and poked around some online sites and found a few great ones (I’ll be sharing those later in the series), but what I really wanted was a comprehensive book about ADHD that would explain the condition, let me know what to expect, and offer suggestions for how we could help Tigger manage her symptoms.

Of course, now that we’ve learned that most of us in the family have ADHD, I’ve had to do even more reading about it. Today I’m recommending my must-read books for ADHD homeschooling parents, but even if you’re not a homeschooling family, you’ll find some excellent advice and tips for managing ADHD in these resources.

My Must-Read Books for ADHD Homeschooling Parents

Healing ADD Revised Edition: The Breakthrough Program that Allows You to See and Heal the 7 Types of ADD

This book by Dr. Daniel Amen has literally been a life changer for our family. In the book, Dr. Amen describes seven types of ADD, including hyper and inattentive versions. We found each of us in this book and we learned about the types of behaviors that are unique to each type.

For example, Tigger tends to show classic ADD symptoms, complete with hyperactivity, while Pooh displays the characteristics of limbic ADD – a type I had never heard of before. It was after reading this book that I decided to adjust our homeschool schedule to allow for a more gradual wake up routine in the morning.

We’ll be talking more about the different types of ADHD later this week.

Raising Girls with ADHD: Secrets for Parenting Healthy, Happy Daughters

Raising Girls with ADHD is a book specifically about helping young girls with the condition to understand their symptoms, manage their behavior, and build self-esteem. Tigger’s dealt with low self-esteem quite a lot over the years, especially when it comes to some of her harder school subjects, so this book was right up our alley!

Look for our full review and a giveaway later this month! 🙂

The Out-of-Sync Child Has Fun, Revised Edition: Activities for Kids with Sensory Processing Disorder

Since some of our children have sensory processing disorder, we try to incorporate sensory activities whenever possible. This book, a follow up to The Out-of-Sync Child, is packed with active, sensory-stimulating activities that are simple to do around the house. These activities have provided some great material for our homeschool P.E. classes!

Women With Attention Deficit Disorder: Embrace Your Differences and Transform Your Life

I came across this book as I was just beginning to realize that I have ADHD. The author, Sari Solden, is also a woman living with ADD and she is incredibly compassionate and relatable as she describes the challenges and advantages of living with this condition.

As a homeschooling mom, I do the majority of the parenting and the teaching in our home and I really needed some help to understand my tendencies toward disorganization and procrastination. This book has really helped me to work with those tendencies, instead of trying to be “normal”.

The Ultimate Guide to Brain Breaks

This ebook, written by homeschooling mom Heather Haupt, is a great way to add movement breaks into your homeschool day! We got a chance to review it a while back and our kids absolutely loved it! We schedule in brain breaks every day and the kids pay attention so much better after we take them.

Do you have any favorite books for ADHD homeschooling parents? Share your recommendations in the comments!

This post is part of our “31 Days of ADHD Homeschooling” series! Be sure to stop by tomorrow for Day 3: Why ADHD Parents Should Let Go of the Homeschooling Ideal!

This post is also part of The Massive Guide to Homeschool Reading Lists by iHomeschool Network! Click over to read tons of awesome booklists shared by my fellow homeschooling bloggers!

Our Simple ADHD Homeschool Schedule

August 25, 2014 by Selena Robinson 15 Comments

We’ve been homeschooling for several years, but we still make adjustments to our homeschool schedule each year. And once we learned that some of our children had ADHD, we had to make some drastic changes to our daily routine.

I’ve been reading some great books on managing ADHD with kids, and I’ve learned some excellent tips about time and school management for kids with ADHD.

As a result, we’ve instituted a simple ADHD homeschool schedule. And it’s made a world of difference in making homeschooling days run more smoothly – for me AND the kids!

Read on to get a look at our typical day. And if you need more flexibility in your homeschool day, check our list of 15 different ADHD homeschool schedule ideas!

A Look at Our ADHD Homeschool Schedule

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Image c/o: belchonock / depositphotos

If you look at our ADHD homeschool schedule, you’ll notice that all of the school lessons are limited to 30 minutes MAX. That’s one of the important adjustments of this year, but so far, I’ve already seen improvements.

We also try to cover the basic subjects as early in the morning as possible. It generally makes the afternoon run smoother.

Morning:

7:30 a.m. (ish) – Wake up

I don’t really set a strict wake up time for the kids. They’re generally up by 7:30 a.m., but if they’re not, I let them sleep until they wake on their own. Pooh, in particular, needs time to wake up before he starts his day.

