Lack of concentration is the root cause of many failures in life, both for kids and adults. The ability to concentrate better is something which can be developed with a little effort. The earlier you inculcate the habit of concentrating fully on the task at hand in children the better it is for their well-being and future. However, it is important to first identify if the kid is having poor concentration power or if there is more distraction than needed.
Identify the signs
The following behavioral patterns speak volumes about the lack of focus in kids:
- Remains unorganized and creates a mess of things around
- Is hyperactive and cannot stick to one thing or place
- Weak memory
- Daydreams and talks more about impractical and hypothetical scenarios
- Loses his belongings quite often
- Exhibits poor motor skills
- Loses cool quite often and gets irritated on petty issues
- The slow pace of writing with poor handwriting
The reason behind the lack of concentration could be anything from lack of sufficient sleep, stress, or poor nutrition. It is advisable to consult a doctor and get the issue sorted if there are more grave reasons behind lack of sleep and undefined stress. If the problem can be resolved by putting the child to bed on time and letting him catch up on his sleep on holidays and taking care of his diet, make it an everyday habit and keep the child healthy and happy. Observe the change in the child’s concentrating power if it improves well and good but if it still persists. Doing the following will help!
Supervise and guide
Supervise your child while he is involved in some learning activity. Observe if he is easily distracted or remains unhappy while reading, attending online coding classes, or playing his favourite game. Sometimes the kid gets irritated if he keeps losing in the game; becomes abusive. Be patient. Understand the kid. Help him improve by counseling with love. Your guidance will help him learn and improve.
Give targets
Set targets to be achieved by your kid, like, give him a certain number of pages to read, five new words to learn, discover six new (for him) country names, study for an hour, or complete work in half an hour. This will enable the child to stay focused as he will be motivated to complete the set task in the stipulated time. The activity will give the feeling of a competition or race. The kid will be thrilled to complete the task at hand.
Include games that involve learning
Keep electronic gaming gadgets, kids’ computers, and TV watching away from the kid’s daily routine. Instead, include online games that require concentration and enable learning. Let the kid solve puzzles and mazes online or physically. Scrabble word finders, finding the missing numbers, boxing kits, or games that involve tongue twisters are fun to play and help improve their concentration power. Try and participate in the play, yourself too.
Distraction-free surrounding
Ensure to give the child a distraction-free environment to do things that require focus and concentration. Kids find it difficult to filter distractive noises. Try not to talk over the phone or watch TV while your child is doing an engaging activity. Avoid using mixers and grinders or other such home appliances that make a lot of noise. Also, try not to interrupt the kid.
Meditation/Reading/Exercise
We all know that meditation enhances concentration power. Encourage your child to meditate every day. Reading books daily also enhances the ability to focus. Kids can also be made to do simple exercises like walking and jogging. Make sure the kid is exposed to sunlight, fresh air, and sky at least once a day. Open spaces, running under the blue sky or on bright sunny days, and a breeze of fresh air are all mood-enhancing elements and must be made part of a child’s growing up days. A happy mind is more focused!