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What Parents Can Do to Help Their Children Get Organized

Helping to Organize Your Child's Work Space and Materials

What Parents Can Do to Help Their Children Get Organized Disorganization and lack of time awareness are common characteristics of ADHD. A child or teen with ADHD is likely weak in these skills and will need your help, support, and "coaching" in order to be successful in school. Try not to be critical; instead, keep in mind that this is part of the disorder.

• Provide your child with a backpack and notebook/binder according to teacher's specifications.
• Provide all necessary supplies for school and homework.
• Label your child's materials and possessions with her name.
• With your child, choose a place in the home that has adequate lighting, is comfortable for working, and is as free from distractions as possible.
• With your child, carefully examine his work space. Make sure your child has a large, working surface (desktop) free from clutter. If your child has a computer, don't place it on his desk, which cuts down considerably on his working surface area. Instead, place the computer on a separate desk or table.
• Have your child clear out desk drawers and shelves of work, projects, and papers that were from different school years. Together, decide on what you would like to keep and store out of the way (in colored boxes, or zipper portfolios) in order to make room for current papers and projects.
• Provide your child with a corkboard and pins to hang up important papers.
• Hang dry erase boards and markers in the kitchen and your child's room for important notes and messages.
• Provide a file with color-coded folders in which your child can keep papers stored categorically.
• Keep trays and bins for storing supplies/materials in order to remove some of the clutter from the desktop.
• Keep a three-hole punch and electric pencil sharpener easily accessible.
• Besides a master calendar (in kitchen), provide your child with a desk calendar that serves as an overview of important dates, activities, and events.
• Assist your child with cleaning and organizing by getting her started.
• Make the time to help your child clean and organize his backpack, notebook, desk, and room.
• Provide the necessary supplies to help your child be organized at school. (You will likely have to replace and replenish supplies often.) Have her take inventory of what needs replacement, or ask the teacher.
• Provide the necessary storage space (shelves, closet space, bins, trays, and drawers) for organizing your child's room efficiently.
• Besides supplies/materials in the room (e.g., on the desk) maintain a homework supply kit.
• Encourage and help your child get in the habit of putting all books, notebooks, signed notes, and other necessary materials inside the backpack before bedtime. Place them in the same spot every night.

Helping with Time Management and Awareness

Other Ways Parents Can Help

• Establish a daily routine with expectations clearly defined and discussed in the family (i.e., getting ready for school, chores, homework, and bedtime routine).
• Adhere as closely as possible to a schedule during the school week.
• When giving chores or responsibilities around the house, be sure they are reasonable, limited in number, and developmentally appropriate for your child.
• Write down and post all chores/responsibilities in a highly visible place.
• Help your child avoid being distracted by the TV by turning it off.
• Use self-stick notes to place on mirrors, doors, and other visible places for reminders.
• If possible, be available when your child is doing homework to help as needed, but don't get in the habit of having him rely on you. However tempting it may be, don't do the work for your child.
• Ask to see how your child is recording assignments. Praise all efforts at being organized.
• Expect your child to have all assignments recorded. If he tends to have difficulty keeping up with assignments, turning work in on time, and following through with projects and daily homework, see the teacher! Let the teacher know that this is an area of weakness for your child, and that you want to be in a position to help. Request the teacher's help in making sure all assignments are recorded daily. Then be sure to follow through by reviewing the recorded assignments with your child.
• Reinforce with your child the need to not leave school until she checks her assignment sheet/calendar. Make sure she has any necessary books and materials needed to do the homework.
• Have your child take the phone numbers of a few responsible students that he can call if there is a question about schoolwork. Ask the teacher to assign a responsible buddy for this purpose. Some accommodating teachers are willing to share their own home phone number.
• Be sure to ask for progress notes that keep you aware of how your child is doing. If you haven't received any communication or feedback for a while, call the teacher or write a note.
• Help your child divide the workload and assignments into manageable chunks. Ask to see what she has accomplished after a certain amount of time, or to show you when a particular assignment is done.
• Consider using a timer if your child has difficulty staying on task. Sometimes a "beat the clock system" is effective in motivating