Hoffmann Homestead

WHEN YOU AND YOUR KID HAVE ADHD!

We started homeschooling this year and it’s certainly come with some challenges. Not only do I have to navigate life having ADHD, but I also have to learn how to teach a mini-me, who also has ADHD and just doesn’t know it.

It’s half the reason we decided to homeschool. What I didn’t want was for my son to be labeled and the spark to be medicated out of him at 5 years old. I want him to have high energy and have fun and I don’t blame him for not being able to sit still and be quiet and pay attention for hours a day because honestly… same dude.

All that being said, we still have to do school. Lessons need to be had and he does need to learn. We’ve had to make some minor modifications to our original plan to make sure that school works for us. Hopefully, these tips help for you too.

Here are 5 tips to getting the job done for BOTH of you.

1. Be flexible!
   
   You may be inclined to stick to a strict schedule, but it is inevitable, you WILL break the schedule. Something will happen and the schedule will not be kept. That is okay.
   
   The beauty of homeschooling is the flexibility. You don’t have to be in school 9 hours a day to get the job done, you just need a little time. We personally school for an hour a day 3 days a week for part of the year (taking summers off to focus on the garden). Sometimes it’s impossible to find a 3^rd day to focus. Especially as a full-time working mom.
   
   Whatever your situation, come prepared to give yourself some grace and some “make up” days
   
2. Be ready to repeat lessons
   
   I’ve found that my son is AMAZING at math and really struggles with reading. Because of this, I’ve hardly had to teach him his math lessons and I’ve had to repeat a few of his reading lessons. In those moments, it’s really easy to blame myself and assume I’ve somehow not gotten through to him, but really it’s just how life is.
   
   When my sons interested in something, he pays more attention and interacts willingly. On the other hand, when he really doesn’t like something, he’s easily distracted and wants nothing to do with it.
   
   He gets that from me so the least I could do is make sure we give him the extra time he needs to truly absorb the material.
   
3. Speaking of likes and dislikes, let them lead!
   
   Now, I can’t let my son NOT learn how to read, but I can make sure we dedicate more time to things he does enjoy. He’s really into science and math and while we will keep our reading lessons, we will also add EXTRA science experiments.
   
4. Time of day- it really does matter.
   
   According to time4learning.com, homeschooling kids with ADHD can be advantageous BECAUSE of your flexibility in time of day. You’re able to teach at your child’s peak attention.
   
   As an adult with ADHD, I recognize that there are certain times of the day where I feel less productive than others. The same is true for my son.
   
   Our times of day unfortunately, do not match, but I’ve had a lot more time practicing than he has so we follow his schedule.
   
   Evenings seem to be the best for us. We typically do our lessons between 5 and 6 so we have a full belly from dinner, have had time to play and let out some energy, and it’s getting close to the time we calm down and get ready for bed.
   
   We originally  tried homeschooling in the mornings on some weekend days, but his attention span wasn’t quite ready for the hassle at that time.
   
   This may take some time to figure out if you’re new to homeschooling, but within a few weeks you will be on your way to effective and pleasant homeschooling.
   
5. Trust yourself
   
   No one knows your kid like you do. You chose this path for him/her and you need to remember why. There will be days where you feel like a failure, and you need to remember the successes and the reasons you chose this path in order to get through them.
   
   You do not have to be Harvard educated to teach your son/daughter what they need to know and there are SO MANY resources these days that can help you through what you don’t know. You can bet that when we have to multiply fractions, I’ll be looking up a YouTube video.

Whatever your child’s needs, you know them best and I believe in you!