Hey readers,
An easily distracted child struggles with focus and concentration, hindering his capacity to learn and advance his cognitive abilities.
[Consult a doctor to check for ADHD symptoms if your child is consistently inattentive or cannot sit quietly for extended periods.]
Their regular usage of electronic media is bringing on this disturbing loss in our children's attention span.
A National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded study found that children who spend more than 7 hours a day in front of a computer experience negative physical changes to the brain, such as premature cortical thinning.
Additionally, kids who watch more than two hours of screen usage every day will probably perform worse in both thinking and language tests.
Knowing how important it is to keep our children's brains healthy, there are steps we can take right now to shield them from the harm that electronic media can cause to their developing minds.
Better results come faster.
Consistent schedule.
When they do not adhere to a routine, children struggling with attention problems become even more disoriented and off-task. Working together to establish a regular schedule is something you, as a parent, can do.
You can let your youngster assist you in making the timetable so they can develop even more life skills. Many kids thrive when given a visual schedule. Have your youngster create an image related to the activity next to the action and then help you put down the time and the task of the training for the day.
Alternatively, you may enlist your child's assistance in choosing pictures from the computer, creating your timetable on the computer, and printing it. The schedule can then be laminated so your child can check items off as they are completed during the day, or you can use it as a handy reference.
It's crucial to do this so that your child may learn to manage their day without always needing reminders from you. This will also help your child develop independence and self-help abilities.
Be in the moment.
Spend at least one moment each day being "in the now" with your child. Have a few moments every day to give your child your complete attention.
Read her a book, play a quick game of checkers, or work on a sketch or painting together. If you like playing outside, take your kid to the park and play basketball or tennis.
Mindfulness (add a mindfulness activity sheet sample).
Mindfulness exercises have been shown to improve kids' attention span and focus. These exercises have a favourable effect on general focus and concentration because they encourage people to pay attention to the current moment, according to numerous research.
Additionally, it has been demonstrated that they ease anxiety and positively impact children's behaviour in general.
For kids, who typically struggle to sit still, mindfulness is a challenging habit to implement.
The good news is that you can start practising mindfulness techniques with your child right away. And here is a free activity you can download to help your child concentrate.
Read with your child.
Reading to your children strengthens your relationship and promotes brain development. Little ones are curious and take in everything you say.
Therefore, whether you read or narrate a story to them, their minds are engaged. Reading aloud to your children regularly helps them develop their listening abilities, linguistic and cognitive skills, creativity, vocabulary, and attention span, as well as their social and emotional development.
Set a timer.
Simple activities like brushing their teeth, eating, or even playing can all have timers set for them. A child who is easily distracted can focus with the aid of timers. Limiting your child's time to accomplish a task can also challenge and inspire them to finish it.
Limit media sounds in your home.
Many kids lack the same capacity for sound filtering as adults do. This means that letting your child watch TV while doing her homework can make it harder for her to focus.
You should only allow your youngster one hour of "screen time" every day. Your exposure to television, video games, and other visual stimuli should be kept to a minimum.
What do you think to my advice about helping a child stay focused? Love to hear your thoughts in the comment section down below.
Cheers for reading X
