10 practical tips to help your child improve organization and focus at school and at home! 1 Create a schedule. Try to follow the same routine every day. 2 Put up a copy of the schedule to provide visual reinforcement. Post the schedule in a prominent place so your child can see where he or she is expected to be during the day and when it’s time for homework, play, and chores. 3 Try to keep tasks simple. Try not to have too many things on the schedule for your child to remember. This way he or she has a better chance of completing each task—which can provide a sense of accomplishment. 4 Help your child get organized. Work with your child to create a “home” for his or her backpack, toys, and clothing so these items will be less likely to get lost. Give your child a checklist that he or she can refer to before coming home from school, to help your child remember to bring home important papers and homework assignments. 5 Always try to use brief, clear directions. For example, when reminding your child to pick up his or her clothes, consider saying, “please pick up your clothes” instead of “it would be nice if you picked up your clothes.” 6 Limit distractions. It may help to have the TV, radio, and computer games off when your child is performing tasks that require concentration, especially homework. 7 Offer choices so your child feels involved in making decisions. However, it’s best to offer no more than two alternatives so that he or she isn’t overwhelmed or overstimulated. 8 Goals and rewards can be effective. You can use a chart to list goals and track positive behaviors, then reward your child’s efforts. Goals should be realistic (think baby steps, not overnight success) and rewards need not be expensive (e.g., an extra half hour of TV time, choosing the movie on family movie night). 9 Decisive, positive discipline usually works best. Using timeouts or removal of privileges can help, but try to tie the consequences to the inappropriate behavior (e.g., if your child doesn’t wear a helmet while bike riding, he or she doesn’t get to ride for the rest of the day). 10 Encourage your child’s natural talents. You know your child has unique skills. When others see those skills as you do, it may lead to greater success for your child. In addition, when your child is doing something he or she loves and is good at, it can build confidence and self-esteem. You can find more tips to improve focus, organization, and behavior online at www.adhd.com or www.adhdroadmap.com.