Many parents find themselves struggling to get their kids to concentrate, especially when it comes to schoolwork. Even if your child doesn’t have ADHD, she may experience difficulty concentrating from time to time. Poor concentration often affects a child’s grades and performance at school. Helping your child learn to focus and eliminate distractions in her environment gives her an advantage in the classroom. The strategies that work for one child might not help another. Try several different ways to help your child improve her concentration.
Step 1
Set up a dedicated study and homework area within the home with minimal distractions. Find a quiet spot without a view of the TV or other loud activities in the home. Keep all necessary materials, such as paper and pencils, in that area so your child isn’t distracted when trying to find what he needs.
Step 2
Schedule homework before your child plays video games, watches TV or uses the computer. Tackling the homework first might help your child concentrate to get to the other activities faster. Scheduling the homework time every day at the same time gets your child in a routine and might help with concentration.
Step 3
Go over your child’s homework and studying tasks each day when she gets home from school. Help her create a timeline and plan of attack to get all of the tasks completed in a timely manner.
Step 4
Teach your child to break down assignments into smaller pieces to make the task seem more manageable. Show him how to write a list of each part of the assignment so he can check it off as he completes it. Checking items off of a list motivates some children to stay focused.
Step 5
Set a timer for each smaller part of the task your child is completing. The timer helps your child use her time wisely and could serve as a motivator by encouraging her to finish the task before the timer sounds.
Step 6
Reward your child when he shows good concentration. The reward might be something as simple as an extra 10 minutes of video games.
Step 7
Visit the classroom if your child struggles with concentration while at school. Observe the classroom to see if you can identify potential distractions and work with the teacher to help your child deal with those distractions. Ask the teacher for suggestions and insight on your child’s concentration difficulties.
Step 8
Play games and do activities that require your child to focus, concentrate and engage the brain. Try activities like crossword puzzles, word searches and memory card games.
