Help for Kids with Processing Disorders Get Organized and Independent

Posted by Susan Epstein on October 25th, 2010 at 01:45am

Dear Parent Coach Susan,

“The doctor says my son does not have ADD, only the processing disorder which looks like ADD sometimes. He seems to need me to wake him, tell him what to do specifically i.e. Do your math, then do your social studies. When cleaning his room I used to say “pick up all the red toys, or just the books to start.”  I feel like I still have to do that.  I don’t, but I have asked him to write out what order he can come up with.  I need to learn strategies to help him and me.

I am miserable and I don’t want this part of our relationship to define our relationship.  I love him dearly, I don’t want him to continue to be frustrated, and I don’t want to feel like I do either.  His three year old sister reminds him of things he has to do.  He goes to high school next year and I am worried about it.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.  He has a planner, I don’t think he uses it much unless someone reminds him to.”

Thanks,

D

Answer:

Dear D,

He can’t use the planner because he is not organized and you will have to sit with him daily and enter assignments in. Hopefully, after some time, he will enjoy this and take it on himself. But for now…

Get some 3 x 5 cards and make decks for homework, cleaning up room, chores. Break down each task into small steps. Sit with him and help him make the cards. As he completes the step he must move the card from one basket to the next. You can check in on him once and a while to see if this works. You can also use an egg timer and together with him decide how much time a given task or group of tasks can take. He can time himself and write his times on the back of the cards. He’ll be able to use these techniques or versions of these techniques for life.

This should take you out of the middle and he’ll be more independent.

let me know…

Your Parent Coach,

Susan

Tags: ADD, ADHD, Autism, Child Special Needs, Children, Children special needs homework, Chores, organization, processing disorders, teens, tweens

Under Teens/Tweens