With GCSEs and A-levels imminent, families across the UK are gearing up for one of the most stressful times of year. For parents of teenagers with ADHD, the challenges are often amplified. While arrangements like extra time are available during the actual exams (up 42 per cent since 2019, according to DfE data), many parents still feel at a loss when it comes to supporting their child during the revision phase.
The ADHD Centre has practical, compassionate advice for parents, sharing tried-and-tested revision strategies tailored to the ADHD brain. Here are their top ten effective strategies"
- Get moving – start the day with something energising like exercise, dancing or a brain teaser. It helps them get going. Get outside for some fresh air and movement at least twice a day.
- Encourage them with practical study tools (the ADHD Centre has free tips and techniques to download). Mind maps, voice notes, walking while revising, and saying things aloud. Let them revise in a way that works for them, not how you think they should be revising.
- Plan together – build a flexible revision schedule together. Keep it realistic and achievable.
- However hard it is, try not to nag! Saying “How can I support you today?” goes a lot further than haranguing them with “You need to revise.”
- Keep it short and focused – 25-minute bursts with breaks in between are far more effective than marathon sessions. Get them to put a timer on and remind them to take a break.
- Allow helpful stimulation like music or fidget toys but, if possible, remove unhelpful distractions like their phone.
- If you feel they are not doing enough, don’t panic, your teenager will reflect your behaviour. Stay calm, set mini-deadlines or small challenges to harness the ADHD brain’s need for momentum. This will also help you stay patient.
- Boost their confidence. Teens with ADHD can be hard on themselves. Praise effort and remind them of what they’re good at.
- Work with their body clock – some teens focus better in the evening. Be flexible with when and how they study, this is their agenda, not yours
- To avoid overwhelm, make sure they take regular breaks. Plan things they can look forward to, like an outing, favourite food, time to see friends. They don’t need to study all day and evening.
These tips are just the beginning. The ADHD Centre’s Essential Parenting Course goes deeper, helping parents understand ADHD through a fresh lens, less about managing behaviour, and more about supporting their child’s emotional regulation, confidence, and ability to function day-to-day.
The goal is to help teenagers feel seen and supported, and to give parents the tools and reassurance they need to be there for their child.
The ADHD Centre's Essential Parenting Course can help with all aspects of parenting and is made up of six videos, is designed specifically for families navigating daily life and its ups and downs of having a child and teenager with ADHD.
