The abrupt transition to online school last year was less than ideal and has left families dreading virtual classes in the fall. So in order to support a successful year, I have created a Remote Learning Survival Guide, with some simple steps for parents of ADHD kids. Be sure to check out Step 1, Step 2, Step 3, Step 4, and Step 5 before diving into the rest of the guide!

Step 6: Bust out the reward charts

Of course you are very familiar with this step. I feel confident that every parent reading this blog post has used a sticker chart, ticket exchange, or some type of reward system for their child at some point. 

I'm guessing that it worked well for a while and then gradually your kiddo lost interest, or you ran out of ideas for rewards, and eventually you abandoned it altogether.

That's totally understandable.

But I'm here to tell you that this remote learning situation is the perfect time to bring one back on board. If you'd like to change it up, here are a few simple options to try:

Sticker charts

• Probably the most classic standby, sticker charts are usually a line of empty boxes drawn on a sheet of paper. When your child earns a sticker, they place it in a box. When all of the boxes are filled, they have earned their reward.
• Have your kiddo help create the actual chart even, or at least decorate it with pictures of the reward they are working toward to increase excitement about it. 

Ticket exchange

• Use tickets or plastic coins that can be exchanged for different items or activities. They can choose when and how they want to spend these--either cash them in quickly for a small reward or choose to save for a bigger prize

Earned screen time

• Some kids are so motivated by screen time that this may be a simple exchange system. Framing screen time as an earned reward is a positive reinforcement that is more motivating than threatening to take it away.
• This can also help kids to learn how to create balance around videos and video games. For example, spending 30 minutes biking around the park could earn you 15 minutes of screen time. Let them know that if they want to spend more time playing a video game, it should be balanced by having some physical activity too.

Whatever system you are using, there are a few important things to remember:

Make the steps toward a reward small but attainable

• You want to be able to reward the small wins--working hard on a difficult worksheet, taking a moment to calm down when frustrated, brushing their teeth without being asked, etc. This might mean that you will need to increase the number of stickers required to earn that pizza and movie night. But it is most important that you are calling out these wins.

Make the reward something that can be achieved within a week or less

• If the reward is too far in the future, it will likely not be motivating for them. This is particularly true for the ADHD brain, where something a month away feels like a lifetime.

Rewards don't have to be physical items

• Pick rewards that work for your kiddo and your family. It could be a special outing with a parent; a privilege like choosing dinner, dessert, or a movie; an extra 15 minutes of video games; a coupon for getting out of a chore--the options are almost endless!

Most likely you will find that excitement and therefore motivation about earning rewards fizzles out over time. When you notice the reward system isn't serving its purpose, switch it up! You may even be able to rotate through the ones that you use. Keeping things interesting is crucial to the ADHD brain, and shiny new objects are our friends.

It can also be a good idea to get your kiddo's input on what type of system and rewards they would be most excited about. Give them some examples of the types of prizes you would be willing to offer and see how they respond. Getting them excited about earning things will help to make sure your plan is a success!

​You've got this!

The abrupt transition to online school last year was less than ideal and has left families dreading virtual classes in the fall. So in order to support a successful year, I have created a Remote Learning Survival Guide, with some simple steps for parents of ADHD kids. Be sure to check out Step 1, Step 2, Step 3, and Step 4 before diving into the rest of the guide!

Step 5: Have a weekly review

I'm assuming that most of us won't have the time or energy to sit next to their child for every online class and every assignment.

We almost certainly will ask things like: "Do you have any homework today?" and "Did you get your math homework done?" Keeping on top of things even to that degree can be a huge task, especially when you have more than one kiddo on top of your own To-Do list!

I can't tell you how many times my daughter has said, "Yep, I finished everything for today" or my son told me, "They didn't assign math homework today" and I left it at that.

But guess what?

They often didn't actually finish what was needed because they didn't read the instructions completely. Or there actually WAS a math assignment, but they weren't paying attention when the teacher mentioned it.

And I wouldn't be surprised if sometimes they weren't being honest with me.

