Is Homework Help Just an Attempt for Attention.??

There are so many reasons why first graders are overactive in school. So it would be uncommon to say that a first graderIf the parent is concerned, I'd talk with the teacher. If nothing changes, I'd get the school psychologist or social worker involved for some monitoring and advice.
Homework should be 10 minutes for a first grader and then reading with mom or dad. If it is longer than that, I'd talk with the teacher/principal about why.

These are also some of the signs of ADHD. Have her do some of the online tests to see if she should follow through with a doctor.

Kathy might be onto something - it wouldn't hurt to get his eyes checked. At my eye doctor's I noticed a poster that said 90% of young children who have vision issues are undiagnosed - scary!) Poor vision could lead to not being able to keep up and then the attention wanders. After ruling that out, I would then check for ADHD or other medical issues.

It sounds as if it time for a talk with the child's teacher -If he is getting special attention at school, he most likely knows that it should work at home too.
If a child truly is having that much trouble understanding his assignments there may be a deeper problem.
If he is acting out for attention perhaps the promise of some extra attention ( a favorite game etc. ) AFTER the homework is finished on his own .

Hi, I would doubt that he is doing that to just get attention. At that age kids really really want to please their parents and teachers and doing well and behaving is one big way they do that. Has he been checked for eye problems, like vision or dislexia. My nephew did that and he was dislexic. Once they figured that out and took steps to correct the problem, he completely turned around.

Ask your friend to check with the school and see if someone is on staff that can assess him. More than likely it is just a fase, but not something to just blow off if it is more serious! Good luck

Maybe he is a little immature. Maybe he does need a little attention. Or, maybe he gets easily distracted by others in class because he is is just not ready for "school". A six year old has about a 6 minute attention span. Just remember that when we were kids we didn't have homework every night until 7th grade. That was the big deal about going to Jr. High. The children in school today are loaded down with too much homework and rarely get time to relax and just be kids!

Has your friend had him tested for ADHD? Or has she talked to her pediatrician about his behavior? There could be something else going on, hard to say with the little info I have but if everything else is "normal" at home yet he is exhibiting these behaviors, could be ADD or ADHD.
Also, a couple suggestions:
keep homework time to 10 min or so and come back to it rather than trying to fight endlessly while he is struggling to stay focused. This will just end up with both of them frustrated. Also, have a set time of day to do homework-not right after school though. Let him have a snack and unwind a bit first. After dinner might be good. Use lots of positive reinforcement when he does even the slightest thing right.

M.

Hi there, I am a special education teacher and, of course, a mother. There may be many things at play here. First, he is a boy, and they tend to be a bit more precocious at this age. Also, his distractibility could be due to boredom or an attentiveness issue. Many kids with ADD/HD are very intelligent, but lack the ability to stay focused. Moving the student's desk is an intervention the teacher is using to see if it helps, rather than rush to refer him to special education. Furthermore, having one-on-one assistance aides the child in maintaining focus to complete a task. It is not enabling at this age, but one must be careful. Don't give him the answer, give him the tools to find the answer. Use visual aides and manipulatives to explain concepts. Students with attentiveness problems often end up falling behind academically despite their ability and intelligence. I would recommend the parents get a private tutor for the child. Battles over help with homework may lessen if it is a third party, preferrably someone male who can act as a role model. Also, having to do homework for children with ADD/HD (if this ends up being the case) is painful. They have been trying hard all day to maintain focus and it is tough stuff to manage, so it feels like punishment to do homework in this case. You could talk to the teacher about lessening the amount of homework he needs to do or shortening his assignments. Also ask the teacher how many hands-on activities he/she does with the class. Is the student utilized as a helper/leader in the classroom? These things will help manage his classroom behaviors and may ignite his interest in school work.

On a final note, after a long day away from home, kids need to reconnect with their home and their loved ones. Allow the child to play and play with him for 30-60 minutes before starting homework. Remember, school is a full work day and it feels that way for kids. Homework is like working overtime. It's exhausting and no one should have to do it everyday.

If you think there is someone underlying, like ADD/HD, see a medical doctor for diagnosis. Medication can be helpful at this age along with clear boundary setting and high expectations. As he gets older, medication can be weened and he can learn to control his impulses and running thoughts. See the PBS website Misunderstood Minds for a simulation of what it is like to have ADHD.

Hope this helps.
A. B.

I've had the same problem with my boys for years. They are all diagnosed ADHD with other disabilities as well. If I were your friend I wouldn't be too h*** o* myself. Chances are there is something there that needs to be addressed. Has she tried an incentive chart? They work wonders around here. We do homework as soon as they get home right after a small snack without tv or any other entertainment. The longer we wait to do the homeowrk the harder it is to get done. I find my boys need to be in the "school" mentality to finish their work. Their incentives include having tv time, playing video games, choice of dinner, etc. A modified cirriculum may be in order, too. Have her talk further with the teacher. Good luck - S.