Tips to Manage Distractions in Children

You're all ready to finally read a book you bought months ago. You pull out a chair at the study desk, but then a notification pops up, "XYZ liked your reel." You open the app to check the notification and end up in the reels section, wasting hours. When you finally check the time, you realize it's been an hour. So, what made you waste your precious time? Your SMARTPHONE!

This kind of distraction is also common in children. They sit down to study but then see a visual alert on their device. Clicking the notification, they enter a world of distractions for an hour. Later, they realize they don't have enough time to cover all the syllabus and skip crucial questions. The next day, they sit for an exam and get bad grades. Who's the culprit here? The digital device!

The reason for your children's poor grades is not their lack of interest in studying but rather the distractions that prevent them from focusing. To help them excel at academics, the parents must identify and address the root cause and stop pressurizing them to study. If your children also get distracted easily and you want them to excel at everything, check out this blog on tips to manage distractions in children.

7 Tips to Manage Distractions in Children

Every parent wants their children to excel in academics for their own good. However, parents are also the ones who may contribute to their children becoming addicted to smartphones. Starting at six months, parents often use digital devices to distract their children. While this is a concerning issue and should be discussed in depth, let's first focus on managing distractions in children. Here are some helpful tips:

1. Minimize Exposure to Visual Distractions

If you want your child’s mind to stay where it needs to be, create a favourable environment for that first. It must encourage them to focus and study, not distract them. Remove all the unnecessary items from their study desk and room if possible. Here are the items you must consider removing:

• Flashing lights
• Excessive posters
• Large TV or monitor
• Laptops or gaming consoles

The list of items that can hinder children’s focus is pretty long, and we can’t mention all the items here. You have to figure out what can distract your child and remove it from their room.

2. Memory Games Can Help

Play memory games with your children if you want them to focus when the teacher is teaching or while doing other tasks. Memory games often involve challenges that can grab kids’ attention and keep them engaged and focused, increasing their attention span. Here are some memory games you should consider playing with your children to increase their attention span:

• Go Fish
• Snap
• Scrabble
• Chess
• Sudoku

The games listed are examples of memory games that can help improve children’s attention span. You can play any other game or DIY games if none of these interest you or your children.

3. Try Breaking Down Tasks

Can you write a good essay in one go? None of us can do it, including your children. So, stop pressurizing them to study for four hours or learn one lesson in just one go. Try breaking down the tasks. Whatever the task is, make it look simple to your children, even if it is not. For instance, if their homework is to write an essay/research paper on the “Role of Internet in Education.” Make it look easy by breaking down this task into numerous small tasks. The smaller tasks may include:

• Gather research materials
• Create an outline
• Write a Draft
• Revise and write
• Cite your sources
• Create a bibliography

Once they do one small task or two (whatever seems feasible), let them relax by allowing them to take a break. However, make sure they don’t use digital devices during their break. Taking a walk during breaks is the best way to relax the mind.

4. Understand Your Child

According to research, a child’s attention span is two or three times their age. If your child is five years old and can focus for 10-15 minutes only, you don’t have to worry about it. However, take care of them well so they don’t get distracted too soon.

Here are some things that you should take care to enhance their attention span:

• Ensure your child gets enough restful sleep each night.
• Give them food full of essential nutrients required for concentration.
• Make sure your child drinks plenty of fluids and stays hydrated throughout the day.
• Motivate them to exercise or do physical activity to improve focus and overall well-being.

5. Do They Have a Routine?

Does your child have a routine or timetable schedule to follow? If they don’t, ask them to create an effective study schedule, or you can do it yourself. Children always thrive on routines. Routines and rituals make children feel secure and safe. It can also enhance their focus skills as they know when to relax and use their smartphone and other digital devices. If you don’t know how to create an effective timetable schedule, here is how to do it:

• Assess workload and prioritize tasks.
• Set realistic, achievable goals.
• Create a detailed timetable.
• Take regular breaks.
• Be flexible and adaptable.

Here is an example of how your children’s timetable schedule should look like:

Note: The above is an example of a timetable schedule. You are free to make adjustments to it as needed. Ensure that your child's study schedule doesn't become too hectic. Also, avoid forcing them to adhere to the study timetable.

Moreover, you can read about the Role of Sleep in a Student’s Life

6. Your Presence Can Help Your Children Focus

Children tend to pay more attention to items and people closest to them. Parents, especially mothers, are closest to their children. It means your children can focus better only if you are around them when they are learning. Here are some ways you can enhance the focus of your children:

• Read a storybook to your children to help them learn the art of focusing.
• Play word games with your children to increase their focus and concentration.
• Learning to play a musical instrument together can also help improve their focus.
• Work on a puzzle together or build things using Lego to help enhance children’s focus.

7. Consult a Professional

If your child is not paying attention, no matter what you do, consider consulting a healthcare provider. A professional can help identify any underlying medical or psychological conditions affecting your child's attention span. Conditions like ADHD, sleep disorders, anxiety, and stress can affect the concentration abilities of children. Professionals can also provide tailored advice and strategies based on your child's needs and circumstances.

In Conclusion

Parents often seem concerned about their children's attention span. While some children may have shorter attention spans, others are unnecessarily worried. Children typically have a shorter attention span compared to adults. Generally, children have an attention span of two to three times their age. For instance, a five-year-old may struggle to focus for more than ten to fifteen minutes, which is completely normal.

If your children’s focus time is significantly shorter than expected for their age, consider trying various techniques to enhance their attention span. It might involve minimizing their exposure to visual distractions, playing memory games, creating a timetable schedule, or implementing the other techniques mentioned in this blog. If none of the above tips work, consulting a healthcare professional should be your next step!

FAQs

Q. What are the signs of a distracted child?

Here are the signs of a distracted child:

• Difficulty focusing on tasks
• Difficulty following directions
• Frequent fidgeting or pacing
• Frequent loss of belongings

Q. How to control distraction in children?

Here are some ways to control distractions in children:

• Minimize exposure to visual distractions
• Break down the tasks into smaller ones
• Create a timetable schedule for them
• Play memory games with your child

Q. How can you train your child’s brain to focus?

Shift their focus from your mind to the body. Here is how to do it:

• Take them for a walk
• Make them climb stairs
• Stretches can help
• Deep breathing can work wonders

Q. My child is easily distracted, even without obvious distractions. Why?

Underlying issues like ADHD, anxiety, sleep problems, or medical conditions can cause distraction in children. If you're concerned, consult a healthcare professional. They can assess your child and provide tailored advice, such as therapy, medication, or lifestyle changes.