Not because they don't respect me, or they think lying is okay. But sometimes ADHD kids alter the truth because 1) they are impulsive and the response pops into their head, and 2) they fully intend to actually do the assignment in a few minutes so they think it's close enough to the truth.

The link between lying and ADHD could be its very own blog post, but for now let's at least consider it's a possibility.

So how do you get around this?

The plan:
Schedule a time 1-2 times per week to go over all the assignments from that week. Try to keep the review at 20 minutes or less and at a consistent time (ex. Thursday at 7:00 PM)

This can help to avoid the otherwise inevitable scenario where 2 days before the semester ends you get a notice that your child has 28 missing assignments.

You may find that having an outside person help with these weekly reviews is a better fit for your family. Sometimes your child will be more cooperative working with someone who isn't a parent--and it can improve your relationship to delegate this piece to someone else. Often a high school or college student can serve as a "tutor" that offers more general support instead of teaching a specific subject.

Staying on top of things each week can help to make projects less overwhelming for ADHD kids too. Think of it like straightening your room for 15 minutes at the end of every day instead of waiting until you can't see the floor anymore--small bites are far easier to handle!

You've got this!

The abrupt transition to online school last year was less than ideal and has left families dreading virtual classes in the fall. So in order to support a successful year, I have created a Remote Learning Survival Guide, with some simple steps for parents of ADHD kids. Be sure to check out Step 1, Step 2, and Step 3 before diving into the rest of the guide!

Step 4: Consider the learning environment

An uncomfortable desk or seat is a distraction for the whole body. So it's a good idea to do a quick check to see if making an adjustment to your child' working environment could be helpful. 

A general rule of thumb for finding the right chair and desk size is: they should be able to have their feet rest flat on the floor and be able to sit with their elbows on the desk and their chin resting comfortably in their hands.

Taller kiddos may need a taller chair and desk, while shorter (often younger) children need a shorter chair and table. 

If their feet don't reach the floor easily, something as simple as adding a footstool may be helpful.

Some kids focus much better at a standing desk. This doesn't have to require purchasing an expensive new piece of furniture. Another option is to set their computer on top of a heavy duty box or something like an adjustable laptop stand that goes on a table or desk.

If seating seems to be at the correct height, but they fidget a lot with their feet, try tying resistance/exercise bands around chair or table legs. Some kids also do well with a foot roller or swinging foot fidget bar. When my daughter is feeling particularly fidgety, we have a small weighted medicine ball that she rolls around with her feet while sitting at the table.

For those that need more of a "whole body fidget," I like wiggle cushions and yoga balls to sit on. My favorite is the kind of yoga ball that is weighted. This still requires all the muscles that maintain posture to be constantly activating in order to keep balance, but doesn't roll around excessively.

Another tool that can be helpful for minimizing environmental distractions is a simple tri-fold board placed around their work area. This can be particularly useful if you have more than one child at the same table! I love this option because it is inexpensive and folds up easily to be stored out of the way.

Many of these suggestions come down to what I talked about in Step 1-- Be flexible. You may find that you have a few different seating options for your child and what they need one day is a bit different from what they need the next. Involve them in the process of problem-solving. You might say, "You seem to be having trouble sitting in your chair today, would you like to try your wiggle cushion to see if that helps?"

There are so many more options for what you can use to help minimize distractions and improve focus, so if the ones I've mentioned aren't the right fit for your kiddo, don't give up. Tap those innovative ADHD brains to find the best tools for you!

You've got this!

The abrupt transition to online school last year was less than ideal and has left families dreading virtual classes in the fall. So in order to support a successful year, I have created a Remote Learning Survival Guide, with some simple steps for parents of ADHD kids. Be sure to check out Step 1 and Step 2 before diving into the rest of the guide!
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Step 3: Reduce ​workload when possible

Sometimes the solution for getting through an assignment and avoiding burnout is simple: shorten the assignment.

In fact, reducing the length of assignments is a common accommodation for ADHD in school, particularly when kids also have slower processing speed, or learning disabilities such as dysgraphia and dyscalculia.

