Parenting Advice How to Make Them Focused

Easily Distracted

Growing children are easily distracted. They have problems focusing when there are so many things to do. You cannot expect a child to sit in one place and pay attention. They may be there physically, but mentally, they are somewhere else! There's no focus. To do well in school, teachers require the child to be attentive and focused. It is too much to ask of a child. Paediatrician Claudia M. Gold says if children haven't learned to control their feelings, they are bound to have attention or focus problems. She says learning and attention require the child to be able to regulate their emotions. Parents should teach their children the skill of being focused. It is a critical life skill which takes a person far.

Ways to Make the Children Focused

Parents should take the challenge to teach their children to focus. They can do so in a fun and friendly manner. Here are some ways of doing so:

1.    Keep it flowing - parents tend to give all the back to school supplies to their children at once. To create a flow, they should give the new stationery once in a week. The children's will look forward to it. Plus, they will take care of their things.

2.    Fun Activities - engage in some playful running, jumping and hopping with the children. They will love it. This will also relieve the parental stress.

3.    Do the homework together - when the children return from school, give them time to freshen up and snack. Then you can ask them about how the day was and ask about homework. Parents should try to work on the homework with the children. They should help them solve problems. Children will easily focus and pay attention when their parents take interest in their work.

4.    Encouragement- children need a lot of encouragement. Parents can do so by going through their books, praising their writings and drawings. They can tell the children that they can do better or if they get good grades, you will take them on an outing. This will motivate the children.

5.    Know their Friends - parents should invite their children's friends for tea or snack. This way they will get to know them better. Parents have to be observant and see how their children interact with their friends and classmates.

6.    Interact with Teachers - get to know your children's teachers. You can ask how the children are doing in the classroom and the subjects. By interacting with teachers, parents can know about their children's weaknesses and strengths. They can then work on it together.

7.    Distractions - get distractions out of the way. Keep your mobile phones on silent when you are helping the child with projects or assignment. Switch off the television to assist them in focus. Try to do one thing at a time.

8.    Set Goals - parents should set goals with their children. This makes it fun and achievable. Discuss what goals are. Explain to the children that for starters they can keep small goals like passing the short test, try to achieve an A in the final exam or get the assignment done before the deadline.

9.    Good Diet - the secret to attentiveness and focusing is a well-balanced diet. Good nutrition is important for growing children. They need all the vitamins and minerals. Parents should see to that their children drink at least two glasses of milk every day. They should eat fruits and vegetables and get enough protein.

10.    Board Games - Board games are good for memory building. Parents should take out time to play with the children. Games such as Scrabble, chest, draughts and monopoly are good for focusing. Another good game is Follow the Leader. This is engaging and helps in skill development

Teachers and parents shouldn't overburden the children. They should know the potential and keep everything in the limit. Too much work will make the children's overworked. They will lose focus and interest at the same time. Moreover, they will get stressed and have difficulty in the classroom. Everything should be balanced.  Children should not be left out. Teachers should take care to include them in every activity like other children. This will build their self-esteem and confidence. Moreover, it gives them a sense of inclusion and security. Parents should keep in mind that children cannot get things done by themselves. They need assistance. Children are very vulnerable. They need to be loved and cared for. They need attention and guide.