Questions for those with children who have ADHD

Hi all – I am new to this board.  I have been lurking for a while and have decided that we want to use more of a CM form of homeschooling.  I have a 9 yr old son, in 4th grade, recently diagnosed with ADHD.  I totally get that short lessons work, especially for those with limited focus. However, how do you prevent transition times wrecking havic on getting things done?  There are lots of transition times with subjects lasting only 15-20 minutes.  What are some ways you help your child to get right on to the next task instead of taking 15 min. to get started on the 15min activity?  I would really like to complete our acedemics in the morning so we can have the afternoon for art, science, nature hikes and his project interests.  Also do you combine some subject/seat time so your child sits at the table for 30-45 minutes at a time or do you mix it up more.

CM says that attention or lack of attention is a learned trait, how does that fit in with a child with ADD/ADHD?  I can limit the distractions, but telling him that he needs to focus doesn’t work.  I have noticed that my son is more easily distracted when he doesn’t feel as confident about doing something.  Do you have ways that you have used in getting back their attention and focus before it heads down the disobedient route?  (ie. Sometimes when he is having trouble with something he will not get his eyes focused on the paper or me so we can work out the problem together.)  The best way for me to keep cool during episodes like this is to walk away and tell him to let me know when he is ready to listen.  The problem with this is then a 15 min. activity can take more then 45 minutes.

I need to add that he has difficulty with reading comprehension so we need to put some extra time into strengthening that and math has always taken a little more practice to get a concept.  Once he gets a concept in math he remembers it, but it doesn’t come easy.  So for both of those subjects I feel we need to spend an hour on them a day broken up into smaller chunks of time.  Is it just a dream thinking that we might be able to get all of the acedemics done in the morning?  I really would like for him to have a chunk on time each afternoon to explore his own interests.  I want him to know that learning can be fun and interesting.

Any ideas and thoughts on how to help a day with an ADHD child run smoother would be appreciated.