As a parent, you may be looking for ways to help your child focus and pay attention in school or at home. Modern life presents exorbitant demands on our attention, especially for children. With technology at our fingertips and constant social media notifications, it’s no wonder that children have difficulty focusing on one task for an extended period of time. Luckily, there are some simple steps you can take to help your child focus and pay attention more. These simple tips can make a big difference in your child’s academic performance as well as mood regulation.
1. Understanding your child’s level of consciousness
Young developing brains are still growing and children are not yet able to hold the same level of focus as adults. Depending on your child’s age, you should have realistic expectations for their ability to focus. For example, a preschooler may be able to focus on one activity for about five minutes before becoming distracted, while a teenager may be able to focus for up to half an hour or longer.
From the third trimester in utero until about seven to eight years old, a child is in what’s called the Theta brain state. This state is associated with deep relaxation, daydreaming, and even hypnosis.
During this time, a child is very open and receptive to influence. That means that what you say and do during this time can have a big impact on your child’s development of focus and attention.
Knowing this is a primary area of discussion since theta is the state in which we learn best. The problem is that it’s also the state in which we are most likely to be easily distracted.
The important thing to know as a parent or guardian is to guide children with respectful authority. The reason kids at these young ages are in the theta state is because they have much to learn in a short period of life. This means that if they are not being guided in much of their environment they will operate from their limited understanding of the world around them. This often leads to unsatisfactory results such as frustration, distraction, and even boredom.
It is essential that during these years you provide an environment for your child that is rich with opportunities to explore and experiment. At the same time, you need to provide structure and support to instill healthy habits, including focus and attention.
2. Provide a calm and focused environment
It is important to provide an environment that supports focus and attention. This may include turning off the television, putting away electronic devices, and creating a designated space for studying or homework. Keep in mind that watching a show on a screen can interrupt concentration and learning for up to an hour after the show is over…even if the show was only 5 minutes long. Younger kids especially are not well adapted to shifting from the consuming of information to the creating of it. The requiring of them to do this is a common cause of behavior issues at home and in school.
Keep in mind that the brain is particularly good at spatial awareness. This means that when a child studies in their bedroom they will be more likely to think about things unrelated to school and their focus will be tested. This is because the bedroom is primarily a place for sleeping and relaxing. These two thing are far more enticing and are the ‘go to’ when in the bedroom.
A desk in a shared space such as the kitchen or living room can provide more focus because there are less personal associations with those areas. The use of headphones can also be helpful in providing white noise or calming music to help a child focus on their work. By listening to the same music each time the brain will become familiar with it and begin to expect work time when it is played.
3. Give your child regular breaks
Recent studies in ‘gap effects’ have shown that taking breaks can dramatically improve focus and attention. The theory is that when we take a break, the brain gets a chance to rest and recharge, which makes it more likely to be able to focus when we return to the task at hand. It is as simple as taking a 10 second break every 5-10 minutes. This ten second break is best reformed with eyes closed while not thinking about anything in particular. Ten seconds may seem like nothing but it is actually quite a bit of time for the brain to re-fire the corresponding neurons related to the topic that is being studied.
Equally beneficial is a 20 minute power nap or deep rest (aka meditation) as closely following the study period. In sleep there is a replay in the neurons activity with regard to how those neurons were firing during the learning process. This means that if a child takes a nap or rests immediately after learning something, they will be more likely to remember it later.
Studies have shown that the above processes can increase learning by up to 200 times. So, if your child is having trouble focusing, be sure to give them regular breaks and encourage them to take a nap or rest after they’ve been working hard.
4. Keep them hydrated
It’s important to keep your child’s brain properly hydrated in order to support optimal focus and attention. The brain is made up of 73% water, so it’s no surprise that even a small amount of dehydration can have a big impact on cognitive function.
Kids are very good at letting us know when they are hungry but they are not so good at letting us know when they are thirsty. This is because thirst is not as easily recognizable as hunger. Thirst is often mistaken for hunger, so it’s important to make sure your child is getting enough fluids throughout the day.
A good rule of thumb is to drink half of your body weight in fluid ounces of water. That means that if your child is 50 lbs, they need at least 25 oz of water per day. Reminding them to drink regularly throughout the day will help to keep their brain properly hydrated and functioning at its best.
5. Motivate them
One of the most important things you can do to help your child focus and pay attention is to make sure they are motivated. Kids who are interested in what they are doing are much more likely to be engaged and focused than those who are not.
Find out what your child is interested in and try to incorporate that into their learning. If they are the fun loving type, make learning into a game. If they are the competitive type, turn their studies into a competition. There are endless possibilities, so get creative and find what works best for your child.
When trying to motivate kids it’s tempting to create conditional terms for them, such as “if you do this then you can have that.” However, research has shown that this type of motivation actually decreases intrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is when we do something because we enjoy it or because we find it personally rewarding. This is the type of motivation that leads to lasting change and is much more effective than extrinsic motivation, which is when we do something in order to get a external reward.
So, instead of bribing your child with rewards, try to find ways to make learning fun and interesting for them. When they are intrinsically motivated, they will be much more likely to focus and pay attention.
These are five scientifically backed ways that you can help your child focus and pay attention in school. Implementing even just one of these strategies can make a big difference in their ability to learn and retain information. So, don’t wait, start today and see the positive impact it has on your child’s education.
