How can Parents of a Child with ADHD Help him to Stay Focused on his Remote Learning?

 

Currently, most parents are involved in assisting and/or supporting the remote learning of their elementary age or preschool child with ADHD. We may think that these children would hyperfocus and latch on to their remote learning subject, therefore not getting up from their seat. This hyperfocus may or may not happen and may or may not last. Your child may become distracted by absolutely anything, their sibling, the family pet, or just the task itself.

Some type of reinforcement is in order here, so think of something small that is in your preschool child with ADHD’s interest area. If you decide to use stickers, for example, do not just give him a sticker that he puts on his body or on the table. Buy him a blank sticker book so that your preschool child with ADHD can see the stickers accumulate that he received when he behaved in a socially appropriate way. Remember, in addition to these short-term goals, you always want to keep in mind the longest-term goal of all, which is positive self-esteem.

What would you do if your preschool child with ADHD does not really care about stickers? Find out what he really cares about, whether it is playing on an iPad for five minutes, watching a few minutes extra of his favorite show, drawing with a new marker, eating a snack after dinner such as fruit snacks, drawing outside with sidewalk chalk, blowing bubbles, or counting all of the change that you have collected in a cup in your room! In fact, you can give him one fruit snack (to be eaten after dinner), for each minute he remains in his seat at a meal!

The only thing that matters here in terms of the value of the reinforcement is whether or not he has a real interest in that reinforcer or reward. Oh, and you may have to change the reward frequently so that it does not lose its value. You may also have to frequently change the schedule of the reinforcement. For example, you may begin this intervention by giving your preschool child with ADHD a sticker each time he stays in his seat for two minutes. Then, you can give him a sticker for every other time he stays in his seat for three minutes. When you switch to four minutes and then five minutes, follow the same plan.