Q: “How Can I Prepare My ADHD Teen for 9th Grade?”
Identify your rising 9th grader’s true emotional maturity, buy school supplies early, review his ADHD accommodations, and more tips for exceeding the academic demands and expectations of high school.
Q: “My teen with ADHD will enter high school in the fall. How can I help him prepare for the academic demands and higher expectations in 9th grade?”
Ninth grade is a big leap for kids with ADHD, whose emotional maturity and executive functioning may lag a few years behind that of their neurotypical peers. Your teen will be navigating a new school (and the stress of finding classrooms), new teachers, new peers, and more advanced classwork while undergoing hormonal changes and new social dynamics. These pressures can exacerbate ADHD symptoms or reveal related difficulties.
6 Tips for 9th Grade
Help your teen meet the new challenges of high school with the following tips:
- Build skills. Identify your teen’s true emotional maturity. For example, does your 8th grader relate to others on a 5th-grade level? Consider what skills will be essential in high school and what you can do together to build them. For example, you might coach your teen on how to respond to teachers and role-play the interactions so he can practice using a respectful tone. Reflecting on situations your teen has navigated successfully in middle school also builds confidence. Offer reassurance and support.
- Get organized. Buy school supplies early, if possible, and set up a desk or a quiet place in the home for your teen to do his schoolwork. Create a routine for organizing your teen’s backpack and notebooks. Get familiar with the school’s website and apps for viewing classes, assignments, events, and grades.