The Kids Are All Late (for School)
Tired of feeling rushed, late, and unprepared — for every event, every time? Ease your family’s time crunch with these creative ways to teach time management to kids with ADHD.
Is there a bigger challenge than helping a child with ADHD be mindful of time? Probably not — and it’s frustrating when your child is late for school (again) or takes an hour-long shower. But ADDitude parents are persistent and creative, as the following tips show.
We use a portable white board and do some creative sketching of what he should do first, second, third, and so on. Our house rule is that you must work before you play.
-Ross, Alberta
I post reminders. I tape an index card, with written reminders, to the inside of my son’s backpack. I write down the morning routine on printer paper and hang it up in his bedroom, so he can see it when he wakes up. I put another list next to the front door. It helps me, too.
-An ADDitude Reader
Simple. I usually let my daughter know that she has 15 minutes before she has to leave.
-Ginger, Missouri
I assign chores each day and pay my daughter only for the tasks completed that day. I deduct allowance for those that are not done.
-Celeste, Kentucky
[Free Download: Routines for Morning and Night]
We place lots of clocks around the house. When he plays on the computer, I make sure that a clock is always in his field of vision, so he knows when to stop.
-Tina, Pennsylvania
I use visual schedules, countdowns for ending a task, and give him rewards for finishing tasks early.
-Karen, California
I give him time updates before changing from one activity to another. This allows him to prepare for changes ahead.
-Laura, Texas
I use a timer to get him to be productive in the short term. It is helpful.
-Kim, Pennsylvania
