When your child is at home, help them focus by eliminating unnecessary stimulation that could distract them, such as loud background music or the TV. Find ways to keep these to a minimum if you can’t block them completely.

Research shows that a child plays longer with a toy when one of their parents sits beside them. This principle may apply to a school-aged child, too.

Try this: Sit with your child when they start an activity (you may read a book or newspaper). Smile at them, but avoid chatting. You may find that this helps them focus better on the task.

Children focus better when they have a well-organised learning environment, where everything is in its place.

For instance, if your kid is in the habit of working at a table that is cluttered with books, newspapers, toys, and scattered pens and pencils, teach them to keep their things tidy. Keep stationery in a container and discard old newspapers.

Don’t set them up for failure by setting a concentration target they cannot possibly reach. That would lower their self-esteem. Instead, suggest that they concentrate on an activity for just five minutes and they can then stop. Pick a time limit they can cope with.

It’s easier to build concentration skills at a steady pace than in large jumps. Once your child has achieved the target time (for instance, they read the book for five minutes before putting it down for something else), add 30 seconds to this base time the following day/night.

Tell them the strategy so that they are fully aware of the new target. And when they succeed, this becomes the new baseline.

Let them choose their own activities in between periods of focus. They could play or to listen to music after they have concentrated for the agreed period. This helps recharge their concentration skills.

Once they have played for a reasonable amount of time, bring them back to the learning activity for a further specified time.

There will be times when they focus for longer than you’d expect, perhaps when playing a popular computer game or when their favourite music group appears on TV.

When you see that happening, step back and try to identify what it is about that situation that helps them. For instance, it can be their motivation, the activity itself or their surroundings.

Although you want to help your child improve, make sure you don’t take full responsibility for this.

There is a fine line between supporting your child and taking charge. If you do the latter, the drive to improve their concentration rests with you, not them. Encourage them to be actively involved by participating in the selection of techniques.

This article was first published in Young Parents. 

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