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Solutions at Home
At home, as well as in school, multi-step directions are almost impossible for ADHD students to master. There is just too much information to take in and retain. Parents need to break down large jobs with multiple tasks into smaller, single steps. Give your child one instruction, ask him to complete it, then report back to you. Provide the second step only when the first step is done.
-- Try checklists. Older students do best with a checklist or daily routine, allowing them to assume more responsibility by referring to a list of things to accomplish. They can check off completed assignments as they go along.
-- Make a photo timeline. For younger students, some parents and teachers take pictures of each step of a routine. For example, getting ready for school in the morning involves multiple steps and instructions. Take a picture of your child at each activity — getting dressed, eating breakfast, brushing teeth, preparing her backpack— and then place these pictures in order so your child has a visual reminder of the daily morning routine.
-- Use rewards. If your child needs more reinforcement, adopt a reward or token system to provide external motivation. Either way, making instructions simpler and clearer will help ADHD children feel more responsible and become more successful at home and in school.
-- Redirect bad behavior. If the child agrees to do something, but gets sidetracked by something else, try to "redirect" rather than punish. If you've asked him to feed the dog, but found him outside playing basketball, redirect him by saying: "Remember, you're supposed to feed the dog. I'll hold on to the basketball, so you'll know where to find it when you're done."
More on ADHD Children's Behavior
When ADHD Kids Don't Seem to Care
ADHD at School eBook – Fixing Problem School Behaviors and More
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