For things like worksheets and math assignments, this can look like having your child do every OTHER problem. Or choosing selected questions to do instead of all of them.

For writing assignments, you can reduce the number of words, or paragraphs required.

You or your kiddo can talk to the teacher about which problems are most important to focus on. Usually kids can understand and practice new concepts without doing EVERY question on the page. And pushing them to their burnout point just results in more frustrations, anxiety, and negative self-image.

Most teachers agree that the goal of homework is not to have your child sit for 3 hours, struggling to finish an assignment. The goal is to practice and solidify the skills they are learning.

So keep an open dialogue with the teacher about how much time your child is spending on assignments, and work together to find ways that make sense to reduce the workload.

It is also important to remember that kids (especially ADHD kids) may be using up all the "focus power" they have during remote learning classes. This leaves even fewer reserves for working on assignments too!

Hopefully this technique for reducing workload will help your child to succeed in a remote learning environment. Stay tuned for more techniques and tools to support your family!

You've got this!

To be notified of future blog posts, you can subscribe to my feed or follow me on Facebook.

The abrupt transition to online school last year was less than ideal and has left families dreading virtual classes in the fall. So in order to support a successful year, I have created a Remote Learning Survival Guide, with some simple steps for parents of ADHD kids. Be sure to check out Step 1 before diving into the rest of the guide!

Step 2: Take breaks

This. Is. So. Important.

I mentioned breaks a bit in Step 1, but I'm giving them their very own step here. Research shows that our brains need breaks in order to learn and to sustain attention. But what should a break look like? And how frequent should they be?

Generally, I recommend a routine like this:

• 10-20 min of work
• 5 min break
• 10-20 min of work
• 5 min break
• 10-20 min of work
• 20 min break

Everybody is different when it comes to how long they can focus on work, and it can also vary topic to topic. 

For example, my 4th grader really struggles with math. So for this subject, she works hard for 10 minute intervals and takes 5 minute breaks.

A high school student working on an essay, however, may find 20 minute intervals of writing with 5 minute breaks works better for them.

What constitutes a break?

Well, really it's just disengaging from the task, but I always insist on at least standing up, stretching, and getting a drink of water. This creates a clear break for the brain and the body, which can help to improve focus once you sit back down to work.

There are lots of ways to make breaks more interesting, though. Some of my favorites are:

• Sing or lip sync a song (if only Bohemian Rhapsody wasn't 6 minutes long!)
• Play rock, paper, scissors with a friend
• Grab a quick healthy snack
• Put on some hand lotion
• Get up and pour yourself a cold drink
• Walk up and down the stairs a few times
• Do your 3 favorite yoga poses
• Give your pet some love
• Watch a funny animal video
• Dance to an awesome song
• Go outside and breathe in some fresh air
• Do a quick mindfulness exercise

To make things a little more fun at our house, we write our break ideas on slips of paper and put them in a "brain break jar." When it's time for a break, you draw a slip and do what it says. As a bonus, we add 1 slip of paper that says "PRIZE!" When you pick this one, you get a small surprise!

For more info on effective ways to take breaks, check out information on the Pomodoro Technique. And remember that you may need to make adjustments based on your child, the subject, and sometimes even how the day is going.

You've got this!

To be notified of future blog posts, you can subscribe to my feed or follow me on Facebook.

The abrupt transition to online school last year was less than ideal and has left families dreading virtual classes in the fall. So in order to support a successful year, I have created a Remote Learning Survival Guide, with some simple steps for parents of ADHD kids. Over the next few days I will be posting details on how to make these 7 steps work for you. 

Step 1. Be Flexible

I truly hope this is an easy transition for your family. But more likely than not, there will be some frustrations and rough patches.

THAT'S OKAY

Remote learning is still new for most students and teachers, and not ideal for many. But you will learn what doesn't work, you will find things that DO work, and you will adapt. It's sort of like when you start a new job--you expect that first few months will be less than ideal. This is no different.

When you do run into problems, try to pinpoint the specific hurdle and then consider some solutions.

