5 Ways To Help Your Child With ADHD During The School Year

Starting school can be very stressful for kids especially if your child deals with ADHD. Overcoming the challenges of ADHD in the classroom can be overwhelming whether they are going to a class in a public school, private school or home school. We have some parent-tested strategies to help ease the frustration and stress your child may deal with.

ADHD Can make learning frustrating as seen with this boy in a green and black shirt as he tries to do his homework.
Children with ADHD can struggle with staying focused.

5 Ways To Deal With ADHD This School Year

With attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), kids often struggle with staying focused, hyperactivity, and impulses.

Whether they’re going to school at a public school or are homeschooled, these five tips can help you prep your kiddo with ADHD for the new school year and, in turn, help them succeed.

Child going to school in a pink dress and holo backpack who has a good routine and structure in their life to help deal with ADHD.
Routine and structure can help manage your child’s ADHD and keep them focused.

1. Create a School Routine

The number one thing kids with ADHD need as the school year gets underway? Routine and structure.

Chances are that you, as a parent, have made a decision about school. When you tell your kid about that decision, be excited. Tell them all about what school will be like now (even if you’re not completely excited yourself).

And then develop a routine/structure and share it with your kids. One way to do this is through a visual schedule that allows your child to see exactly what is coming up in their school day (such as this one).

Exercise will help your child with ADHD deal with their hyperness.
Exercise will help deal with the hyperactivity your child may experience.

2. Include Exercise In their Routine

Since kids with ADHD often have a hard time focusing, be sure to have some sort of exercise time available to them during their school day.

Exercise increases dopamine in the brain, which in turn helps them, at least in the short time, improve both focus and attention.

3. Limit Distractions

When ADHD kids struggle to focus and stay on task — and listen to the teacher, limiting distractions is key.

So, for example, give them a dedicated space for their “school time.” Something like this creative (and genius) idea to use tri-fold boards is a great way to keep the space clean and distraction free.

4. Offer Regular Positive Reinforcement

Adjusting to change is hard. Adapting to a new schedule and a new way of learning is hard. While positive reinforcement — and praising a child when they do something great — is helpful for any kiddo, it can be particularly helpful for a kid with ADHD.

Praising doesn’t just have to be over big things either; even praising a child when they get out of bed in time can make a world of difference to the rest of the day.

A mother smiling at her daughter as she gives her positive reinforcement.
Positive reinforcement can help your child know they’re doing great!

5. Adjust Their Treatment If Needed

With changes to the daily schedule and routine, changes in treatment may be needed as well. For some, who thrive with less scheduled in the day, they’ll need less medication. For others, who need a lot of activity, they may need more medication.

As always, be sure to consult with your child’s physician! They can also provide even more guidance in helping your child with the adjustment to the very unusual new school year.

Kids Activities Blog Has More ADHD Posts That Could Help

Looking for more posts about ADHD and how to help your child? We think you’ll like these posts!

Have you tried any of these tips for kids with ADHD? Do you have any tips to share? We’d love to hear from you!

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