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Teaching kids how to ignore distractions
Life is full of distractions, but there are times when full concentration is important. Whether your child is listening to a teacher, working on homework or focusing on another activity, the ability to ignore distractions will make him/her more productive and successful. Provide helpful pointers for ignoring distractions so your child learns how to focus effectively
Life is full of distractions, but there are times when full concentration is important. Whether your child is listening to a teacher, working on homework or focusing on another activity, the ability to ignore distractions will make him/her more productive and successful. Provide helpful pointers for ignoring distractions so your child learns how to focus effectively
Physical body adjustments
Making physical adjustments in the way a child holds his body or sits in a chair can increase concentration and help him avoid distractions. Tell your youngster to look away from or keep himself from looking at a distraction, turn his body away or even get up and walk away from a distracting situation.
Self-talk
Engaging with a distracting person will only fuel the distraction, but your youngster can focus on positive self-talk to overcome distractions, instead. Teach your child a simple message she can repeat to herself to help her focus. She might say, “I’m not going to look,” “Eyes on my paper” or “I will keep working.” After your child finishes her work, if she kept at it without being distracted, she should pat herself on the back and tell herself, “I did it!”
Breaking up work time
As you teach a youngster how to ignore distractions, don’t set him up for failure by expecting too much. Kids in the primary grades should be able to work for 10-minute increments successfully to begin. As a child masters working for short periods, gradually increase the work time. After working for a short time, give your little one a short five-minute break. Giving breaks between short work periods helps increase a child’s capacity for focussed work without distractions.
Reinforcing skills
Set up a system that will reinforce ignoring distractions. Give your youngster a chart or a notecard and encourage her to give herself a smiley face or a sticker every time she stays on task and resists giving in to distractions. After she earns a specific number of smiley faces or stickers, reward her with a small prize. Working toward a small prize can help hone and reinforce concentration skills.
