Summer Pages for Managing ADHD Kids

Are you having the “what did you do all day?” discussions yet? It’s tough to avoid this argument, especially with older kids, and especially during the summer.

Well, my friend, I have a strategy for this. Please remember, as with all of my strategies, they are meant to be a jumping-off point. Modify and adjust these strategies to fit your family norms and expectations. There is no doing this wrong. Simply morph it into a system that works for you.

---

We know that our ADHD kids have an "interest based" (rather than importance based) nervous system that will drive them towards activities of interest. What feels good now, is the thing to do in the now. Whether they (or we) like it or not. 

The challenge is striking the balance between supporting healthy behaviors, while not completely taking over their free time.

How do we get our kids to do something productive during those free times without ruining summer? 

Supporting healthy habits, without ruining summer.

Over the years, my clients and I have worked on many different systems and strategies for encouraging positive behaviors and choices during free time. Obviously, every family is different when it comes to what works best.

There isn’t really a “right” or “wrong” way. It’s more about what works and what doesn’t work. However, I have noticed that the systems that do work seem to have three essential elements:

1) printed tracking system,

2) motivating incentives, and

3) front loading.

Printed Tracking System

When I created my own tracking system, I found the following elements to be the most useful.

• Days of the week, displayed horizontally, with a column dedicated to each day.

  
  

• A space at the top, to write in the obligations, appointments and family plans of the day.

  
  

• A sequence of boxes that represent 4-6 categories of healthy behaviors. For example, going outside, reading, write in a journal, do something nice for someone, one helpful chore, etc.
  

Motivating Incentives

The incentives are what makes this work. 

Let’s be clear, incentives are not a bribe. Bribes are given before the behavior occurs. Incentives are an earned result. Our ADHDers' interest-based nervous system requires incentives to get started.

The incentives don’t have to be candy, money, or endless screen time. They actually work best if they are simply interest-based.

What is your ADHD kid asking for today?

Be sure to determine the short-term and long-term rewards. For example, all boxes done for the day is one incentive, but less than all could be lesser incentives. You could establish a bonus incentive if all boxes for the whole week are completed.

ADHD Pro Tips

Have fun with it. This strategy has the potential to bring fun and celebration where there was arguing and frustration.

Avoid nagging or giving them a hard time if they didn’t participate. Try new ways to gamify the whole process by using the four focus factors: body movement, creative/competitive, newness, and time limits.

Talk about it first. Help them integrate your expectations within their own, and you’ll get a bit less resistance when the time comes. Discussing expectations before the moment occurs not only makes this strategy work, but it also strengthens this executive function.

Was this helpful?

Consider grabbing this free chapter of my future book. This is the last summer that this will be free, and the offer is only available through July 30, 2025

Up Next...

June 22, 2025