Q: Shouldn’t My Child Sit at a Quiet Desk for Homework?
Not necessarily. Many students with ADHD focus better and produce better work while spread out on the floor or bouncing on a yoga ball while listening to music. Start developing your child’s Personal Homework Profile here.
This Dear ADHD Family Coach® column was originally written for ADDitude Magazine.
Q: “My daughter spent all year doing her homework on the floor in her room surrounded by her pillows, blankets, stuffed animals, and everything else. I can’t image that’s good for her. I want her to sit at a desk or even a table so she can focus better. But she tells me this works for her. Is it okay? Is there a better way? Her grades are fine and she does do her work. Thanks!” — AvasMom
Hi AvasMom:
The days of sitting at a desk, alone, in silence, with the door closed and not getting up until homework is completely finished are long gone. Your daughter should do her homework anywhere she feels is the right environment for HER. You say that her grades are “fine” and she completes her work. It seems that working on the floor among her special belongings is working. I firmly believe that, as parents, we need to take our cues from our children regarding what works for them.
I find that most of my student coaching clients who have ADHD and/or executive dysfunction need to move around to initiate, focus, and stay on task. So perhaps your daughter prefers the floor since she can lie down, spread out, and move around.
[Read: What’s the Best Homework Station for a Child with ADHD?]
Homework is usually the last thing our children want to be doing after a long day at school. So it’s important for them to figure out both their strengths and their needs, and to throw in a little fun, energy and creativity along the way.
Every student, no matter their challenges, has individual homework preferences that comprise what I call a Personal Homework Personal Homework Profile. By tapping into these preferences or personality traits, your daughter can create a customized approach that focuses on HER best practices for getting work done. It also removes the guesswork around “What worked for me before?”
I create one for every student with whom I work.
The profile includes:
the time of day they feel most energized for getting work done
work style
ability to focus on more than one thing at a time
pace of work
what type of environment — furniture, sound/music, and supplies — is needed
and more preferences as appropriate
Visit this page to download my Personal Homework Profile template. Have your daughter begin to note what strategies, tools, resources, and spaces she needs to be more productive and stay on task. Make sure to plan each type of work she does. For example, she might like doing her reading in a comfortable chair in the den but prefer to spread out on the floor when working on a big project.
[Read: How to Use a Color-Coded Homework Board to Break Down Assignments]
By creating a “Profile” you are taking a more holistic approach to homework and allowing your daughter to identify her needs so that she can maximize her homework muscle.
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