Help Your Child To Focus

Are you struggling with how to help your child to focus?

Your child grows every day in every way. Literally, a parent can see and feel that growth as their child’s mind, body and soul processes each new day’s experience—academically, emotionally, and socially. It is the most rewarding part of their journey.

As a child grows, they discover their passions and focus on learning more about that love.

Giving them the freedom to follow that desire is a key component in delivering your acceptance about what they like learning. They’ll deliver their best when you grant them approval. 

Clinical Psychologist, Jamie M. Howard, Ph.D., writes  “Concentration is like a muscle that requires regular exercise to strengthen. Some kids are born “stronger” in this area than others, but all kids can learn strategies and engage in practices that help improve their ability to focus and sustain their attention.” When children are provided choices to engage in activities they want to do, they'll have a higher chance to focus on that project, assignment or task. This freedom of choice allows a child to make a personal effort toward his/her best work. 

Although children learn by training by specialists—athletic coaches, music teachers, Arts guides, and academic teachers—they may need help retaining focus and concentration. Surely, if your child has ADHD or ADD, that’s Forever Job One. For many, then, a child must be trained to control their mind sustaining attention spans. Once trained, they’ll be able to use these tools to succeed.

Tips Toward Success

Here are some ways you can help them:

• Practice on specific tasks…ones they enjoy and ones they don’t.
• Do one thing at a time. Although adult office employees must multi-task, some children need to concentrate, focus and do one. thing. only. at. a. Time.
• No distraction means more focus. Turn off the TV, computers, games, and others.
• Give your child time, space and quiet.
• Break projects into manageable parts. Master one piece at a time followed by another piece of the whole. In that way, a daunting project becomes a doable one.

Help Your Child To Focus: Tying It Together

Increasing concentration at school can be taught at home by giving children the freedom to do things they’re interested in doing. Much like the Montessori Method of elementary school teaching—where an individualized, child-centered philosophy is the norm—building a child’s skillsets early on creates academic growth while building self-esteem and confidence. 

Lifetime Montessori School, a Grade One thru Grade Six elementary school with toddler, primary and Kindergarten programs as well, is an independent, private school located in Santaluz, an inland suburb in San Diego County. About 200 students attend this award-winning school now in its 14th year. 

To see how your child will benefit from an individual, ‘at-your-own-speed’ style of learning, visit: www.lifetimemontessorischool.com/free-tour.