10 Tips for Homeschooling a Kid with ADHD
When we first noticed Bear was struggling with his speech, we weren’t overly concerned. Many kids are late talkers or stutter when they’re learning to talk. But after a few years, it was obvious that it was going to be a huge struggle for him.
After years of speech therapy, doctor’s appointments and doing speech therapy at home, we began to see improvement.
But we had no idea that speech problems are often connected to ADHD. So when he was diagnosed with ADHD, we had to step back and reevaluate our homeschool.
Over the years, we’ve learned a few tips and tricks to make homeschooling a kid with ADHD much easier. Today, I want to share those with you, in hopes that it will ease the often overwhelming task of homeschooling a kid with ADHD.
This post is sponsored by Forbrain by Sound for Life. All opinions are my own.
I was compensated for my time and received the product for free.
9 Tips for Homeschooling a Kid with ADHD
Movement:
Allowing your child to move is so important! It helps release pent-up energy and allows kids to focus easier. Kids with ADHD often have a hard time sitting completely still, without fidgeting, bouncing or squirming so a good solution is to allow movement in your homeschool.
- Jump as you spell a word
- Wiggle on the floor during read alouds
- Bouncing on an exercise ball during math lessons
Patience:
It’s important that your child doesn’t intend to disobey or take longer than your other kids. Reminding yourself that each child is unique and your child doesn’t choose to have ADHD will help keep you patient as you spend the days homeschooling them.
Interest-Led Learning:
Homeschooling a kid with ADHD has it’s own set of challenges. Unlike public schools, you’re likely on your own, with no back-up. That’s why it’s important to teach in a style that works for your kids.
Instead of typical box curriculum, you’ll make life much easier for both of you when you opt for interest-led learning.
Snacks:
You know what is a sure-fire way to keep everyone in a good mood while homeschooling? Snacks!
Keep easy and healthy snacks readily available for your kiddo.
Some of our favorites include:
- string cheese
- oranges
- carrots and Ranch dip
- popcorn
- beef jerky
- celery and peanut butter
- olives
Fidget:
Over the last few years, fidget toys have soared in popularity. But they are especially helpful for kids with ADHD. They allow kids a way to fidget, without disrupting others.
Some of our favorite fidget toys include:
- fidget spinners
- thinking putty
- chair bands
- stress balls
- fidget rings
Plans:
Knowing exactly what is expected of them is a huge help to kids with ADHD. They aren’t surprised by plans, appointments or family events.
We start each day with a simple checklist, written in a dollar store notebook. In this, I write everything I want Bear to accomplish that day, from chores to schoolwork to basic hygiene.
Another way to ease tension is to keep an updated calendar, for your child to see. We use one from 1Thrive and absolutely love it1 It allows Bear to see our week at a glance, as well as what’s for dinner.
Avoid Overwhelm:
Knowing what sets your child off is very important when homeschooling a kid with ADHD. Once they feel overwhelmed, you can easily spot a meltdown on the horizon. Pay close attention to the time of meltdowns, activities you’re doing when one occurs and who is present at that time. This can help you be more prepared to spot a meltdown before they ever happen.
Take Breaks:
There’s no doubt that homeschooling a kid with ADHD requires patience, but it often requires more time, as well. Bear needs breaks in between each subject, whereas my other kids could move swiftly from one subject to the other.
While my other kids are done with school by lunch time, we try to divide up Bear’s schoolwork. He does math in the mornings and language arts in the afternoons. All of our other subjects are unschooled, so we fit them in through activities throughout the day.
Get Help:
I am so thankful to be living and homeschooling in this day and age. Resources are readily available. Support and encouragement are everywhere you turn. Technology has made homeschooling a kid with ADHD easier than ever.
One of our favorite tools is the Forbrain headset by Forbrain by Sound for Life.
Forbrain is a state-of-the-art tool that uses 30+ years of auditory stimulation research to improve attention, speech fluency, comprehension, attention and memory.
The safe and non-invasive device is simples to use! Just place the headphones over your ear and start talking. Hearing your own voice through the microphone helps learners stay more focused and retain the information better than ever.
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The unique bone conduction technology enhances your voice by connecting sound vibrations directly to the inner ear. This enables you to hear yourself more clearly because of the instant auditory feedback.
This allows you to fine-tune your pronunciation, note speech patterns and improve your overall speech and comprehension.
Forbrain is incredibly helpful to people with ADHD because it keeps the brain alert and helps them to think more clearly.
Bear loves that he can connect the headset to his computer to hear lessons through the headset and he can also read along with his lessons.
When homeschooling a kid with ADHD, it’s important to pick your battles wisely. We butt heads enough about things, so I’m thankful that Forbrain is so simple to use. I just hit the “on” button and slide it over Bear’s head and ensure it’s in place.
If you’re homeschooling a kid with ADHD, remember that patience is key. Try using a mixture of these tips to make your homeschool day go more smoothly!
