Being able to homeschool a child with ADHD can be such a wonderful option for many families. It can provide the support and structure they need in a flexible environment that enables movement. Need individualized support? They’ve got it! And it can reduce the societal pressure that can cause anxiety.

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Homeschool ADHD? Really? Well, ADD or ADHD is not a buzzword. It is a very real and legitimate neurological disorder that appears in various ways and in various levels in children and adults alike. It is a concern of many families.

Over the years I have worked closely with a number of children and teens with ADHD. Outside of the classroom, I was tutoring (being a learning coach) for these amazing kids. It highlighted how they learn differently and need varying approaches. 

Children with ADHD are not slow learners, nor do they all have learning disabilities—they just learn differently. And there are times when the pressure of performing at school becomes detrimental to their education and to their mental health. 

For some of the children I worked with, homeschooling would have been a great option for them but there were factors why that didn’t happen and we had to work to support them in school. 

Let’s look at my top 4 reasons for homeschooling ADHD. There are more, but these make a lot of sense and are part of the reason I highly recommend homeschooling with child with ADHD if you can. 

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My Top 4 Reasons

Creating a structure that works for you

When you homeschool your ADHD child you get to create a structure that works for you. ADHD children need a structure to help them know what is coming up. They need routine (even though they might tell you they don’t). When you homeschool your child with ADHD, you are able to make your routine as rigid as needed or as flexible as needed….but remember that it will take a longer trial time to see if it is going to work. Many ADHD children need to repeat a task more often to get it to stick. 

Think with a small child and you tell them not to touch the hot oven. It usually only takes once for them to touch it and realize you are right. Not so for an ADHD child. They might touch it at least 10 times, each time blaming the oven, before they get it. This is a bit of an overgeneralization but it is a great way to explain why they need more repetition to make something routine.

Individualized attention (your very own, very personal IEP)

I love that you can individualize the curriculum, the time, and place to suit your child. Schools have 504 plans and IEPs, and they work within the structure of schools if they are being followed. You don’t need to have one at home, because you are doing this in every aspect for your child. Do they need to have extra time on tests at school? Give them as much time as they need at home. Does writing answers frustrate them? Write for them or teach them to use a computer program that will take dictation. They need to move – well, of course they can move! They won’t need teacher permission to do so.

Flexibility and freedom (of movement)

While an ADHD child does need structure and routine, you also need the flexibility to change it up when they really need a break. An off day is one that you don’t really want to push through because the plan and schedule said so. Watching ADHD children get overwhelmed and/or fixated, I know that you have to be able to go with the flow and make a change that will help them settle. An overstimulated and overwhelmed child will only get angry, not do the work, or potentially explode. You don’t want that.

You also have the freedom to allow movement. Schoolwork doesn’t have to be done at the kitchen table or a desk. It can be done on the floor. Maybe an exercise ball will be better as a seat alternative. Even being able to walk back and forth while doing a lesson can be so beneficial. Homeschooling brings this freedom and it is beautiful. 

For many of my teens I worked with, they would have loved to have had the freedom of movement.  They felt they were always getting in trouble for shifting in their seats or needing to walk around. 

Being able to homeschool your child with ADHD can save them the frustrations of having to power through a schedule when they just need a break, or can provide the freedom of movement they need.

Reduced social pressure 

Children with ADHD can have issues with making friends. This is because they can find it challenging to maintain focus during conversations, miss important social cues, or appear disinterested. A large percentage of children with ADHD are considered socially awkward. They might blank out on a conversation or talk too much, not allowing others to have a turn.

There is then the often unspoken expectation to be like the child who sits still in class and does all the right things. When you need to fidget you accidentally bother those around you, and this can cause friction and lose friendships. I have seen it happen. 

By homeschooling your child with ADHD you can help with limiting the frustrations of working around other children and distracting them. You can also work on their social awkwardness side of things – working on understanding social cues, making eye contact and not over talking. 

You are also allowing your child to just be them. And this can be very freeing for your child and amazing for their mental health. 

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These are just my 4 top reasons why I believe it is beneficial to homeschool your child with ADHD (if you can – I know that not everyone can do it and you have to do what works for you.) I have watched children struggle in school, even though you are doing what you can for them, because of their impulse control, etc. And I have watched them flourish at home. And I have seen the inverse. It will depend on your child and your temperament. But don’t discount homeschooling your child if they have ADHD because you have been told they need to have an IEP and all a school can offer. 

Check out my other posts on ADHD
Homeschooling ADHD
What is ADHD? What about accommodations?