While the family that has one or more members who are struggling with ADHD may think their struggles over homework are all related to the ADHD, it is important to keep in mind that many children are now being given a ridiculously excessive amount of homework.  The reasons are many and varied, but I want to focus here on specific things parents can actually do.  While taking a more active role in your child’s PTA program, starting a campaign at your school, or running for the local school board are all reasonable things to do, they are not likely to give you and your child relief in the short term.

If you suspect that your child is being assigned an excessive amount of homework, what can you do now?  Here are a few ideas to consider.

• Talk with other parents to confirm your suspicions.  Include parents of children without learning challenges as well as those with needs similar to your own child’s needs.  Is there general agreement about homework being excessive?  Jeff Opdyke of The Wall Street Journal recently wrote a “Love & Money” column devoted to this topic and received more than a thousand e-mails describing the emotional toll that excessive homework is taking on families. 
  
  
• Schedule a meeting with your child’s teacher(s). 
• Remember, you can draw more flies with honey than vinegar.  Be pleasant, respectful, and appreciative of the teacher’s challenging role.
• Ask the teacher about his/her expectations for homework.  Make sure you understand these fully.
•  Ask the teacher about accommodations he/she is willing to make for your child with ADHD or other learning challenges.
  
  
• Children with ADHD and other learning disabilities may be given special protection and access to accommodations through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  Make sure you are familiar with help that may be available since schools must adhere to those policies.  You may be able to have your child’s homework reduced.
  
  
• If you have exhausted all resources for addressing the problem of excessive homework and are still finding that you and your family are unnecessarily stressed, give serious consideration to home schooling.  This does not mean that one parent must quit his/her job and stay home to teach.  There are cooperative approaches in which the teaching load is shared and children have the social benefits of a school community without the pressures that can come from the public school system.  Check out this link for info on homeschooling in Austin.
  
  
• Consider private school if you can afford one.  This may not necessarily be the answer, of course, since many private schools also assign excessive amounts of homework.  Be sure to discuss this issue fully with the school before making a decision to enroll your child.

Please share your own experiences with me and pass on tips you may have found helpful in dealing with the problem of too much homework.