For example, maybe your child is incredibly distracted during online math lessons. Let's say these presentations are 30 minute videos or video calls with the teacher and you notice that after 15 minutes your child is just can't pay attention any more. The problem may be that it is just too long of a period of time for your child to stay engaged. Solution: Break math time into shorter segments of 10-15 minutes, with short breaks in between. If it is a video call, ask the teacher if it can be recorded so you can do this.

Here's another example. Perhaps the class is assigned to read a specific book together, with one chapter of at-home reading per day. Your kiddo may technically read the chapter but is so distracted they don't remember anything they just read. Solution: Try getting the book on audio book--information that is heard is processed differently in the brain than information that is read. Still distracted? Have them listen to the audio book in the bathtub. Add some epsom salts to the tub to help relax the body, and you may find they can follow the story better.

Ask your child if they have any ideas on how to overcome a specific problem they are running into. ADHD brains are innovative brains, and they may come up with a creative solution too! You've got this!

The start of a new school year is just around the corner and for many families, this means a return to remote learning.

The abrupt transition to online school last year, was less than ideal and has left families dreading virtual classes in the fall. So in order to support a successful year, I have created a Remote Learning Survival Guide, with some simple steps for parents of ADHD kids.

These steps are:
1. Be Flexible
2. Take Breaks
3. Reduce Workload
4. Check Environment
5. Review Weekly
6. Bust Out the Reward Charts
7. Be a Cheerleader

I will be going into more detail on how to apply each of these steps, with examples of common struggles and how to overcome them. You've got this!

I talk a lot about the practice of mindfulness with my patients because it is an ideal tool to have in your toolbox. Mindfulness can significantly improve concentration and focus, calm anxiety, and can even increase neuroplasticity (the ability for our brain to make new connections and learn new skills or behaviors). 

Practicing mindfulness doesn’t cost anything either!

I don’t get too many raised eyebrows when I “prescribe” mindfulness activities. Most of us can understand the benefits and would love to incorporate it into their routines--but getting started can be tough!

I recommend setting aside a regular time (even just 5 minutes) to sit down and do one mindful exercise per day. Anchoring it to an already established habit (ex. after lunch, after brushing teeth) can be helpful. If you can incorporate it more frequently, even better!

I also recommend picking a very simple exercise that doesn’t require much time. One of my favorite books with simple ideas for kids is “Calm: Mindfulness for Kids” by Wynne Kinder. This book not only shows simple exercises that are great for starting up a mindfulness practice, it also has inviting photos and illustrations. And you can totally jump between pages (we are talking ADHD brains here). 

One of my favorite exercises illustrated in the book is the high-five breath. This is a simple technique where you slowly trace the outside of your hand, breathing in as you move to the top of each finger, pausing at the top, and exhaling as you move down the other side. Give this a try, tracing your hand 5 times for a mindful high-five.

I recommend checking out this book for more easy ideas. You can find other great resources at www.mindful.org

Interested in the science behind mindfulness and ADHD? I recommend the book “The Mindfulness Prescription for Adult ADHD” by Lidia Zylowska

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Sleep is such a common issue for people with ADHD and anxiety. With current schedules thrown out the window, and little to no time for kids to burn off some energy playing with friends, I have seen a major uptick in sleep struggles for my patients and in our own family over the past few months.

Bedtime routine is so very important to help get the brain into “sleep mode” and should absolutely be your first step when working to overcome sleep difficulties. It can be helpful for the last step in this routine to be playing soothing sounds, music, audiobook or podcast. Try out a few different ones and see what works best for you. The goal is to find something that isn’t too interesting or exciting, so keep that in mind. 

One podcast we have found helpful in our family is “Nothing Much Happens” by Kathryn Nicolai. Exactly what the title says, these are stories that aren’t really about much action, but rather descriptions of small moments and scenes. Kathryn reads them in a calming, sleepy, monotonous voice that is very relaxing. It is available on Spotify, Stitcher, and Apple Podcasts https://www.nothingmuchhappens.com/stories

I hope this helps to make bedtime a bit easier in your household! More posts about sleep support to come!

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