[ADHD x Summer Homework] 'Until it's all done' is counterproductive. A 10-minute plan to turn them into a child who can get started

'Did you do your homework?'

'I'll do it later'

'When are you going to start?'

Summer homework is
the longest before you start.

In our house too,
it took 30 minutes
just to get the workbook on the desk.

Sharpening the pencil.

Drinking water.

For some reason, suddenly,
starting to look for an eraser.

Watching from the side,

I wish they would
just do one question.

That's what I think.

But,

'Do your homework'

This is
too big an instruction
for a child with developmental differences.

How many pages to do.

How far it goes.

If I make a mistake,
do I fix it?

Work with no visible end
is something even adults
put off.

So in our house,
I stopped saying
'Do your homework'.

Instead,

"Let's start together"
for just 10 minutes.

Set a timer and
put a sticky note
on the first problem to solve.

When 10 minutes are up,
stop, even if you're in the middle of it.

Even if they get into the flow,
for the first few days,
deliberately do not extend the time.

Is this something to praise?

I used to think
that if they finally started,
I wanted them to
get more done.

But
what was needed
was not to finish a lot today.

Even if you start,
you can finish properly.

That was the peace of mind.

With 10 minutes,
it's easier for the child to start.

With 10 minutes,
it's easier for the parent to sit beside them.

For summer homework,
rather than the amount done in a day,

it's about how you finish
so you can return to the desk tomorrow.

I used to
make them sit
until it was finished.

That wasn't homework,
it was a battle of endurance between parent and child.

Even now,
there are days when I raise my voice.

But,

Instead of "do it all,"
"this much for today."

That way,
both parent and child
won't carry fatigue over to tomorrow.