How to Get Your Special Needs Child to Do Homework — 3 Tips From a Tutor

If homework time at your house involves tears, meltdowns, or your child staring blankly at a worksheet for 45 minutes — you're not alone. And you're not doing anything wrong.

I've been tutoring special needs children for years, and I've seen the same pattern over and over: a bright, capable kid who just cannot get started on homework. The problem isn't intelligence. It's how their brain processes the task in front of them.

Here are three strategies that actually work — not in theory, but in real living rooms with real kids.

Tip 1: Make It Tiny

ADHD brains freeze on big tasks. When a child with ADHD sees a full worksheet of 20 math problems, their brain doesn't think "let me start with question 1." It thinks: "I have to do TWENTY things" — and shuts down.

The fix is almost absurdly simple: make the task tiny.

Take a blank piece of paper and cover the entire worksheet. Slide it down to reveal just one question. That's it. One question is not scary. One question is doable. And once they finish that one question, something magical happens — they want to do the next one.

This is called the Zeigarnik Effect: our brains are wired to want to complete things we've already started. The hardest part is always starting. So make the start as small as humanly possible.

If the task still feels too big, make it smaller. There's no "too small."

Tip 2: Body Doubling

This one surprises a lot of parents: just be in the room.

Don't help. Don't hover. Don't explain. Just sit nearby and do your own thing — read a book, scroll your phone, fold laundry. Your physical presence acts as an external anchor for your child's attention.

It's called body doubling, and it's one of the most effective strategies for kids (and adults) with ADHD and self-regulation challenges. The presence of another person provides external accountability that their brain can't generate internally.

I've watched kids go from refusing to open their textbook to quietly working through an entire assignment — just because someone was sitting at the other end of the table. No nagging. No instructions. Just presence.

It works amazingly well. Try it tonight.

Tip 3: Celebrate Completion, Not Perfection

When your child finishes their homework, what's the first thing you do? If you're like most parents, you check it for mistakes.

Stop doing that.

For a child who struggles to even start homework, finishing is the victory. Celebrate that first. High five. Genuine praise. "You did it!" Let them feel the win.

Corrections can come later — or the teacher can handle them. Right now, you're building a positive association with homework completion. Every time they finish and feel good about it, the next time gets a little bit easier.

Done is better than perfect. Always.

If you make homework a place where they only hear about mistakes, they'll avoid it. If you make it a place where they feel accomplished, they'll come back.

Watch the Full Video

I go deeper into each of these tips in this video — including real examples from my tutoring sessions:

Small Changes, Big Difference

None of these tips require special training, expensive tools, or a complete overhaul of your routine. They're small shifts that respect how your child's brain actually works.

Make it tiny. Be present. Celebrate the finish line.

Your child isn't broken. They just need a different approach.