Choosing a Backpack for the ADHD Child
Products and Strategies for Organization of the Child with ADHD
Mar 27, 2009
Most children with ADHD struggle with organization. It can be a challenge at home (especially with the bedroom) and in school lockers and desks. One of the child’s “spaces”, however, travels between home and school – the backpack.
Choose the Right Backpack
Evaluate the current backpack. It should be large enough to carry what the child will need, but not so large that everything will end up inside. A functional backpack should have some smaller pockets that can be designated for particular items.
Agree on the Backpack’s Contents
A backpack is not intended to be a big carry-all bag. Discuss the items that will be carried in the backpack. Emphasize that only the followinf items should be inside.
An Assignment Notebook:Having an appropriate assignment notebook and using it consistently will assist the child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in knowing what the homework is. It will help him make sure that he is taking home needed materials at the end of the day.
Note: The child with ADHD should not be bringing every book home each night. Discuss how to decide which books should come home. Obviously, the books needed for homework should come home. Parents may also decide to specific a particular book to prepare for an upcoming test. A note to bring home the Social Studies book, for example, could be written at the book of that day in the assignment book.
A Take-home Folder: The papers that should be kept in this folder are graded papers, newsletters, permission slips, etc. that will be send from school to home as a matter of taking care of business. Many papers (graded ones, for example) should be removed and left at home. Some papers will require parent action (permission slips) before they are returned to school. This folder should be a pocket folder with two pockets. One side should be labeled Leave at Home. The other side should be labeled Bring Back to School.
A Homework Folder:Several sheets of blank notebook paper should be in the folder. Explain that all homework to-do papers should be in this folder. When they are completed at home, the child should place the papers back into the folder. If this is routinely done, the child will not be shuffling through a handful of messy papers, hoping to find the needed assignment.
Other Necessary Items: Add extra pencils, pens, and erasers (in a specified pocket) and other necessary products and equipment sparingly. Consider if it is really something that needs to go back and forth. Ask several questions in making the decision:
- Will it really be needed?
- It is worth it to have the child sift through one more item when he is looking for an assignment?
Helping the child with ADHD set up an organized backpack in an important tool for success and confidence at school. It saves time and effort that could be spent on getting that homework finished.
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