It’s that time of year again. The kids are back in school.

You have one child that is good at focus. They listen, write down assignments, do homework and are a successful test taker. Your other child cannot get it together on their own. They may resist the structure or simply struggle with structure.

We are each individuals with different thought patterns, learning/work styles and listening skills.
Whether your child has has a neurodivergent diagnosis or not, they may just need help with the structure. A diagnosis is not lack of intelligence, and you do not need a diagnosis to implement structure no matter what the struggle.

Work with teachers, communicate your child’s challenges and create a structure at home to guide your child to a more successful learning experience. A little organization and checking in with your child can help. Time out or punishments usually do not work. Communicate with your child in a matter of fact way to remove the emotional component of the issue. How was school today is not usually effective. With such challenges ask them how they are doing first so that the focus is on them as a person. Asking about the list of things to get done should not be 1st.

Here are a few coping strategies to add structure to your child’s day:
Visual reminders about daily tasks and schedules for your child
Communication reminders from the teacher(s)
Behavioral expectation reminders

Some children perform in school fine with a heavy after school schedule others do not. I have seen
some children with ADHD actually perform better with one specific activity that they are highly
enthusiastic about and they truly enjoy.

See Additude Magazine website for more strategies for a challenged student.
https://www.additudemag.com/slideshows/adhd-strategies-for-teachers/