How to Motivate Kids to do Homework When They Have ADHD

If you have a daughter with ADHD, then you know how difficult homework time can be in your household. Sometimes the way my daughters cry, you would think that they have lost a dearly beloved pet. As a mom of three ADHD girls, I have seen it all. The temper tantrums in hopes of escaping a science project, the tears because they didn’t want to finish a worksheet, you name it!

This is why I finally learned how to motivate kids to do homework when they have ADHD! These are some of my best tried and true tips to help you finally get your girls motivated to do their homework and learn ADHD motivation tips that you can use to prevent meltdowns during study time.

5 easy ways to motivate girls with ADHD to do homework! Learn how to motivate kids to do homework and make study time a lot easier.

How to Motivate Kids to do Homework (even if they have ADHD!)

I have 3 daughters with ADHD and I have ADHD myself. These tips aren’t magic, and you will still have tears and struggles during homework time some of the time, but using these strategies can make a big difference in how smoothly homework time goes in your house.

Modify these tools to work with the needs of the girl you’re caring for, as not all girls with ADHD are alike.

Here are some of the ADHD essentials I use in our house:

I used this Good behavior tracker to help my girls keep track of their emptions and feelings which helps them improve awareness and reduce impulsivness.

These brain break activities are perfect for girls with ADHD who are in elementary school. We used them between homework sessions.

Here are some things that my ADHD girls find helpful at home and in the classroom:

Desk lamp (this one with storage is awesome and so is this cat storage lamp)
Headphones
ADHD-friendly planner
Closed storage drawers
Comfy chair (some kids also benefit from a wiggle chair, mine don’t, they just fall over)
Weighted lap blanket
Basic writing tools
Task timer
Non-distracting fi dget toys
ADHD sensory tools
Large, simple calendar
White noise machine
Sticky arrow flags

How to Make Homework Easier for Girls with ADHD

Follow along with these tips and learn how you can help motivate your ADHD daughter to make the homework and study hours go by a lot more smoothly!

ADHD Homework Motivation Strategy 1: Divide homework into smaller chunks

Instead of trying to do all their homework in one sitting and work on a bunch of different things at once, break and divide things into smaller chunks. Perhaps they just need to get through one worksheet or finish one subject. These smaller milestones are a great way for your ADHD daughter to help focus on small things at one time.

ADHD Homework Motivation Strategy 2: Offer small rewards during homework time

Small rewards can be something like a snack or something to help make their homework sessions more rewarding. Nobody wants or enjoys doing homework, and especially if they’re having a difficult time, a reward can make the experience so much better. Rewards can be up to you what you do whether it’s an activity or something physical.

ADHD Homework Motivation Strategy 3: Allow a cool down period between homework and school

After a long day at school there is a cool down period between when they start doing homework and when they get back from school. This is especially important if they have had a particularly rough day at school. This way they can relax for a bit and do something fun before they have to go back into school mode to get their homework done. Try to pick activities that aren’t focused on learning and that can help them boost their dopamine.

ADHD Homework Motivation Strategy 4: Make a progress chart

We have a progress chart in our home where they can work toward something. This makes homework time a little easier because they are working toward a bigger prize when they do their homework without a fuss for a certain number of days.

This could be anything from screen time or a movie night to something special they’ve been wanting. Sit down with your child to come up with a prize that will really motivate them and make the whole homework thing worthwhile.

Homework time can be a huge struggle in our home. As a mom of three girls with ADHD, homework time is my least favorite time of the day. With these tips and tricks, I have been able to find ways to make homework time a little easier so hopefully the tears over homework happen a little less often. If you are still having trouble getting your children motivated or focused, please reach out to a healthcare professional to see if there may be underlying issues.