8:00 a.m. – Breakfast

8:30 a.m. – Copywork/Handwriting

We go over a different scripture each day and I use that verse as our copywork for the day. The kids clean up the breakfast dishes and bring their notebooks to the table to do copywork. Piglet generally sits in and draws with her Color Wonder markers.

9:00 a.m. – Math

I separate the kids for math. Tigger does her own work on the computer. We use several programs, including A+ Interactive Math, Khan Academy, and TenMarks. I let her go at her own pace, and I generally keep the entire lesson to 30 minutes or less.

The boys and I do a math lesson in the living room using “Life of Fred” and math manipulatives.

9:30 a.m. – Daily chores

The kids do their chores (usually two tasks per person) and then they make their lunches for the day.

10:00 a.m. – Language Arts

I don’t require that we have a structured language arts lesson each day, but we do cover all of the subjects (spelling, English, and writing) several times a week.

10:30 a.m. – Individual Reading

Each child gets to read with me for a few minutes alone. I generally read a short story with Roo first, then Pooh and I read a section of an early reader chapter book. Tigger and I are working our way through the Nancy Drew series and we’re on Book 1: The Secret of the Old Clock.

11:00 a.m. – Family Lesson

Everyday, we have a family lesson where we all cover the same subject together. Monday is Science, Tuesday is History, Wednesday is Geography, Thursday is Art/Music, and Friday is Foreign Language. (More about these in a future post.)

11:30 a.m – Family Unit Study

I try to pick at least one topic per month for our family unit studies. We usually read from a textbook or storybook and do an activity together each day.

Afternoon

In the afternoon, our ADHD homeschool schedule includes more of the “extras”. Unless we don’t finish covering the essentials in the morning.

12:00 p.m. – Lunch

Since they make the lunch themselves earlier in the morning, I don’t have to do much during lunch. Tigger generally helps Piglet with her food and I get a little break.

12:30 p.m. – Clean up and change for P.E.

We’re having the kids “dress for school” this year, so after lunch they change into play clothes for P.E.

1:00 p.m. – P.E.

We use Family Time Fitness for P.E. So far, we’ve been focusing on basic physical movements and helping the kids learn the difference between sports terms like “pass”, “throw”, “jump”, “hop”, etc.

1:45 p.m. – Showers and change clothes

I’ve recently made the decision to start giving showers earlier in the day. By the end of the day, we’re all exhausted and Jay and I just don’t feel up to the task. The kids seem to relax a bit more for quiet time when they’ve had a shower beforehand as well.

2:15 p.m. – Storytime

I generally read a story or part of a story before quiet time. I try to choose calm stories that won’t work them up too much. Otherwise, they’ll get in the bed and play around the whole time…lol.

2:30 p.m. – Quiet Time

This is the first year that I am NOT requiring a longer quiet time for the kids. Tigger is actually sleeping more this year than last. We suspect that it’s because she’s entering puberty and her body needs the rest.

If she goes to sleep, then I don’t wake her. We can always move the other tasks to later in the day. (One of the many perks of homeschooling!)

3:00 p.m. – Workbox Time

We do our workbox time right after Quiet Time, since it’s a quiet activity the older kids can do while Piglet is asleep. She generally naps for an hour and, by the time 3:30 rolls around, she’s up and raring to go!

3:30 p.m. – One-on-One Time with Mom

In my dream world, I’d have individual time with each child everyday. That’s just not practical, though – at least not when we’re following our regular school schedule.

So the kids alternate one-on-one time with me each day. Pooh gets Monday, Roo gets Tuesday, Tigger gets Wednesday, and Piglet gets Thursday. Friday is Mom’s one-on-one time with herself.

4:00 p.m. – Media Time

Media time is saved for the absolute very last part of the day. It’s a treat that they get to enjoy if we’ve gotten everything else done that day.

In the past, I would let them watch some TV around 11:30 p.m., particularly while I was making lunch. But they got so worked up after watching TV that they made a colossal mess while eating. Now I save media time until the end and things are better.

And that’s a look at our ADHD homeschool schedule, for this year at least. I’d love to hear about your daily homeschooling plans this year! Feel free to share them in the comments.

Don’t miss these other ideas for planning your homeschool year!

And see more ways to schedule your homeschool on my Homeschool Planning Pinterest board!

This post is part of the “2014 Not Back to School Hop” from iHomeschool Network! Click on over to read how our fellow bloggers schedule their homeschooling days!