I have a 10 year old friend, Janie, who has learning disabilities: dysgraphia, ADHD, and Irlen Syndrome, which is also known as Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome (SSS), which amongst other symptoms means she can't focus on the written page for very long.

As her mother's friend I've found that the household weekend schedule is only 2nd in importance to the regular daily schedule to work with keeping Janie on an even keel. Here is a plan her parents formulated to help the household survive weekend activities:

- Rising is the same time as on Monday to Friday.

- Breakfast follows in a more leisurely fashion with Janie's favorite pancakes made into animal shapes. (This weekend routine gives Janie something to look forward to for her weekend breakfasts.)

- Late morning is a structured activity away from the house - grocery or clothes shopping, usually - hand in hand with me, when visiting, or mom.

- Lunch at home.

- Afternoon outing or friends in to play. Janie seems to get along best when just one friend at a time visits.

- Supper at home, usually. Her parents found it is too hard on everyone to take Janie out to a restaurant where she would have to sit for an hour. Their solution has been to go to a pizza parlor with game machines to keep her busy and not running around the place.

- After supper - game time, tv time and then quiet time beginning with bath time. No arguments or loud noises in the house after bath time are allowed.

- Regular bedtime.

I think as Janie grows older it will be interesting to see if she sticks to a regular routine on her own!

Daily Schedules
Family Travel by Car Schedules

Irlen Syndrome
Dysgraphia
Benefits of Yoga with Learning Disabilities

Editor's note: At their request, the child's name changed to protect her privacy.

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Article by Susan Kramer